Accotink Creek Chloride TMDLs and the Salt Management Strategy (SaMS)

1. Accotink Creek Chloride TMDLs and the Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) Will Isenberg Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Photo Credit: Jessie Williams

2. Presentation Overview • Accotink Creek Chloride TMDL • Watershed Characteristics • Project History • TMDL Development • Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) • Project Scope

3. The Accotink Creek Watershed

4. The Accotink Creek Watershed (cont.) • 52 square miles • 28% impervious • Watershed mostly under MS4 • VSCI Score averages: • 26.3 to 32.1 • Impairment threshold is a VSCI <60

5. Project History: Accotink Creek Watershed • Aquatic Life Use Impairment • 1st identified in 1996 • 2 more segments added in 2008 • Based upon monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrates • 1999: Consent Decree • 2010-2012: Flow TMDL • Remanded by District Court in 2013 • 2014: Began current TMDL effort Benthic macroinvertebrates: Bugs that live in the bottom of streams TMDL = Total Maximum Daily Load

6. 2015 Accotink Creek Stressor Analysis • Stressor Analysis • Data sources: • USGS • EPA • Fairfax County • DEQ • 4 Stressors identified: • Hydro-modification* • Habitat modification* • Sediment • Chloride • TMDLs developed for sediment and chloride *Non-pollutants

7. Chloride as a Most Probable Stressor • Chloride Criteria (1988 EPA) • Acute = 860 mg/L; 1-hour average • Chronic 230 mg/L; 4-day average • Stressor Analysis finalized 2015 • Stakeholder feedback • 2016 Chloride Study

8. Chloride Criteria Exceedances *Values used to derive Chronic exceedance

9. Specific Conductance & Chloride

10. Chloride and Winter Storm Events • WQ monitoring identified: • Elevated levels in winter months • Concentrations typically spike after winter precipitation events • Chloride pollution is a winter stormwater issue • Each storm event is unique

11. TMDL Development • First Attempt: • HSPF model using estimated application rates • Application rates based on VDOT purchase records • Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) • Discomfort with assumptions • Recommended TMDL = Modeled Flow*Criterion • Recommended no % reductions • Public safety concerns • Second Attempt: • Load Duration Curve TMDLs • No % reductions, focus on implementation • WLA aggregates at watershed level • MS4 aggregates & Industrial Stormwater aggregates

12. Summary of Chloride TMDLs

13. Salt, why it matters… Too much salt is: • Toxic to fish and bugs • Corrosive to infrastructure • Affects public health But, salt application is crucial for public safety during winter storm events • Is there a balance? YES! • There are a variety of ways to meet winter safety objectives with less salt use.

14. Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) • Focus on improved best management practice (BMP) awareness and implementation • Strong stakeholder-driven focus • Field experts’ input important for suitable BMPs • Sensitive to public safety concerns • Stakeholder buy-in important for success

15. Project Scope: Accotink Cr. Watershed and NoVA • Accotink Creek watershed conditions not unique • Best management practices not limited to watershed boundaries Accotink Creek Watershed

16. Specific Conductance in the Region

17. Specific Conductance Trends (Draft 2018)

18. Current Plans for SaMS Development Goals • Develop a strategy to address the Accotink Creek chloride TMDLs and apply it proactively to the NOVA region • Generate long-term support for improved practices that protect public safety and lessen environmental, infrastructure and public health effects • Improve water quality in the NOVA region through implementation of BMPs that reduce chloride loads in runoff Objectives • Develop a suite of improved winter salt use practices • Produce a guiding document on how to address all aspects of the issue • Develop a comprehensive public education and outreach campaign • Explore funding opportunities to support implementation • Develop options for effectiveness monitoring and ways to report and tracksalt usage

19. Process Framework 2 Year Process Anticipated Work Groups Traditional BMPs Non-traditional Practices Education & Outreach Monitoring Salt Tracking & Reporting Government Coordination • 1st public meeting & comment period • 3 Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings • Comprised of all workgroup members • May include a Steering Committee • Work Group meetings • Plan for 3 each, for 6 workgroups (see right) • Final public meeting & comment period • Present the final document

20. For Reference: Potential BMP Options* • Traditional • Remove snow manually ASAP • Equipment Calibration • Integrate liquids • Reduce bounce and scatter of salt • Anti-ice before events • Use ground speed controllers • Upgrade to equipment • Develop a Winter Maintenance Plan • Training • Better storage • Tailor product usage and application rates based on pavement temperatures and conditions • Refine application rate charts and continually test lower rates • Non-traditional • Lower levels of service • Alternative pavement types and urban designs • Driver behavior changes (i.e., teleworking) • Non-chloride deicers • Legislative • Winter weather speed limits • Ordinances/administrative code that addresses certification of winter maintenance applicators • Slip and fall liability protection for certified applicators • Required commercial applicator training • Salt tax to annual vehicle registrations *Pulled from MPCA’s Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride Management Plan

21. Stakeholder Engagement • This water quality issue is unique • The public is familiar and interacts with the pollutant • The crucial public safety salts provide • For DEQ, this is a new frontier of BMPs • Stakeholder Engagement goals • Make the public aware of the issue and ways they can make a difference • Invite a broad representation of stakeholders intimately related to salts and their benefits and impacts

22. Intended Stakeholder Advisory Committee • MS4 Permittees • Municipal: Fairfax City and County, Vienna, Arlington and Prince Wm Counties • Institutional: Ft. Belvoir, NVCC, FCPS, VDOT • Environmental Groups • Local: Friend of Accotink Creek, Friends of Lake Accotink Park, Sierra Club chapters • Regional: Chesapeake Bay Foundation • Commissions/Other Government • Virginia Department of Health • NVRC, ICPRB, Potomac River Watershed Roundtable • USGS • DGIF/DCR • Universities • Homeowners Associations • Property Owners and Managers • Commercial properties • Government properties • Public roads • Institutional properties • Winter Maintenance Services • Applicators • Equipment/Supplies • Associations (i.e. SIMA) • Water Purveyors • Fairfax Water • Loudoun Water • Public Safety • Police/Sheriff • EMT/Fire *Purple – non-typical stakeholders

23. SAC Composition

24. Stakeholder Survey Summary • Distributed to stakeholders and their networks • 95% believe there’s an opportunity to reduce salt impacts and maintain public safety • 97% are concerned about the issue • 44% “Very Concerned” • Most participants agree with the SaMS objectives • Most support a suite of BMPs

26. SaMS Webpage • Webpage: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/SaMS.aspx • Contains: • Background Resources • Sign up for newsletters • Project updates • Meeting materials

27. Questions? Project Team David Evans 703-583-3835 David.Evans@deq.virginia.gov Will Isenberg 804-698-4228 William.Isenberg@deq.virginia.gov Sarah Sivers 703-583-3898 Sarah.Sivers@deq.virginia.gov