Upper Monocacy River Watershed Characterization Plan Spring 2016 Prepared by Carroll County Bureau of Resource Management Upper Monocacy River Watershed Characterization Plan Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iv List of Appendices .......................................................................................................................... v List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... vi I. Characterization Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 A. Purpose of the Characterization ....................................................................................... 1 B. Location and Scale of Analysis ........................................................................................ 1 C. Report Organization ......................................................................................................... 3 II. Natural Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 4 A. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 4 B. Climate ............................................................................................................................. 4 C. Physical Location ............................................................................................................. 6 1. Topography ................................................................................................................... 6 2. Soils .............................................................................................................................. 9 a. Hydrologic Soil Groups ............................................................................................ 9 3. Geology ...................................................................................................................... 12 D. Surface Water Resources ............................................................................................... 14 1. Wetlands ..................................................................................................................... 14 2. Floodplains ................................................................................................................. 16 3. Forest .......................................................................................................................... 18 a. Forest Cover ............................................................................................................ 18 E. Ecologically Important Areas......................................................................................... 20 F. Groundwater Resources ................................................................................................. 22 III. Human Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 23 A. Population....................................................................................................................... 23 B. Baseline and Current Land Cover .................................................................................. 23 C. Priority Funding Areas, Zoning and Build Out .............................................................. 25 1. Priority Funding Areas ............................................................................................... 25 2. Zoning and Build-Out ................................................................................................. 25 D. Impervious Surfaces ....................................................................................................... 29 E. Stormwater ..................................................................................................................... 31 1. Stormwater Management Facilities ............................................................................ 31 2. Storm Drain Systems .................................................................................................. 33 F. Drinking Water ............................................................................................................... 33 1. Wellhead Protection Areas ......................................................................................... 33 2. Public Water Service Area ......................................................................................... 33 3. Water Supply .............................................................................................................. 33 G. Wastewater ..................................................................................................................... 35 1. Public Wastewater Service Area ................................................................................ 35 2. Wastewater Discharge Locations ............................................................................... 35 3. On-Site Septic Systems .............................................................................................. 35 H. NPDES Point Sources .................................................................................................... 37 I. Protected Lands .............................................................................................................. 37 ii Upper Monocacy River Watershed Characterization Plan 1. Rural Legacy Program ................................................................................................ 38 J. Agricultural Best Management Practices ....................................................................... 41 1. Farm Plan Acres ......................................................................................................... 41 IV. Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 43 A. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 43 B. Designated Uses ............................................................................................................. 43 C. Tier II Waters ................................................................................................................. 44 D. Total Maximum Daily Loads ......................................................................................... 44 1. Current Impairments ................................................................................................... 44 a. Bacteria ................................................................................................................... 44 b. Phosphorus .............................................................................................................. 45 c. Total Suspended Sediments .................................................................................... 46 E. Water Quality Data......................................................................................................... 46 1. Current Monitoring ..................................................................................................... 46 2. Maryland Biological Stream Survey .......................................................................... 49 a. Maryland’s DNR Results ........................................................................................ 49 V. Living Resources .................................................................................................................. 53 A. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 53 B. Aquatic Biology ............................................................................................................. 53 1. Index of Biotic Integrity ............................................................................................. 54 a. Maryland’s DNR Results ........................................................................................ 54 C. Sensitive Species ............................................................................................................ 55 1. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................. 55 D. Stream Corridor Assessment .......................................................................................... 56 1. Subwatershed Summary ............................................................................................. 60 VI. Characterization Summary ................................................................................................ 62 A. Summary ........................................................................................................................ 62 B. Cost Summary ................................................................................................................ 62 VII. References: .......................................................................................................................