Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Sandusky River (lower) and Bay Tributaries Watershed Division of Surface Water Draft for Public Review April 18, 2014 Cover photo: Wolf Creek at Township Line Rd., Sandusky County, Ohio. Sandusky River and Bay Tributaries Nutrient and Sediment TMDLs April 18, 2014 PUBLIC COMMENT DRAFT Prepared for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5 Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc. 1468 West Ninth Street, Suite 620 Cleveland, OH 44113 Sandusky River and Bay Tributaries PUBLIC COMMENT DRAFT Nutrient and Sediment TMDLs Contents Tables ........................................................................................................................................................... iii Figures ......................................................................................................................................................... vi Abbreviations and Acronyms ..................................................................................................................... vii Units of Measure ........................................................................................................................................ viii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... ix Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... x 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Water Quality Standards and Impairments ........................................................................................... 4 2.1 Designated Uses ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.2 Numeric Criteria ........................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Narrative Criteria and Guidance ................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Lake Erie Targets .......................................................................................................................... 9 2.5 Impairments ................................................................................................................................ 10 3 Watershed Characterization ................................................................................................................ 12 3.1 Lake Erie Western Basin............................................................................................................. 12 3.2 Previous Studies .......................................................................................................................... 13 3.3 Project Setting ............................................................................................................................. 15 3.4 Land Use and Land Cover .......................................................................................................... 18 3.5 Geology and Soils ....................................................................................................................... 20 3.6 Climate ........................................................................................................................................ 23 3.7 Hydrology ................................................................................................................................... 25 3.8 Community Profile ...................................................................................................................... 29 4 Source Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 31 4.1 Pollutants of Concern .................................................................................................................. 31 4.2 Point Sources .............................................................................................................................. 35 4.3 Nonpoint Sources ........................................................................................................................ 50 4.4 Soil and Water Assessment Tool ................................................................................................ 59 4.5 Load Duration Curves ................................................................................................................. 60 5 Linkage Analysis: Tributaries to Sandusky Bay ................................................................................. 62 5.1 Pipe Creek-Frontal Sandusky Bay (HUC 04100011 01 02) ....................................................... 63 5.2 Mills Creek (HUC 04100011 01 03) ........................................................................................... 68 5.3 Frontal south side of Sandusky Bay (HUC 04100011 02 01) ..................................................... 74 5.4 Pickerel Creek (HUC 04100011 02 03) ...................................................................................... 77 5.5 Raccoon Creek (HUC 04100011 02 04) ..................................................................................... 80 5.6 South Creek (HUC 04100011 02 05) .......................................................................................... 85 6 Linkage Analysis: Tributaries of the Sandusky River (Lower) .......................................................... 88 6.1 East Branch East Branch Wolf Creek (HUC 04100011 10 01) .................................................. 89 6.2 Town of New Riegel-East Branch Wolf Creek (HUC 04100011 10 02) .................................... 93 6.3 Wolf Creek (HUC 04100011 10 04) ........................................................................................... 96 6.4 Spicer Creek-Sandusky River (HUC 04100011 11 05) ............................................................ 100 6.5 Beaver Creek (HUC 04100011 12 02) ...................................................................................... 102 6.6 Green Creek (HUC 04100011 12 03) ....................................................................................... 105 6.7 Muskellunge Creek (HUC 04100011 13 01) ............................................................................ 108 6.8 Mouth Sandusky River (HUC 04100011 13 03)....................................................................... 113 6.9 Little Muddy Creek (HUC 04100011 14 03) ............................................................................ 115 6.10 Town of Lindsay-Muddy Creek (HUC 04100011 14 04) ......................................................... 118 7 Linkage Analysis: Sandusky River (Lower) ..................................................................................... 122 7.1 Ohio EPA Monitoring Data ...................................................................................................... 123 7.2 National Center for Water Quality Research Monitoring Data................................................. 125 - ii - Sandusky River and Bay Tributaries PUBLIC COMMENT DRAFT Nutrient and Sediment TMDLs 7.3 Sources of Impairment .............................................................................................................. 126 8 TMDL and Allocations ..................................................................................................................... 130 8.1 Load Duration Curves ............................................................................................................... 130 8.2 Allocations ................................................................................................................................ 130 8.3 Summary of TMDLs ................................................................................................................. 133 9 Water Quality Improvement Strategy ............................................................................................... 140 9.1 Point Sources ............................................................................................................................ 142 9.2 Agricultural Runoff ................................................................................................................... 143 9.3 Urban Runoff ............................................................................................................................ 145 9.4 Watershed Specific Recommendations ..................................................................................... 146 9.5 Reasonable Assurances ............................................................................................................. 147 10 References ..................................................................................................................................... 149 Appendix A. Waterbodies, Designated Uses, Impairments, and Assessment Sites Appendix B. Additional Watershed Characterization Information Appendix C. Additional Source Assessment Information Appendix D. SWAT Model Report Appendix E. Pollutant Load Maps of SWAT Model Results Appendix F. SWAT Source Load Results by Impaired WAU Appendix G. Load Duration Curves Appendix H. Summary of NCWQR Data Appendix I. Storm Water Permittees Appendix J. Allocation