CHATTAHOOCHEE & CHIPOLA RIVERS BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN Alabama Clean Water Partnership Montgomery, Alabama DECEMBER 2006 Prepared by: Photo: Wayne Clark Courtesy of the Valley Times News CHATTAHOOCHEE & CHIPOLA RIVERS BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN Alabama Clean Water Partnership Montgomery, Alabama DECEMBER 2006 Prepared by: This project was funded or partially funded by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management through a Clean Water Act Section 319 (h) nonpoint source grant provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region IV CHATTAHOOCHEE & CHIPOLA RIVERS BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................... ix COMMONLY USED ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS................................................... x PREFACE .................................................................................................................................... xiv 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Background.......................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Basin Plan Development Process......................................................................... 1-9 1.3 Geographic Scope of the Basin Management Plan............................................ 1-10 1.3.1 Stakeholder Involvement ....................................................................... 1-10 1.3.2 Assessment of Current Watershed Conditions ...................................... 1-13 1.3.3 Watershed Management Measures ........................................................ 1-16 1.3.4 Plan Preparation..................................................................................... 1-16 1.4 References.......................................................................................................... 1-16 2.0 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IN ALABAMA......................................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 An Overview of Watershed Management Policy ................................................ 2-2 2.3 Nonpoint Source Management Program.............................................................. 2-4 2.4 Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads ............................................ 2-4 2.5 Other State Agencies............................................................................................ 2-5 2.6 Federal Agencies.................................................................................................. 2-7 2.7 County and City Governments............................................................................. 2-7 2.8 Nongovernmental Organizations ......................................................................... 2-8 2.9 References............................................................................................................ 2-8 3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN ....................................... 3-1 3.1 Physical Characteristics ....................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.1 Physiography and Geology...................................................................... 3-3 3.1.2 Soils.......................................................................................................... 3-4 3.1.3 Climate..................................................................................................... 3-5 3.2 Ground Water....................................................................................................... 3-6 3.3 Surface Water....................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.1 Dams on the Chattahoochee..................................................................... 3-8 3.3.2 Water Quality Issues.............................................................................. 3-11 3.3.3 The Tri State Water Negotiations (“Water Wars”)................................ 3-13 3.4 Ecological Resources of the Chattahoochee River Basin .................................. 3-15 3.4.1 Protected Species ................................................................................... 3-17 3.5 Cultural History of the Basin ............................................................................. 3-17 3.5.1 Sociodemographics................................................................................ 3-19 3.5.2 Land Use ................................................................................................ 3-21 3.6 References.......................................................................................................... 3-31 i 4.0 UPPER MIDDLE CHATTAHOOCHEE SUBBASIN ................................................... 4-1 4.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Existing Water Quality and Biological Information ............................................ 4-3 4.2.1 Priority Subwatersheds ............................................................................ 4-4 4.2.2 Permitted Discharges and Stormwater Sources ....................................... 4-6 4.2.3 Fish Tissue Surveys and Consumption Advisories.................................. 4-6 4.2.4 Reservoir Studies ..................................................................................... 4-6 4.2.5 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Resources.......................................... 4-8 4.3 Stakeholder Issues of Concern............................................................................. 4-9 4.4 Water Quality and Watershed Management Goals............................................ 4-12 4.5 Implementation Strategies to Achieve Water Quality and Watershed Management Goals ............................................................................................ 4-13 4.6 Management Strategies for Common Water Quality Concerns ........................ 4-51 4.7 Plan Implementation .......................................................................................... 4-55 4.7.1 Organizational Structure ........................................................................ 4-55 4.8 Information and Education Component............................................................. 4-56 4.8.1 Current Education and Outreach Efforts................................................ 4-56 4.9 References.......................................................................................................... 4-60 5.0 LOWER MIDDLE CHATTAHOOCHEE SUBBASIN.................................................. 5-1 5.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Existing Water Quality and Biological Information ............................................ 5-3 5.2.1 Priority Subwatersheds ............................................................................ 5-5 5.2.2 Permitted Discharges and Stormwater Sources ....................................... 5-7 5.2.3 Fish Tissue Surveys and Consumption Advisories.................................. 5-7 5.2.4 Reservoir Studies ..................................................................................... 5-7 5.2.5 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Resources.......................................... 5-9 5.3 Stakeholder Issues of Concern........................................................................... 5-14 5.4 Water Quality and Watershed Management Goals............................................ 5-16 5.5 Implementation Strategies to Achieve Water Quality and Watershed Management Goals ............................................................................................ 5-18 5.6 Management Strategies for Common Water Quality Concerns ........................ 5-60 5.7 Plan Implementation .......................................................................................... 5-63 5.7.1 Organizational Structure ........................................................................ 5-63 5.8 Information and Education Component............................................................. 5-64 5.8.1 Current Education and Outreach Efforts................................................ 5-64 5.9 References.......................................................................................................... 5-68 6.0 LOWER CHATTAHOOCHEE SUBBASIN .................................................................. 6-1 6.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Existing Water Quality and Biological Information ............................................ 6-3 6.2.1 Priority Subwatersheds ............................................................................ 6-3 6.2.2 Permitted Discharges and Stormwater Sources ....................................... 6-6 6.2.3 Fish Tissue Surveys and Consumption Advisories.................................. 6-6 6.2.4 Reservoir Studies ..................................................................................... 6-6 6.2.5 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Resources.......................................... 6-6 6.3 Stakeholder Issues of Concern............................................................................. 6-8