Northeastern Jones Falls Small Watershed Action Plan Volume 2: Appendices D & E January 2013 December 2012 Final Prepared by: Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability In Consultation with: Northeastern Jones Falls SWAP Steering Committee NORTHEASTERN JONES FALLS SMALL WATERSHED ACTION PLAN VOLUME II: APPENDICES D & E Appendix D Northeastern Jones Falls Characterization Report Appendix E Applicable Total Maximum Daily Loads APPENDIX D NORTHEASTERN JONES FALLS CHARACTERIZATION REPORT A-1 Northeastern Jones Falls Characterization Report Final December 2012 NORTHEASTERN JONES FALLS CHARACTERIZATION REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the Characterization 1-1 1.2 Location and Scale of Analysis 1-1 1.3 Report Organization 1-5 CHAPTER 2 LANDSCAPE AND LAND USE 2.1 Introduction 2-1 2.2 The Natural Landscape 2-2 2.2.1 Climate 2-2 2.2.2 Physiographic Province and Topography 2-2 2.2.2.1 Location and Watershed Delineation 2-2 2.2.2.2 Topography 2-3 2.2.3 Geology 2-4 2.2.4 Soils 2-7 2.2.4.1 Hydrologic Soil Groups 2-7 2.2.4.2 Soil Erodibility 2-9 2.2.5 Forest 2-11 2.2.5.1 Forest Cover 2-11 2.2.6 Stream Systems 2-11 2.2.6.1 Stream System Characteristics 2-12 2.2.6.2 Stream Riparian Buffers 2-14 2.3 Human Modified Landscape 2-16 2.3.1 Land Use and Land Cover 2-16 2.3.2 Population 2-19 2.3.3 Impervious Surfaces 2-21 2.3.4 Drinking Water 2-24 2.3.4.1 Public Water Supply 2-24 2.3.5 Waste Water 2-24 2.3.5.1 Septic Systems 2-24 2.3.5.2 Public Sewer 2-24 2.3.5.3 Waste Water Treatment Facilities 2-26 2.3.6 Storm Water 2-26 2.3.6.1 Storm Drainage System 2-26 2.3.6.2 Stormwater Management Facilities 2-27 2.3.7 NPDES Discharge Permits 2-29 2.3.8 Zoning 2-30 2.3.9 Historic Development 2-33 CHAPTER 3 WATER QUALITY AND LIVING RESOURCES 3.1 Introduction 3-1 3.2 Water Quality Monitoring Data 3-1 3.2.1 Chemical Data 3-1 3.2.2 Biological Data 3-4 3.2.3 Illicit Discharge and Elimination Data 3-6 3.2.4 Subwatershed Summary 3-8 3.3 Stream Assessments 3-8 3.3.1 Stream Corridor Assessment 3-8 3.3.1.1 Assessment Protocol 3-8 3.3.1.2 Summary of Sites Investigated 3-9 3.3.1.3 General Findings 3-10 3.4 Sewer Overflow Impacts 3-18 3.5 303(d) Listings and Total Maximum Daily Loads 3-21 3.5.1 Nutrients 3-22 3.5.2 Bacteria 3-22 3.5.3 Chlordane 3-23 3.5.4 Chesapeake Bay TMDL 3-23 3.6 Subwatershed Pollutant Loading Analysis 3-23 3.7 Stormwater Management Facilities 3-24 3.7.1 Stormwater Management Facility Conversion 3-24 Assessment 3.7.2 Stormwater Management Facility Pollutant Load 3-27 Calculations 3.7.2.1 Existing Facility Pollutant Removal 3-27 3.7.2.2 Additional Pollutant Removal Based on 3-29 Conversions of Detention Ponds 3.9 References 3-29 CHAPTER 4 UPLAND ASSESSMENTS 4.1 Introduction 4-1 4.2 Neighborhood Source Assessments (NSA) 4-1 4.2.1 Assessment Protocol 4-1 4.2.2 Summary of Sites Investigated 4-2 4.2.3 General Findings 4-2 4.2.3.1 Downspout Disconnection 4-2 4.2.3.2 Street Sweeping 4-4 4.2.3.3 High Lawn Maintenance 4-4 4.2.3.4 Bayscaping 4-7 4.2.3.5 Street Trees 4-9 4.3 Hotspot Site Investigations (HSI) 4-11 4.3.1 Assessment Protocol 4-11 4.3.2 Summary of Sites Investigated 4-12 4.3.3 General Findings 4-14 4.4 Institutional Site Investigations (ISI) 4-14 4.4.1 Assessment Protocol 4-14 4.4.2 Summary of Sites Investigated 4-16 4.4.3 General Findings 4-18 4.5 Pervious Area Assessments (PAA) 4-18 4.5.1 Assessment Protocol 4-18 4.5.2 Summary of Sites Investigated 4-18 4.5.3 General Findings 4-19 CHAPTER 5 RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OPTIONS 5.1 Introduction 5-1 5.2 Municipal Capital Programs 5-1 5.2.1 Stormwater Management 5-1 5.2.1.1 Detention Pond Conversion 5-1 5.2.1.2 Stormwater Retrofits 5-2 5.2.1.3 Parking Lot Alley Retrofits 5-2 5.2.2 Stream Corridor Restoration 5-2 5.2.3 Reforestation-Buffers & Open Space 5-3 5.3 Municipal Management Programs 5-4 5.3.1 Street Sweeping 5-3 5.3.2 Inlet Cleaning 5-3 5.3.3 Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination Program 5-3 5.3.4 Land Development Review 5-4 5.3.4.1 Riparian Forest Buffers 5-4 5.3.4.2 Forest Conservation 5-4 5.3.4.3 Chesapeake Bay Critical Area 5-4 5.3.4.4 Groundwater Management 5-5 5.3.4.5 Stormwater Management 5-5 5.3.4.6 Erosion and Sediment Control 5-5 5.3.5 Trash and Recycling 5-5 5.3.5.1 Single Stream Recycling 