GIS & Spatial Analysis

NRDA

Spill Response & Planning

Database/ Applications Development

TMDL Implementation (adapted from SC DHEC Bureau of Water website)

Section 303 of the Clean Water Act established the principle of the total maximum daily load (TMDL) as a means of reducing water pollution in impaired waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards. In other words, it is the sum of the allowable loads of a single pollutant from all contributing point and nonpoint sources and includes a margin of safety and consideration of seasonal variations. In addition, a TMDL contains the reductions needed to meet water quality standards and allocates those reductions among the sources in the watershed. TMDLs are an important step in the restoration of these impaired waterbodies.

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Since 2000, RPI has been under contract with SC DHEC (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control) through a federally funded cost-sharing program to address issues in water quality in thirteen local watersheds under six separate grants. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) provides grant money to state governments through the Nonpoint Source Management Program (Section 319 of the Clean Water Act) to support a variety of activities related to water quality improvement.

The goals of the projects were to reduce fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity loading into the Rocky Creek watershed in Chester and Fairfield counties (project duration: 2000-2007); the Little Saluda River watershed in Saluda County (project duration: 2000-2004); the Big Wateree Creek watershed in Fairfield County (project duration: 2005-2008), the Fishing and Tinkers Creek watersheds in Chester and York Counties (project duration: 2004-2008), Allison Creek, Lower Allison Creek, Beaverdam Creek, Brown Creek, and Calabash Branch watersheds in York County (project duration: 2005-2009); and Turkey and Bullock Creek watershed in Chester and York Counties (project duration: 2008-2011). The targeted watersheds violated the fecal coliform water quality standard (and turbidity standard in Big Wateree Creek). Sources of the fecal coliform bacteria in the watershed include agricultural/livestock operations, failing septic systems, and urban stormwater runoff.

Tasks currently being undertaken include:

• GIS characterization of watersheds: available spatial data (i.e. land use, soil, elevation, hydrology, etc.) is analyzed to pinpoint areas of concern that may be contributing fecal coliform loadings to the watershed, and to assess what Best Management Practices (BMPs) might be most suitable for these areas.
  
• Working with local agricultural agencies to identify privately owned agricultural livestock operations that may be interested in participating in the cost-sharing program.
  
• Meeting with interested landowners to assess what BMPs may be implemented on their properties to reduce fecal coliform bacteria loading. Consideration is taken to insure that the landowners’ financial and ecological goals are also met through the BMP implementation process whenever possible. Most improvements serve multiple purposes that may include reduction of other nonpoint source pollutants (i.e. nutrients, chemicals), and are beneficial to the health of the animals, local wildlife, and the profitability of the business.
  
• BMPs that have been successfully implemented through cost-sharing with local landowners include:
• Installation of livestock management practices (e.g., fencing cattle out of streams and provision of alternative watering sources using wells and watering troughs)
• Restoration of riparian buffers between fields/pastures and waterbodies
• Streambank and pasture stabilization, including re-grading and vegetating
• Construction of ponds for treatment of pasture runoff
• Establishment of ground cover on disturbed lands to increase infiltration and slow runoff
• Construction of composting sheds to hold animal waste
• Rental of equipment for grading of land, aerating, and spreading of animal waste
• Installation of stream crossings and culverts
  
• Public outreach: project staff has presented programs at elementary schools, livestock associations, and at other local meetings in the state to educate the community on nonpoint source pollution issues. Every year RPI and Clemson lead local farmers on tours of successfully implemented projects.

Successes

• Rocky Creek: At the conclusion of the Rocky Creek Watershed project in 2007, SCDHEC reported to the EPA that: “Following these efforts, water quality improvements have been observed at 3 monitoring sites in the watershed. [These 3 stations] have all improved from non-support to partial support”.
  
• Big Wateree Creek: At the conclusion of the Big Wateree Creek Watershed in March 2008, SCDHEC reported that water quality standards had not been exceeded at the water quality monitoring station since February of 2007.

Sample Farm Layout detailing BMPs