Jordan Lake Addendum TMDL_final

Addendum to B. Everett Jordan Reservoir TMDL
for Impaired Segments in the
B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Watershed,
North Carolina

FINAL REPORT

September, 2010
EPA APPROVAL ON: September 28, 2010

[Waterbody IDs: 16-18-(1.5)a, 16-18-(1.5)b, 16-27-(2.5)b, 16-41-2-(1.5)]

Cape Fear River Basin

Submitted by:
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-1617

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Addendum to B. Everett Jordan Reservoir TMDL

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Introduction
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) developed a Total Daily Maximum Load
(TMDL) for the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir (referred to as Jordan Lake TMDL for the
remainder of this document) to address chlorophyll-a impairment. EPA Region 4 approved the
TMDL on September 20, 2007
(http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=bc043b19-0787-466f-aa7b-
779717e55201&groupId=38364).

This addendum to the TMDL addresses chlorophyll-a impaired waters listed on the 2010 draft
303(d) list that are located within the Jordan Lake watershed. The impaired waters and
associated assessment units (AUs) are:

Back Creek (Graham-Mebane Reservoir): 16-18-(1.5)a, 16-18-(1.5)b
Cane Creek (Cane Creek Reservoir): 16-27-(2.5)b
Morgan Creek (University Lake): 16-41-2-(1.5)

Watershed Description
This TMDL addendum covers the Jordan Lake watershed that is located partially or wholly
within the North Carolina counties of Alamance, Orange, and Chatham. Table 1 provides
information on the 14-Digit HUCs, counties, and municipalities for each watershed. A map is
provided in Figure 1 depicting locations of the impaired reservoirs within the Jordan Lake
watershed. Figures 1a-1c show the 14-Digit HUCs, municipalities, and stream network for each
individual watershed. Appendix A provides information on the land cover within each
watershed. The dominant land cover types for all three reservoirs are forest and pasture/hay.

Both Graham-Mebane Reservoir and Cane Creek Reservoir drain to the Haw River arm of
Jordan Lake, while University Lake drains to the New Hope River arm.

Table 1. Counties and municipalities in watersheds of impaired addendum reservoirs.
Reservoir 14-Digit HUC(s) Counties in
Watershed
Municipalities in
Watershed
Graham-Mebane Reservoir
03030002030060
03030002030070
030300020300801
Alamance, Orange Mebane, Green Level
Cane Creek Reservoir 03030002050030 Alamance, Orange n/a
University Lake 03030002060070 Orange, Chatham Carrboro
1. A small portion of the Graham-Mebane Reservoir watershed extends down into 03030002030080,
see Figure 1a.
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Figure 1. Locations of impaired addendum reservoirs within the Jordan Lake TMDL watershed.

Graham-
Mebane
Reservoir
Cane
Creek
Reservoir
University
Lake
Jordan Lake
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Figure 1a. Graham-Mebane Reservoir Watershed.

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Figure 1b. Cane Creek Reservoir Watershed. Figure 1c. University Lake Watershed.

Impairment Description
Graham-Mebane Reservoir, Cane Creek Reservoir, and University Lake are on the North
Carolina draft 2010 303(d) list of impaired waters for chlorophyll-a. The NC water quality
standard for chlorophyll-a is discussed below in section „Water Quality Target‟. Figure 2 shows
the relative locations of sampling stations in each reservoir. Appendix B contains summary
statistics for secchi depth, nutrients, and chlorophyll-a for each station from the May through
October, 2008 collection period.

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Figure 2. Locations of monitoring stations within each reservoir.

Water Quality Target
The North Carolina fresh water quality standard for chlorophyll-a in Class C waters states the
following: not greater than 40 μg/l for lakes, reservoirs, and other waters subject to growths of
macroscopic or microscopic vegetation not designated as trout waters, and not greater than 15
μg/l for lakes, reservoirs, and other waters subject to growths of macroscopic or microscopic
vegetation designated as trout waters (not applicable to lakes and reservoirs less than 10 acres in
surface area).

Nutrient controls are the most common focus of management schemes for reducing excessive
algal growth and chlorophyll-a concentrations. Therefore, the Jordan Lake TMDL was written
for total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads to the lake.

Graham-Mebane Reservoir
Cane Creek
Reservoir
University
Lake
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The Jordan Lake TMDL assigned separate loading reduction targets to the major arms of the
reservoir for both total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Nutrient load reductions targets
from 1997-2001 baseline loading are shown in Figure 3 for each arm. The same percent
reduction was applied to all sources throughout each watershed.

The three impaired addendum reservoirs are subject to the associated reductions required by the
Jordan Lake TMDL.

