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Michigan Watershed Plan Reviews. Presentation at the Michigan Watershed-Based Planning Workshop, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan ------------------------------- Ward Wilson, Tetra Tech February 12, 2007. Overview. Five watershed plans selected Geographically diverse
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Michigan Watershed Plan Reviews Presentation at the Michigan Watershed-Based Planning Workshop, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan ------------------------------- Ward Wilson, Tetra Tech February 12, 2007
Overview • Five watershed plans selected • Geographically diverse • Range in size from a few square miles to Saginaw Bay • Urban, suburban, rural, forested, agriculture • Criteria from EPA guidance • Plans reviewed • Site visits • Report to MDEQ and planners Michigan Workshop
Purpose and Objectives • Existing plans pre-date the new guidance • How much effort and information needed to revise? • Assistance to planners • Information for MDEQ reviewers • EPA will be evaluating results Michigan Workshop
Plan review process • Criteria • Spreadsheet tool • Multiple reviewers • Site visits • Assistance • Reports Michigan Workshop
Scoring Example Michigan Workshop
Findings • Plans varied as the watersheds and issues varied • Known/identified problems were targeted in detail • New requirements such as load estimates and interim milestones were usually at least partially missing • Similar to EPA “Best of the Nation” review Michigan Workshop
National Trends (from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA) Outreach Identification Criteria on progress Assistance Load reductions Michigan Workshop
Elements (a) and (b)Identification of sources, load estimates, and load reductions • Contributions “quantified by load, percentage, priority, or other method” • Reductions quantified from proposed measures • Basis for the current approach • Inventory of all waterbodies, with their designated uses and impairments • Maps Michigan Workshop
Complex modeling is not always necessary Michigan Workshop
DevelopedLand9% ShorelineErosion47% Forest11% Agriculture33% Sediment (9.38 million tons in 2001) Example of Source Load Estimatefrom Chesapeake Bay Program Michigan Workshop
Elements (c) and (d) Management Measures and Assistance Needed • Should be associated with the impairments, sources, and loads • Most plans had detailed measures • Quantification of reductions • Technical, financial assistance needed • Costs – precision not necessary • Regulatory issues Michigan Workshop
Work together and have fun Michigan Workshop
Element (e)Public Information, Education, and Participation • Most plans had good to excellent outreach sections, as found by EPA • Goals and objectives • Link to implementation of proposed management measures • Strategy • Target audience • Activities • Short and long-term Michigan Workshop
Elements (f) and (g)Schedule and Interim Milestones • Actions to implement management measures • Interim measurable milestones • Logical sequence of dates Short term = up to 3 years (more detail) Long term = up to 10 years (less detail) Michigan Workshop
Elements (h) and (i)Criteria to Assess Progress and Monitoring • Criteria to be used to measure progress • Tied to impairment and use • Activities • Short and long-term • Monitoring approach • Non-environmental monitoring • General plan or schedule Michigan Workshop
National Trends (from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA) Outreach Identification Criteria on progress Assistance Load reductions Michigan Workshop
Why plan? Michigan Workshop
Discussion Items • Revise or rewrite? • Load and load reduction estimates • How much info is enough to get started? • Ongoing use of the plan • No impairments on the 303(d) list - preservation only Michigan Workshop
More discussion Items • Tracking progress in plan • Commitments and flexibility • Other comments and ideas? Michigan Workshop
Thanks for your time Ward Wilson, Tetra Tech, Inc. Michigan Workshop