Great Works River Nonpoint Source Pollution Watershed Management Plan A Maine Department of Environmental Protection 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Project Prepared by York County Soil & Water Conservation District January 2007 1 2 Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 Great Works River Watershed (GWR) Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Plan Prepared by Forrest Bell, York County Soil & Water Conservation District in cooperation with the Great Works River Watershed Coalition, and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. This project was funded, in part, by an EPA Section 319 grant. January 2007 The mission of the York County Soil & Water Conservation District is to provide technical, educational, and financial resources to land users in York County to promote a quality of life, stewardship and wise use of our natural resources and ensure the viability of the agricultural sector. Contact: York County Soil & Water Conservation District 21 Bradeen Street, Suite 104 Springvale, Maine 04083 207-324-0888 email: [email protected] I would like to personally thank the individuals on the following page for providing outstanding community support in this watershed and region. The citizen volunteers tirelessly assisting the GWRWC, Bauneg Beg Lake Association, York Co SWCD Board, local land trusts, and local municipalities are a true inspiration to all of us working in the conservation and environmental management field. It is obvious that one of the most important resources in this watershed is its citizens. - Forrest Bell, Project Manager i Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 Acknowledgements GWRWC Steering Committee Mike Cannon, South Berwick Nancy Freese, Noble HS Katie Goulet, North Berwick Malcolm Child, South Berwick Ray Smith, North Berwick, BBLA Forrest Bell, York County SWCD Watershed Survey Volunteers Debbie Briggs Bob Hoey Sarah McNair Jeff Brinck Lorraine Hoey Jodi Michaud Bill Bullard Julie Hundley Dwight Montague Laurie Callahan Bruce Jordan Dick Moore Erica Carlsen Shiela Jordan Jan Moore Brad Christo Don Kale Jamie Schoedinger Jean Demetracopoulos Thomas Keating Sarah Schoedinger John Demeteracopoulos Jack Kelleher Marilyn Smith-Church Betsy Finigan Debbie Kreis Rick & Kiki Stevens Donna Flint David Ladd Deb St. Pierre Margo Foreman Tony Lombardi Tin Smith John Forshay Richard Lovejoy Jeff Varricchione Teegan French Nancy Lowenberg Bayse Andra Ventimigelia David Gagnon Fred Luiggi Tony Welch Wendy Garland Linda Luiggi Bill Whaley Heather Girard Renie Martin Ann Whitten Kate Goulet Dan May GWR Watershed Coalition Steve Gray Sue May Owen Hill Jim McGuire Technical Staff Additional Reviewers Forrest Bell, YCSWCD Don Kale, Maine DEP Jennifer Jespersen, FB Environmental Tin Smith, Wells NERR Tricia Rouleau, FB Environmental Mike Cannon, GWRWC Fred Dillon, FB Environmental Wendy Garland, Maine DEP Nancy Freese, GWRWC Glenn Wilde, YCSWCD Ray Smith, BBLA Project Funding and Support Maine Department of Environmental Protection US Environmental Protection Agency ii Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................... ii List of Figures ............................................................................................... vi List of Tables................................................................................................. vii List of Maps .................................................................................................. viii Key to Abbreviations ……………………………………….…………….……… ix 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 1.2 Description of Watershed ................................................................ 1 1.3 Water Quality Summary .................................................................. 1 1.4 Summary of Watershed Surveys and Threats to Water Quality…… 2 1.5 Stakeholder Involvement ............................................................... 3 1.6 Plan Goal and Objectives .............................................................. 4 1.7 Prioritization of Identified Nonpoint Sources ................................... 4 1.8 Prevention Strategy ........................................................................ 5 1.9 Best Management Practices ........................................................... 5 2. Description of the Watershed 2.1 Location .......................................................................................... 6 2.2 Watershed Map .............................................................................. 7 2.3 Physical Features (Topography, Soils).................................................. 