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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNCS000515_03Executive Summary_20200921Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program 0.0 Executive Summary 0.1 Introduction This report updates the Town's existing Stormwater Management Program and includes modifications to the original report submitted in 2005. Specifically, revisions have been made to the six (6) program implementation measures outlined in Section 7 of the report. This updated report also includes detailed mapping of the Town's existing stormwater infrastructure and a copy of the Town's stormwater quality management and discharge control ordinance. This Stormwater Management Program was developed for the Town of China Grove for compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Storm Water Rule (The Rule). The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) includes the Town of China Grove on the list of small municipal separate storm water systems (MS4s) that must comply with the Phase II Storm Water -final Rule. MS4 stormwater management programs must be fully developed and implemented within 5 years of the permit issuance. �. Municipalities across the state and county are faced with increasing requirements to monitor and control stormwater runoff. These efforts stem from awareness that improving water quality requires controls of non -point source pollutants. The Federal government published a Final Rule for NPDES Phase II Storm Water permits, which addresses MS4 stormwater discharges and construction sites that disturb greater than 1 acre. 0.2 Proaram Components The Rule requires MS4s to develop and implement a stormwater management program (Program) designed to protect water quality by reducing the discharge of pollutants from their MS4. The Program must include the following six (6) minimum measures: 0.2.1 Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts One of the major components of the Phase II NPDES Storm Water rules is public education and outreach. The success of the Program and compliance with the MS4s' NPDES stormwater permit will be more likely if the public is aware of their existence and purpose. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program The EPA encourages the MS4s to enter into partnership with their State in fulfilling the public education requirement. MS4s must implement a public education program to: ■ Distribute educational materials to the community, or ■ Conduct equivalent outreach activities about the; o Impacts of stormwater discharges on water bodies, and o Steps to reduce stormwater pollution The public education and outreach program should be target to specific potential polluters including: ■ Individuals. ■ Households. ■ Senior Citizens, adults, adolescents, and children. ■ Minority groups. ■ Developers. ■ Disadvantaged communities. ■ Commercial, industrial, and institutional entities likely to have significant stormwater impacts. Examples of strategies include: ■ Distributing brochures or fact sheets. ■ Sponsoring speaking engagements before community groups. ■ Providing public service announcements. ■ Implementing educational programs targeted at school age children. ■ Informing individuals and groups on how to get involved with community -based projects such as: o Storm drain stenciling. o Watershed and stream cleanups. o Local stream and restoration activities. The public education program should inform individuals and households about steps that can be taken to reduce stormwater pollution such as: ■ Septic tank system maintenance. ■ Limiting use and runoff of garden chemicals. ■ Protecting and restoring riparian vegetation. ■ Proper disposal of household hazardous wastes. ■ Proper disposal of restaurant grease. ■ Proper disposal and spill control of service station chemicals. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Resources for obtaining public education pamphlets currently exist from a variety of organizations and governmental agencies including: ■ American Public Works Association. ■ North Carolina State Cooperative Extension. ■ US Environmental Protection Agency. ■ North Carolina Department of Natural Resources. ■ Other State nonpoint source pollution control programs under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. 0.2.2 Public involvement/Participation The Rule requires that MS4s comply with applicable State and Local public notice requirements. The EPA recommends a public participation process with efforts to reach out and engage all economic and ethnic groups for the following: 1. Early and frequent public involvement can shorten implementation schedules and broaden public support for the program. 2. Public participation is likely to ensure a more successful program by providing valuable expertise and a conduit to other programs and governments. Possible ways that members of the public may participate in the program development and implementation include: ■ Serving on a stakeholder group. ■ Attending public hearings. ■ Working as citizen volunteers to educate others about the program. ■ Assisting in Program coordination with existing programs. ■ Participating in volunteer monitoring efforts. Stakeholder groups provide an excellent forum for discussion and consensus building around challenging initiatives such as establishing a stormwater utility. Possible Stakeholders include, but are not limited to: ■ Individual property owners. ■ Developers. ■ Realtors. ■ Home Builders Associations. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program ■ State and City governmental agencies. ■ Political interest groups. ■ Planners. ■ Environmentalists. ■ Designers. ■ Research institutions. 