Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Watershed Management Division DRAFT SOUTH LAKE CHAMPLAIN TACTICAL BASIN PLAN The Lower Poultney River floodplain forest (Photo Credit: TNC/ Mary Droege) South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan – DRAFT November 2017 Page 1 The South Lake Champlain Basin - Water Quality Management Plan was prepared in accordance with 10 VSA § 1253(d), the Vermont Water Quality Standards1, the Federal Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 130.6, and the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy. Approved: ----------------------------------------- ------------------------- Emily Boedecker, Commissioner Date Department of Environmental Conservation -------------------------------------- ------------------------- Julie Moore, Secretary Date Agency of Natural Resources 1) Pursuant to Section 1-02 D (5) of the VWQS, Basin Plans shall propose the appropriate Water Management Type of Types for Class B waters based on the existing water quality and reasonably attainable and desired water quality management goals. ANR has not included proposed Water Management Types in this Basin Plan. ANR is in the process of developing an anti-degradation rule in accordance with 10 VSA 1251a (c) and is re-evaluating whether Water Management Typing is the most effective and efficient method of ensuring that quality of Vermont's waters are maintained and enhanced as required by the VWQS, including the anti-degradation policy. Accordingly, this Basin Plan is being issued by ANR with the acknowledgement that it does not meet the requirements of Section 1-02 D (5) of the VWQS. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity agency and offers all persons the benefits of participating in each of its programs and competing in all areas of employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual preference, or other non-merit factors. This document is available upon request in large print, braille or audiocassette. VT Relay Service for the Hearing Impaired 1-800-253-0191 TDD>Voice - 1-800-253-0195 Voice>TDD South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan – DRAFT November 2017 Page 2 South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan Overview South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan – DRAFT November 2017 Page 3 Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 9 South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan Overview ...................................................................... 11 Summary of Classification Opportunities ........................................................................... 13 Chapter 1 - Introduction .......................................................................................................... 15 A. Basin Description .................................................................................................................. 15 B. Purpose of the Tactical Plan .................................................................................................. 15 C. Watershed Partners .............................................................................................................. 15 D. The Vermont Clean Water Act .................................................................................................. 21 E. Implementation Process ........................................................................................................... 23 Chapter 2- Water Quality in the Basin .................................................................................. 25 A. Watershed Description ......................................................................................................... 25 B. Sub-basin Descriptions .......................................................................................................... 27 C. Assessments Undertaken in the Southern Champlain Basin.................................................... 32 D. Surface Waters Exhibiting Very High Quality Biological Integrity or Fisheries. ......................... 38 E. Stressors, and Causes and Sources of Impairment .................................................................. 45 Chapter 3 - Regulatory Programs for Addressing Stressors and Pollutants under the Lake Champlain Basin Phosphorus TMDL Implementation Plan ................................. 62 Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL ............................................................................................... 63 Controlling Phosphorus from Wastewater Treatment Facilities and Other Industrial Discharges ... 107 Facility Specific Information ........................................................................................................ 108 Chapter 4 - Management Goals for Surface Waters in the Southern Lake Champlain Basin .......................................................................................................................................... 113 A. Class A(1), A(2) and B Waters .............................................................................................. 113 B. Existing Uses ....................................................................................................................... 114 C. Outstanding Resource Waters ............................................................................................. 115 D. Other High Quality Waters .................................................................................................. 115 E. Irrigation and Animal Watering ........................................................................................... 117 F. Water Quality Monitoring Projects (McKenzie Brook watershed) ............................................. 117 Chapter 5 – South Lake Champlain Implementation Table - Protection and Remediation Actions .............................................................................................................. 120 South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan – DRAFT November 2017 Page 4 References and Resources ..................................................................................................... 137 Glossary .................................................................................................................................... 139 Southern Lake Champlain Basin Plan Appendices ......................................................... 142 Appendix A – Existing Use Tables ................................................................................................ 143 Appendix B – Assessment of Basin Towns for Water Quality Protection ....................................... 147 Appendix C - Lakes and Ponds Assessment for the Basin .............................................................. 148 Appendix D – Detecting and Eliminating Illicit Discharges in Rutland County to Improve Water Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 148 Appendix E - Resource Assessment and Watershed Level Plan for Agriculture in the McKenzie Brook Watershed, Addison County, Vermont (USDA-NRCS, 2017) .......................................................... 150 Appendix F. Lake Assessment, Management, and Implementation Plan (example: Lake Bomoseen) .................................................................................................................................................. 158 Appendix G- Basin River Corridor Management Plan Summaries and High Priority Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 167 Appendix H - Regulatory and Non-regulatory Programs Applicable to Protecting and Restoring Waters in Basin 2-4 .................................................................................................................... 175 Appendix I – Overview of Funding Sources Identified in the Implementation Table ...................... 176 Appendix J - Basin Plan Public Comments and Responsiveness Summary ..................................... 185 List of Figures Figure 1. Southern Lake Champlain Watershed Map with Sub-Watershed Delineations Figure 2. Wards Marsh Wildlife Management Area along the Lower Poultney River Figures 3 and 4. Example of GSI project in Castleton at Cedar Mountain Road (“encapsulated lift project” to stabilize the road and provide for natural shoreline erosion control) Figure 5. Southern Champlain Basin (in VT and NY) map with municipal delineations. Figure 6. Stream geomorphic assessments conducted in the Southern Champlain Basin through 2017. Figure 7. Example Monitoring Site Summary for Sykes Hollow Brook in Rupert reflecting assessed condition by color Figure 8. Green Mountains to Adirondacks habitat connectivity priorities Figure 9. Impaired, altered, or stressed waters on the Vermont Priority Waters List (Poultney River Basin) Figure 10. Impaired, altered, or stressed waters on the Vermont Priority Waters List (Poultney River Basin) Figure 11. Impaired, altered, or stressed waters on the Vermont Priority Waters List (East Creek and McKenzie Brook (HUC-12) Basin) Figure 12. Pollutants or conditions that alter or stress water quality or habitat in Basin lakes and ponds. Figure 13. Progress made with accelerated rate of Ag BMP practice implementation in 2016. South Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan – DRAFT November 2017 Page 5 Figure 14. Vermont sources of phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain segments, by land use; annual average of 2001-2010. Figure 15.