Figure 3. Nutrient load percent reduction targets from 1997-2001 baseline. Note that there is no
loading reduction target for the Lower New Hope Arm; the TMDL provides a loading
cap equal to 1997-2001 baseline nutrient loads.

Jordan Lake Nutrient Management Strategy
In addition to the TMDL, North Carolina adopted mandatory Jordan Lake Rules in 2009 to
reduce the amount of nutrient pollution entering Jordan Lake. Full text of the rules can be found
at www.jordanlake.org. The rules require:
Reductions of nutrient loading from point source discharges.
Reductions of nutrient runoff from agriculture, existing development, and new
development, including from state and federal government-controlled lands.
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Protection of existing vegetated riparian buffers.
Sound fertilizer management.

The rules apply to the entire Jordan Lake watershed and therefore also apply to the entire
watersheds of Cane Creek Reservoir, University Lake, and Graham-Mebane Reservoir.

The required watershed reductions specified in the Jordan Lake TMDL and full implementation
of the associated rules are expected to achieve water quality standards in the addendum
reservoirs. Regular monitoring of these waterbodies will continue throughout rule
implementation to ensure that standards are attained. DWQ may reevaluate the need for
individual TMDLs for the reservoirs if the required reductions are determined to be insufficient.

Public Participation
DWQ staff, the Triangle J Council of Governments, and the Piedmont Triad Council of
Governments initialized an extensive stakeholder process in 2003 to receive stakeholder input on
the Jordan Lake nutrient reduction strategy. A total of 21 stakeholder meetings were held
between May 2003 and December 2004 to discuss TMDL development, modeling issues, target
setting, and nutrient management strategy development.

The Jordan Lake TMDL was public noticed in the relevant counties on April 1, 2007 in four
local newspapers (The Durham Herald-Sun, the Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News &
Record, and the Raleigh News & Observer). The TMDL was also public noticed through the
North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute email list serve. Finally, the TMDL was
available on DWQ‟s website during the comment period.

A draft of this addendum to the Jordan Lake TMDL was publicly noticed through various means,
including electronic notification of the draft addendum to known interested parties. The
addendum to the Jordan Lake TMDL was available on the DWQ‟s website at
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/mtu during the comment period. The public comment period
lasted from July 20 through August 20, 2010. Copies of the public notices are included in
Appendix C.

DWQ received two public comments on the addendum to the Jordan Lake TMDL. Summaries of
the comments and DWQ responses are included in Appendix D.

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Appendix A – 2001 Land Cover

Graham-Mebane Reservoir (HUCs 03030002030060, 03030002030070)

Land Cover Category Sq.Miles %
Deciduous Forest 24.81 39.2%
Pasture/Hay 19.48 30.8%
Developed, Open Space 4.79 7.6%
Evergreen Forest 4.58 7.2%
Grassland/Herbaceous 2.09 3.3%
Mixed Forest 1.67 2.6%
Open Water 1.41 2.2%
Developed, Low Intensity 1.37 2.2%
Cultivated Crops 1.33 2.1%
Shrub/Scrub 1.07 1.7%
Woody Wetlands 0.29 0.5%
Developed, Medium Intensity 0.20 0.3%
Developed, High Intensity 0.09 0.1%
Barren Land 0.03 0.0%
Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands 0.02 0.03%
Total 63.2 100%

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Cane Creek Reservoir (HUC 03030002050030)

Land Cover Category Sq.Miles %
Deciduous Forest 14.11 42.0%
Pasture/Hay 8.80 26.2%
Evergreen Forest 4.33 12.9%
Developed, Open Space 1.56 4.7%
Mixed Forest 1.52 4.5%
Grassland/Herbaceous 1.49 4.4%
Open Water 0.66 2.0%
Shrub/Scrub 0.51 1.5%
Cultivated Crops 0.25 0.7%
Barren Land 0.17 0.5%
Developed, Low Intensity 0.12 0.4%
Woody Wetlands 0.04 0.1%
Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands 0.01 0.02%
Total 33.6 100%

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University Lake (HUC 03030002060070)

Land Cover Category Sq.Miles %
Deciduous Forest 13.91 46.4%
Evergreen Forest 5.98 19.9%
Pasture/Hay 4.37 14.6%
Developed, Open Space 1.91 6.4%
Mixed Forest 1.68 5.6%
Grassland/Herbaceous 1.00 3.3%
Open Water 0.36 1.2%
Developed, Low Intensity 0.23 0.8%
Shrub/Scrub 0.21 0.7%
Cultivated Crops 0.15 0.5%
Developed, Medium Intensity 0.09 0.3%
Barren Land 0.06 0.2%
Woody Wetlands 0.05 0.2%
Developed, High Intensity 0.02 0.1%
Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands 0.01 0.03%
Total 30.0 100%
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Appendix B – Data Summary Statistics (collected May through October, 2008)