0.2.3 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination The illicit discharge detection and elimination requirements of the Rule are fairly extensive. MS4 must, at a minimum, develop, implement, and enforce an illicit discharge detection and elimination program. The requirements include: ■ Develop a storm sewer system map showing: o All outfalls. o Names and locations of all waters that receive discharges from those outfalls. ■ Legally prohibit (through an ordinance or other regulatory mechanism): o Illicit discharge into the storm sewer systems. o Implement enforcement procedures and actions as needed. ■ Develop and implement a plan to detect and address illicit discharges and illegal dumping to the system. ■ Inform the public employees, business, and the general public of hazards associated with illegal discharges and improper disposal of wastes. The Rule requires a set of maps that shows the locations of all outfalls and names and locations or receiving waters. In addition to the maps, the EPA recommends gathering additional information from existing Town records and walking (or boating) streambanks to verify the outfall locations. Once an illicit discharge is detected at an outfall, it may be necessary to map that portion of the storm sewer system leading to the outfall in order to locate the source of the discharge. The EPA recommends that Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Plans include procedures for the following: Locating priority areas for more detailed screening. Tracing the source of an illicit discharge by: o Identifying the source chemical characteristics. o Determining the actual location of the source by following flow up the system via: ❖ Chemical testing in manholes or channels. •'• Television storm sewers. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program ❖ Using infrared and thermal photography. ❖ Conducting smoke or dye tests. ■ Removing the source of an illicit discharge by: o Notifying the property owner. o Specifying a length of time for eliminating the discharge. o Describing procedures for additional notifications and escalation of legal actions if the discharge is not eliminated. ■ Program evaluation and assessment by: o Documenting actions taken to locate and eliminate illicit discharges such as: ❖ Number of outfalls screened. ❖ Complaints received and corrected. ❖ Feet of storm sewers televised. ❖ Number of discharges and quantities of flow eliminated. ❖ Number of dye or smoke tests conducted. This documentation should be submitted as part of the annual reports for the first permit term. 0.2.4 Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control The Rule requires MS4s to develop, implement, and enforce a pollutant control program to reduce pollutants in any stormwater runoff from construction activities that result in land disturbance of 1 or more acres. Currently, the State and County are administering the Sediment Erosion Control on behalf of the Town. The construction runoff control program must include: ■ An ordinance (or other regulatory mechanism) to require erosion and sediment controls to the extent allowable under the law. ■ Sanctions to ensure compliance: o Non -monetary penalties. o Fines. o Bonding requirements. o Permit denials for non-compliance. ■ Requirements for owner/developers to implement best management practices (BMPs). ■ Procedure for pre -construction site plan review that includes consideration of potential water quality impacts. This procedure should also include a review of site erosion and sediment control plans. ■ Requirements to control construction wastes and chemicals that adversely affect water quality. ■ Procedures for receipt of public comments/complaints. For example: Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program o Log public complaints on existing stormwater runoff problems from construction sites and pass that information on to local inspectors for investigation. ■ Procedures for regular inspections. o Steps to identify priority sites for inspection. ■ Enforcement based on: o The nature and extent of the construction activity. o Topography. o Characteristics of soils. o Receiving water quality. ■ Procedures for enforcement and penalties. 0.2.5 Post — Construction Stormwater Management The Rule requires the MS4s to develop, implement, and enforce a program to address stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopment projects that result in land disturbance of greater than or equal to 1 acre that discharge into the MS4. As part of the Program, the MS4s must: ■ Develop and implement strategies that include a combination of structural and/or non-structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) appropriate for the community that: o Minin-dze water quality impacts. o Attempts to maintain pre -development runoff conditions. o If possible, utilize locally based watershed planning efforts. ■ Use an ordinance (or other regulatory mechanism) to address post - construction runoff from new development to the extent possible by law. Policies and ordinance should: o Provide requirements and standards to direct growth to identified areas. o Protect sensitive areas such as wetlands and riparian areas. o Maintain and/or increase space. o Provide buffers along sensitive water bodies. o Minimize impervious surfaces and directly connected impervious surfaces. o Minimize disturbance of soils and vegetation. o Encourage infill development in higher density urban areas and areas with existing storm water infrastructure. o Encourage cluster developments that provide for greater open space, recreation, stream protection, and stormwater control. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program ■ Ensure adequate long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs. The EPA recommends that small MS4 operators ensure the appropriate implementation of the structural BMPs by considering: o Pre -construction review of BMP designs. o Inspections during construction to verify BMPs are built as designed. o Post -construction inspection and maintenance of BMPs. o Sanctions to ensure compliance with design, construction or operations and maintenance requirements of the program. o Evaluating various operation and maintenance (O&M) agreement options. ■ Ensure that controls are in place that should minimize water quality impacts. A suite of suitable structural and non-structural BMPs is available. 