7 2.4 Water Resources ............................................................................ 8 2.5 Land Resources ……………………………………………….…….… 9 2.6 Fish Assemblage………………………………………………....…….. 10 2.7 Land Usage .................................................................................... 11 2.8 Water Usage: Impoundments…………………………………………. 12 3. Water Quality Assessment 3.1 Classification ................................................................................... 14 3.2 Summary of Available Data (Temp, DO, TP, E. coli) .............................. 14 3.3 Summary of Bauneg Beg Lake Water Quality……………………….. 20 iii Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 4. Water Quality Goals and Objectives 4.1 Goals ............................................................................................... 20 4.2 Objectives ........................................................................................ 20 5. NPS Inventory and Assessment 5.1 Methods ........................................................................................... 21 5.2 Watershed Survey Segment Map ................................................... 22 5.3 Nonpoint Source Survey Observations ............................................ 23 6. Threats to Water Quality 6.1 Survey Results ................................................................................ 23 6.2 Priority Ranking of NPS Sites ........................................................... 24 6.3 Soil Erosion ...................................................................................... 26 6.4 Direct Flow ........................................................................................ 27 6.5 Bare Soil ........................................................................................... 27 6.6 Inadequate Buffers ........................................................................... 28 6.7 Culverts ............................................................................................ 29 6.8 Animal Waste.................................................................................... 29 7. Best Management Practices 7.1 NPS Pollution Control Actions ........................................................ 30 8. Regulations 8.1 Current Laws …………………………………………………………….. 33 8.2 Structures ………………………………………………………………... 34 8.3 Clearing of Vegetation …………………………………………………. 34 8.4 Aquifer Protection ……………………………………………………….. 34 8.5 Flood Protection …………………………………………………………. 35 9. Implementation 9.1 Plan Oversight…….. ........................................................................ 39 9.2 Action Plan ........................................................................................ 40 9.3 Actions to Achieve Self-Sustaining .................................................. 42 9.4 Evaluation Plan ............................................................................... 42 iv Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………... 43 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES CITED…………...………………….. 43 APPENDICES A. Glossary of Terms .............................................................................. 47 B. Rare Plants, Natural Communities and Animals ................................. 48 C. BMP Cost Estimates ………………..……………………………..….…. 50 D. NPS Survey Observations……………………………………….…..…… 51 E. Watershed Maps ................................................................................. 73 F. Special Insert - Bauneg Beg Lake Water Quality ………………….. 84 v Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 List of Figures Figure 2.7.1. Land Uses in the GWR Watershed ………………………………… 11 Figure 3.2.1. GWR Volunteer Efforts 2002 -2005………………………………... 14 Figure 3.2.2. Average Temperature in the Mainstem of the GWR…...……....... 15 Figure 3.2.3. DO Violations in the Mainstem of the GWR ………….…….……. 16 Figure 3.2.4. DO Violation in Tributaries of the GWR ………………………...… 16 Figure 3.2.5. Average Tributary DO Concentrations …………………...………. 17 Figure 3.2.6. Total Phosphorus Exceedence - Mainstem of the GWR………… 18 Figure 3.2.7. E. coli Violations- Mainstem of the GWR…………………….…… 18 Figure 3.2.8. Mean E. coli Counts– Goodall Brook……………………………… 19 Figure 6.1.1. Nonpoint Source (NPS) Observations by Land Use Type……… 23 Figure 6.1.2. Summary of NPS Observations ………………………………….. 23 Figure 6.2.1. Priority Ranking Summary for NPS Sites………………………… 25 vi Great Works River Watershed Management Plan - January 2007 List of Tables Table 2.4.1. Great Ponds in the GWR Watershed ………………………………. 8 Table 2.7.1. Impoundments in the GWR Watershed …………………………….. 13 Table 9.2.1. NPS Action Plan ………………………………………………………… 36 Table B.1. Rare Plants, Natural Communities and Animals …………………….