Chestnut Creek Watershed Based Plan Marshall County, Kentucky Revision 2, February 2016 Chestnut Creek Watershed Based Plan Chestnut Creek Watershed Based Plan Marshall County, Kentucky Revision 2, February 2016 Produced by: Third Rock Consultants, LLC Steve Evans 2526 Regency Road, Suite 180 Lexington, Kentucky 40503 859-977-2000 In conjunction with the following project partners: Teresa Stainfield, Friends of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge Maggie Morgan, Four Rivers Basin Team Dr. Mike Kemp, Murray State University Michael Carlson, Marshall County Health Department Kim Richardson, Division of Conservation Judge Executive Kevin Neal, Marshall County Fiscal Court Allen Artis, Marshall County Sanitation District # 2 Andy Radomski, USFWS Ecological Services Michael Johnson, USFWS Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge Dianna Angle, USDA – NRCS James Smith, Purchase Area Development District This watershed management plan is being developed under a Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement (C999486-1-12) awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Energy and Environment Cabinet, Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Water (KDOW) to the Friends of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (FCRNWR) based on an approved work plan. These federal funds were awarded to KDOW from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. Prepared by: Third Rock Consultants, LLC February 2016 For: Friends of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, 319(h) Grant No. # C999486-1-12. Chestnut Creek Watershed Based Plan Table of Contents Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 A. Watershed Background ...................................................................................................................... 1 B. Partners and Stakeholders ................................................................................................................. 2 CHAPTER II. WATERSHED INFORMATION .................................................................. 4 A. Watershed Location ............................................................................................................................ 4 B. Surface Hydrology and Geomorphology ........................................................................................ 4 C. Climate and Precipitation ................................................................................................................... 6 D. Groundwater Resources .................................................................................................................... 6 E. Flooding .................................................................................................................................................. 7 F. Surface Geology .................................................................................................................................... 9 G. Ecoregion and Topography ............................................................................................................. 10 H. Soils ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 I. Riparian Ecosystem ........................................................................................................................... 13 J. Fauna and Flora .................................................................................................................................. 15 K. Land Use and Nonpoint Source Pollutants ................................................................................. 16 1. Agriculture ........................................................................................................................... 16 2. Urban / Suburban Development ..................................................................................... 18 L. Human Influences on Watershed .................................................................................................. 19 1. Demographics ..................................................................................................................... 19 2. KPDES Dischargers ............................................................................................................ 20 3. Stormwater System ........................................................................................................... 24 4. Sanitary Sewer System and Waste Management ........................................................ 24 5. Water Supply Planning ...................................................................................................... 25 6. Watershed Management Activities ................................................................................ 25 M. Regulatory Status of Waterways ................................................................................................... 26 1. Designated Uses ................................................................................................................. 26 2. Designated Uses Impairment Status .............................................................................. 26 3. Total Maximum Daily Load .............................................................................................. 27 N. Summary and Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 27 1. Human Recreation Impairment ...................................................................................... 27 2. Warmwater Aquatic Habitat Impairment .................................................................... 28 3. Other Noteworthy Issues ................................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER III. MONITORING ............................................................................................. 29 A. Existing Monitoring ........................................................................................................................... 29 B. Monitoring Needs and Plan ............................................................................................................ 31 1. Water Quality Monitoring ............................................................................................... 34 2. E. coli Geometric Mean .................................................................................................... 34 3. Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Habitat ...................................................................... 34 4. Severe Erosion .................................................................................................................... 35 5. Bacterial Source Tracking ................................................................................................ 35 C. Monitoring Implementation Overview ......................................................................................... 35 Prepared by: Third Rock Consultants, LLC February 2016 For: Friends of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, 319(h) Grant No. # C999486-1-12. Chestnut Creek Watershed Based Plan CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................... 36 A. Aquatic Community and Habitat ................................................................................................... 36 1. Fish ......................................................................................................................................... 36 2. Macroinvertebrates ............................................................................................................ 36 3. Habitat .................................................................................................................................. 37 4. Severe Erosion .................................................................................................................... 38 B. Water Quality .................................................................................................................................... 40 1. Benchmarks ......................................................................................................................... 40 2. Watershed Concentrations ............................................................................................. 41 3. Pollutant Loads and Target Reductions ........................................................................ 48 4. Sources of Pollutants ......................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER V. STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS ....................................................................... 52 A. Goals and Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 52 B. BMP Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................... 54 1. General Implementation ................................................................................................... 56 2. Sanitary Sewer Facilities .................................................................................................... 57 3. Septic System Repair and Maintenance ......................................................................... 58 4. Stream and Habitat Improvement