5-5 5.3.5.2 Household Hazardous Waste Collection 5-5 5.3.6 Pollution Prevention: Public Lands Management 5-6 5.4 Volunteer Restoration Programs 5-6 5.4.1 Stream Watch Program 5-6 5.4.2 Stream Clean Ups 5-6 5.4.3 Downspout Disconnection 5-6 5.4.4 Street Trees 5-7 5.4.5 Reforestation-Buffers and Open Space 5-7 5.4.6 Storm Drain Marking 5-7 5.4.7 Parking Lot/Alley Retrofits 5-7 5.5 Business and Institutional Initiatives 5-6 5.5.1 Impervious Cover Removal 5-7 5.5.2 Parking Lot Retrofits 5-7 5.5.3 Open Space Planting 5-8 5.5.4 Pollution Prevention: Private Lands Management 5-8 5.6 Citizen Awareness Activities 5-8 5.6.1 Stormwater Runoff 5-8 5.6.2 Pet Waste/Bacteria Awareness 5-9 5.6.3 Fertilizer Reduction 5-9 5.6.4 Trash and Recycling 5-9 5.6.4.1 Compost Bins 5-9 5.6.4.2 Stewardship Projects 5-9 5.6.4.3 Reuse Directory 5-9 5.6.4.4 The Re-Source Newsletter 5-9 5.6.5 Conservation Landscaping 5-10 5.6.6 MD Green School Award 5-10 List of Tables 1-1 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Acreages…………………………… 1-3 2-1 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Slope Categories...…...…………….. 2-4 2-2 Geological Composition by Subwatershed (%)……………………………... 2-4 2-3 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Hydrologic Soil Categories (acres)... 2-7 2-4 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Soil Erodibility Categories (%).….... 2-9 2-5 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Forested Area……...…….………… 2-11 2-6 Northeastern Jones Falls Stream Mileage and Density………….…………… 2-12 2-7 Land Use in the 100 Foot Riparian Buffer………………………..…………. 2-14 2-8 Northeastern Jones Falls Watershed Specific Land Use…………………….. 2-16 2-9 Northeastern Jones Falls Watershed General Land Use ………..…………… 2-17 2-10 Northeastern Jones Falls Subwatershed Population Data……………………. 2-19 2-11 Estimated Impervious Surface in the Northeastern Jones Falls Watershed….. 2-22 2-12 Sewer Piping Length…………...……………….…………………………… 2-25 2-13 Sewer Piping Length per Square Mile……..………………………………... 2-25 2-14 Sewer and Septic Hookups in the Northeastern Jones Falls…………………. 2-25 2-15 Northeastern Jones Falls Storm Drain System……...…...…………………… 2-33 2-16 Northeastern Jones Falls Stormwater Management Facilities………….……. 2-29 2-17 Northeastern Jones Falls Urban Areas Treated by SWM.……...……………. 2-29 2-18 NPDES Permits in the Northeastern Jones Falls Watershed ………….…….. 2-30 2-19 Northeastern Jones Falls Zoning……………..………………………………. 2-30 2-20 Northeastern Jones Falls Zoning by Subwatershed………………………….. 2-31 3-1 Northeastern Jones Falls Planning Area Subwatershed Abbreviations…..….. 3-3 3-2 Ratings by Nutrient Concentrations…………………………………………. 3-3 3-3 Northeastern Jones Falls Watershed Data……………………….…………… 3-4 3-4 Baltimore County Biological Monitoring Results…………………………... 3-6 3-5 Baltimore County Storm Drain Prioritization Results………………………. 3-7 3-6 Summary of Monitoring Data by Subwatershed……………………………. 3-8 3-7 Summary of SCA Results…………………………………………………… 3-10 3-8 Stream Corridor Survey Results-Number of Problems.…………………….. 3-10 3-9 Stream Corridor Survey Results-Inadequate Buffer and Erosion……………. 3-10 3-10 Documented Sewer Overflows by Year in the Northeastern Jones Falls……. 3-19 3-11 Baltimore Sewer Overflows by Subwatershed, 2001-2008…………………. 3-19 3-12 Water Quality Impairment Listings and Status……………………………… 3-21 3-13 Land Use Loadings for Northeastern Jones Falls.…..……………………….. 3-23 3-14 Nitrogen Loads by Subwatershed…………………………...……………..… 3-24 3-15 Phosphorus Loads by Subwatershed……………………………………….... 3-24 3-16 Sediment Loads by Subwatershed…………………………………………… 3-24 3-17 Potential Conversions of Dry Ponds to Improve Water Quality…………….. 3-26 3-18 Percent Removal Efficiency of BMPs………………………………………. 3-27 3-19 Removal of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Due to Existing Stormwater Facilities. 3-27 3-20 Removal of Sediment Due to Existing Stormwater Facilities……………….. 3-28 3-21 Conversions of Dry Detention Ponds-Nutrient Removals………...……...….. 3-23 3-22 Conversions of Dry Detention Ponds-Sediment Removals………………….. 3-24 4-1 Acres Addressed by Downspout Disconnection…………………………….. 4-4 4-2 Neighborhoods and Miles of Road Addressed by Street Sweeping…………. 4-8 4-3 Acres of Lawn Addressed by Fertilizer Reduction…………………………..