Department of Environmental Quality
State Water Control Board
Electronic Access
Meeting:
Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #2: Water Quality Study (TMDL) for the South Fork Rivanna River
| Meeting Details | |
|---|---|
| Date / Time | 2/23/2021 3:00 pm |
| Type | Electronic Only |
| Electronic Access | Participants can access the meeting using the following link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/403771421. Meeting attendees can use their computer audio and computer microphone to participate, or they can dial +1 (408) 650-3123 and enter the access code 403-771-421. If there are technical issues accessing this meeting or difficulty during the meeting, please contact Sara Bottenfield at 540-574-7872 |
| Link to Electronic Record | https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/#/s/1a13104fbf74abb4817afcfcca36ad4d68b996475fe77fe8c5b93682b455144a |
| Board Website | http://www.deq.virginia.gov |
| Agenda document | agency has not posted |
| Minutes document |
Meeting minutes
2/25/2021
(94k)
FINAL
|
| Disability Friendly? Yes Deaf interpreter available upon request? Yes | |
| Purpose of the meeting The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and its contractors, James Madison University and 3E Consulting will discuss the development of a watershed model for the South Fork Rivanna River and its tributaries. The river is listed on the 303(d) TMDL Priority List and Report as impaired due to violations of Virginia’s water quality standards for Aquatic Life Use. This meeting serves as an opportunity for local stakeholders to provide input on the development of a watershed model that will be used to establish pollutant reduction goals for these streams. MEETING DESCRIPTION: A second technical advisory committee meeting will be held to discuss the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for a section of the South Fork Rivanna River and its tributaries. Meeting participants will review and discuss: land cover data, discharge permits issued in the watershed, best management practices in place, and the development of a watershed model to simulate pollutant transport and fate in the South Fork Rivanna and its tributaries. Based on results of the benthic stressor analysis for these streams, target pollutants will include: sediment for all watersheds, total nitrogen for Parrott Branch X-Trib, and total phosphorus for the South Fork Rivanna River watershed. Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and §62.1-44.19:7.C of the Code of Virginia requires DEQ to develop TMDLs for pollutants responsible for each impaired water contained in Virginia’s 303(d) TMDL Priority List and Report. The meeting will be open to the public and all are welcome. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: The South Fork Rivanna River and twelve of its tributaries in Albemarle County have been placed on Virginia’s impaired waters list for failing to support the benthic water quality standard. This includes: • Broad Axe Run: headwaters to confluence with Mechums River (8.31 miles) • Lickinghole Creek: headwaters to confluence with Mechums River (8.93 miles) • Mechums River: confluence with Stockton to Lickinghole confluence (2.07 miles); headwaters to confluence with Stockton Creek (13.09 miles) • Spring Creek: headwaters to upper end of Lake Albemarle (3.48 miles) • Slabtown Branch: headwaters to confluence with Lickinghole Creek (4.92 miles) • Parrott Branch X-trib: headwaters to confluence with Parrott Creek (1.15 miles) • Fishing Creek: headwaters to confluence with SF Rivanna River Reservoir (12.53 miles) • Ivy Creek: 5 mile upper limit of PWS designation to confluence with SF Rivanna Reservoir (2.56 miles); Little Ivy Creek confluence to 5 mile upper limit of PWS designation (4.02 miles); headwaters to confluence with Little Ivy Creek (5.49 miles) • Little Ivy Creek X-trib: headwaters to confluence with Ivy Creek (4.44 miles) • Naked Creek: headwaters to confluence with SF Rivanna River (9.82 miles) • Powell Creek: headwaters to confluence with SF Rivanna River (10.36 miles) • SF Rivanna: RWSA public water intake to confluence with Rivanna River (3.47 miles) • SF Rivanna X-trib: headwaters to confluence with SF Rivanna River (3.2 miles) This standard is intended to protect the aquatic life designated use, which states that all of the Commonwealth’s waterways will support a diverse and abundant population of aquatic life. This water quality study will include a benthic stressor analysis to determine the most likely pollutant(s) responsible for the impairments, and it will report on the sources of these pollutant(s) and recommend reductions to meet a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the impaired stream segments. A TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant a water body can contain and still meet water quality standards. To restore water quality in the South Fork Rivanna River and its tributaries, pollutant levels will need to be reduced to the TMDL amount. Through this process, Virginia agencies will partner with a Technical Advisory Committee made up of local stakeholders to complete a benthic stressor analysis and identify pollutant(s) of concern in the watershed in addition to pollutant sources and the reductions needed from these sources to meet the TMDL. All are welcome to participate in this committee and meetings are open to the public. HOW TO PARTICIPATE: All meetings in support of TMDL development are open to the public and all interested parties are welcome. No registration is necessary for this meeting. Participants can access by following the link and instructions above. Although using a phone for audio only participation is an option, all participants are encouraged to access the meeting using a computer so that they can view the meeting presentation. This meeting will be recorded. If you have technical issues accessing this meeting or difficulty during the meeting please contact Sara Bottenfield at 540-574-7872. For more information on the meeting in general, please contact Nesha McRae at nesha.mcrae@deq.virginia.gov or 540-574-7850. Given the existing State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will be held entirely virtually. A computer or a telephone are necessary to participate virtually. All meeting attendees are encouraged to access the meeting using a computer to view the meeting visuals. Attendees may also use a phone for audio and a computer for visual to avoid possible interruptions in computer audio. Although the use of a phone for audio only participation is possible, since the meeting will rely on visuals, audio only participation is discouraged. The URL to participate in the meeting is provided at the end of this notice. If meeting attendees experience any interruption in the meeting broadcast, they should call the technical support line that is also provided above. In the event that the Governor’s State of Emergency is lifted, the meeting will be held on the same date and time at: DEQ- Valley Regional Office, 4411 Early Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. | |
| Meeting Scope |
Public hearing to receive comment on a proposed stage
X
General business of the board
Discuss particular regulations / chapters
|
| Contact Information | |
|---|---|
| Name / Title: | Nesha McRae |
| Address: |
DEQ- Valley Regional Office 4411 Early Road Harrisonburg, 22801 |
| Email Address: | nesha.mcrae@deq.virginia.gov |
| Telephone: | (540)574-7850 FAX: (804)698-4178 TDD: ()- |