WATERSHED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MIDDLE PORTER BAYOU WATERSHED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MIDDLE PORTER BAYOU, MS Prepared for Middle Porter Bayou Watershed Implementation Team and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Prepared by Delta F.A.R.M. P.O. Box 257 Stoneville, MS 38776 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PLAN GUIDANCE .......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Vision Statement .................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Mission Statement.................................................................................................1-1 1.3 Middle Porter Bayou Watershed Implementation Team.......................................1-1 2.0 WATERSHED DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Geography............................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Soils ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 2-3 2.4 Land Use ................................................................................................................2-3 2.5 Socioeconomics .....................................................................................................2-3 2.5.1 Demographics .......................................................................................... 2-3 2.5.2 Economy .................................................................................................. 2-4 2.6 Regulations ........................................................................................................... 2-5 2.6.1 Federal...................................................................................................... 2-5 2.6.2 State.......................................................................................................... 2-9 2.7 Existing Management............................................................................................ 2-11 3.0 RESOURCES AND CONDITION.....................................................................................3-1 3.1 Water Quality......................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Water Quantity....................................................................................................... 3-1 3.3 Wildlife and Habitat.............................................................................................. 3-1 3.4 Evaluation of Middle Porter Bayou Fish Community...........................................3-2 3.5 Recreation .............................................................................................................3-3 4.0 STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS/ISSUES ......................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Water Management ...............................................................................................4-1 4.1.1 Locations where water management is an issue........................................4-1 4.1.2 Causes .......................................................................................................4-1 4.1.3 Sources ......................................................................................................4-1 i 4.2 Water Level Declines............................................................................................. 4-2 4.2.1 Locations where Water Level Declines are an Issue ................................4-2 4.2.2 Cause......................................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.3 Sources ......................................................................................................4-2 4.3 Sediment ................................................................................................................4-2 4.3.1 Locations where Sediment is an Issue .....................................................4-3 4.3.2 Cause..........................................................................................................4-3 4.3.3 Sources ......................................................................................................4-3 4.4 Nutrient Enrichment...............................................................................................4-3 4.4.1 Locations where Nutrient Enrichment is an Issue ....................................4-4 4.4.2 Cause..........................................................................................................4-4 4.4.3 Source ........................................................................................................4-4 4.5 Organic Enrichment and low DO ..........................................................................4-6 4.5.1 Locations where Organic Enrichment and Low DO are Issues ..................................................................................................4-6 4.5.2 Cause...........................................................................................................4-6 4.5.3 Sources .......................................................................................................4-6 4.6 Pesticides.................................................................................................................4-7 4.6.1 Locations where Pesticides are an Issue .................................................. 4-7 4.6.2 Causes ....................................................................................................... 4-8 4.6.3 Sources ...................................................................................................... 4-8 4.7 Aquatic Weeds ....................................................................................................... 4-8 4.7.1 Locations.................................................................................................... 4-8 4.7.2 Causes ........................................................................................................4-9 4.7.3 Sources .......................................................................................................4-9 5.0 RESTORATION AND PROTECTION GOALS ............................................................... 5-1 5.1 Water Quality............................................................................................................ 5-1 5.2 Water Quantity......................................................................................................... 5-1 6.0 TARGETING AND PRIORITIZATION ............................................................................ 6-1 6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Delta Nutrient Reduction Strategy Initiative .............................................................6-2 ii 6.3 Mississippi River Basin Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative.................6-3 6.4 Mississippi River Basin Initiative Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program............ 6-3 6.5 New Porter Bayou Drainage District Projects........................................................ 6-5 7.0 MANAGEMENT................................................................................................................. 7-1 7.1 Ecosystem-based Management .............................................................................. 7-2 7.2 Adaptive Management Process............................................................................... 7-2 7.3 Planned Activities .................................................................................................... 7-2 7.3.1 Nutrient and Sediment BMPs .................................................................... 7-4 7.3.2 Enroll Lands in Wetland Reserve Program ............................................... 7-17 7.3.3 Wildlife Management ................................................................................ 7-18 7.3.4 Alligator Weed Control.............................................................................. 7-18 7.3.5 Water Management Projects ...................................................................... 7-22 7.3.6 Point Source Management ......................................................................... 7-23 7.4 Schedule .................................................................................................................. 7-23 7.5 Budget ..................................................................................................................... 7-26 8.0 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH...................................................................................... 8-1 8.1 Goals ....................................................................................................................... 8-1 8.2 Activities ................................................................................................................. 8-1 8.2.1 Stakeholder Meeting .................................................................................. 8-1 8.2.2 Nutrient and Sediment BMPs .................................................................... 8-1 8.2.3 PHAUCET ................................................................................................. 8-1 8.2.4 WRP Enrollment .......................................................................................