0.2.6 Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for MS4 Operations The MS4 is required to develop and implement an O&M program that has the ultimate goals of preventing or reducing stormwater from municipal operations. The O&M program must include a training component that addresses prevention measures pertaining to municipal operations. The EPA also encourages consideration of the following in developing an O&M program: ■ Implement maintenance activities, maintenance schedules, and long-term inspection procedures for structural and non-structural stormwater controls to reduce floatable and other pollutants discharged from the storm sewers. ■ Implement controls for reducing or eliminating the discharge of pollutants from streets, municipal parking lots, maintenance and storage yards, waste transfer stations, fleet or maintenance shops with outdoor storage areas and salt/sand storage areas. ■ Adopt procedures for the proper disposal of waste removed from the separate storm sewer systems and areas listed above. ■ Adopt procedures to ensure that new flood management projects are assessed for impacts on water quality and existing projects are assessed for incorporation of additional water quality protection devices or practices. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for MS4 operations could result in cost savings by minimizing possible damage to the system and BMPs from floatable and other debris and, consequently, reducing the need for repairs. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Additionally, to comply with the NPDES Phase H regulations, the MS4's Stormwater Program must identify BMPs to be implemented in the above program, measurable goals for water quality improvement, the start and completion dates for each activity, and the person or persons responsible for implementing the MS4's Program. 0.3 Applicable State Water Quality Proarams The State has multiple programs and potential funding sources which address water quality. The following is a list of some of the programs and funding sources: ■ Regulations/Programs: 0 Basinwide Management. o Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). o Water Quality Standards and Classifications. 0 Stormwater Management. 0 Clean Water Act. 0 Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan of Action. 0 Water Supply Watershed Protection Program. 0 Solid Waste Management Act. o Clean Water Responsibility and Environmentally Sound Policy Act. r ■ Potential Funding Sources: 1 o Clean Water Management Trust Fund. 0 1999 Clean Water Budget. 0 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. 0 Wetlands Restoration Program. 0.4 Receivina Streams The Town of China Grove contributes stormwater runoff to three receiving streams and their tributary streams, the streams are: ■ Grants Creek ■ Cold Water Creek ■ Town Creek The streams are shown on Figure 2 in Appendix A. Cold Water Creek is adjacent to Interstate 85 (I85) and flows in a south direction into Buffalo Creek in Cabarrus County. Buffalo Creek flows into the Rocky River. Cold Water Creek is in the Yadkin -Pee Dee River Subbasin 03-07-12. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012 Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Grants Creek is located on the west side of China Grove and delineates a portion of the Town limits. Grants Creek flows north through Salisbury and discharges into the Yadkin River; Grants Creek is in the Yadkin -Pee Dee River Subbasin 03-07-04. The Yadkin -Pee Dee Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan prepared by NC Division of Water Quality identified the lower section of Grants Creek upstream of the confluence with the Yadkin River as impaired waters. The headwaters of Town Creek are located northeast of the Town Limits of China Grove. The Creek begins just east of SR 2553 and flows west parallel to NC 152 up to I85. At I85 the creek turns northeast and flow through Salisbury and into the Yadkin River. Although the Creek is outside of the current ETJ, areas within the ETJ drain into the Creek. The Yadkin - Pee Dee River Basin Wide Water Quality Management Plan prepared by NC Division of Water Quality identified Town Creek as being an impaired water from the headwaters to the Yadkin River. Impaired waters are those waters, which only partially support or do not support their designated uses based on DWQ monitoring data. The streams are impaired, in part, because of nonpoint sources of pollution, which likely, includes stormwater discharges. The basis for the impaired status of the streams included habitat degradation and a few occurrences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) and elevated turbidity. Sections of the watersheds are highly developed and stormwater runoff was identified as a likely major contributor to the impairment. Among the 2002 recommendations in the Basinwide Plan were the requirement for municipalities to obtain NPDES permits for stormwater systems under Phase II Stormwater Rules along with restoration of riparian vegetation and wetlands. Copies of The Forward, Executive Summary, Yadkin -Pee River Basin Overview, Chapter 4 and Chapter 12 of the Yadkin Pee -Dee Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan, which include the subbasin water quality overview and the 2001/2002 status and recommendations for these streams, are included in Appendix C. 0.5 Conclusions The following Stormwater Management Program for the Town of China Grove was prepared in accordance with the NC DWQ Phase II Stormwater Management Program requirements and instructions. Implementation of the program will result in protecting and significantly improving the water quality of the receiving streams, which will contribute to achieving the goal of the Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan of improving water quality in the Yadkin -Pee Dee River Basin. Pease Commission No. 212129 March 2012