Reservoir Assessment
Unit Station Parameter Range Mean # of Obs.
CANE CREEK
RESERVOIR 16-27-(2.5)b
CPFCCR2
Secchi Depth (m) 0.3 - 1.7 1.1 10
TP (mg/L) 0.03 - 0.04 0.03 10
TN (mg/L) 0.59 - 1.11 0.83 10
Chl-a (ug/L) 16 - 61 31.3 10
CPFCCR4
Secchi Depth (m) 0.6 - 2 1.3 10
TP (mg/L) 0.02 - 0.05 0.03 10
TN (mg/L) 0.57 - 1.11 0.80 10
Chl-a (ug/L) 12 - 62 29.4 10
CPFCCR6
Secchi Depth (m) 0.6 - 2.5 1.4 10
TP (mg/L) 0.02 - 0.05 0.03 10
TN (mg/L) 0.5 - 1.27 0.87 10
Chl-a (ug/L) 12 - 58 31.9 10
UNIVERSITY
LAKE 16-41-2-(1.5)
CPFUL4
Secchi Depth (m) 0.4 - 1 0.7 10
TP (mg/L) 0.05 - 0.12 0.07 10
TN (mg/L) 0.43 - 1.11 0.82 10
Chl-a (ug/L) 22 - 130 51.8 10
CPFUL6
Secchi Depth (m) 0.3 - 1.2 0.7 10
TP (mg/L) 0.04 - 0.09 0.06 10
TN (mg/L) 0.56 - 0.98 0.77 10
Chl-a (ug/L) 14 - 100 38.3 10
GRAHAM-
MEBANE RESERVOIR
16-18-(1.5)a
CPFGMR1
Secchi Depth (m) 0.7 - 1.2 0.9 11
TP (mg/L) 0.02 - 0.04 0.03 11
TN (mg/L) 0.51 - 0.8 0.69 11
Chl-a (ug/L) 16 - 44 25.7 10
CPFGMR2
Secchi Depth (m) 0.3 - 1 0.5 11
TP (mg/L) 0.05 - 0.08 0.06 11
TN (mg/L) 0.69 - 1.21 0.89 11
Chl-a (ug/L) 26 - 100 52.1 10
CPFGMR3
Secchi Depth (m) 0.5 - 1 0.7 11
TP (mg/L) 0.03 - 0.06 0.04 11
TN (mg/L) 0.61 - 0.95 0.77 11
Chl-a (ug/L) 22 - 63 39.0 10
CPFGMR4
Secchi Depth (m) 0.7 - 1.1 0.8 11
TP (mg/L) 0.02 - 0.05 0.03 11
TN (mg/L) 0.53 - 0.9 0.71 11
Chl-a (ug/L) 14 - 48 25.0 10
16-18-(1.5)b CPFGMROA
Secchi Depth (m) 0.3 - 0.5 0.4 11
TP (mg/L) 0.05 - 0.1 0.08 11
TN (mg/L) 0.65 - 1.31 0.94 11
Chl-a (ug/L) 25 - 70 44.7 10
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Appendix C – Public Notification of Addendum to the Jordan Lake TMDL

The TMDL public comment period was announced on both the NC DWQ Modeling and TMDL
Unit‟s website and the Water Resources Research Institute of the University of North Carolina
(WRRI) email listserv on July 20, 2010.

Notice on the Modeling and TMDL Website: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/mtu

7/20/10 The Public Review Draft Addendum to B. Everett Jordan Reservoir TMDL is available for review.
The comment period extends through August 20, 2010. Comment submittal instructions are available
with the above link.

WRRI listserv email received regarding public comment period:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:45:58 -0400
From: [e-mail]
To: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Available for Public Comment: DRAFT Addendum to B. Everett
Jordan Reservoir TMDL for Impaired Segments in Reservoir
Watershed
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Now Available for Public Comment:
DRAFT Addendum to B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Impaired
Segments in the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Watershed, North Carolina

This Draft Addendum TMDL report was prepared as a requirement of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act, Section 303(d). Interested parties are invited to comment on the draft TMDL report by August 20,
2010. Comments concerning the report should be directed to Pam Behm at [e-mail] or
write to:

Pam Behm
NC Division of Water Quality
Planning Section
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699

If you wish to obtain a hard copy of the Draft Addendum TMDL, please contact Linda Chavis at (919) 807-
6305 or email at [e-mail].

The Draft Addendum TMDL can also be downloaded from the following website:
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/mtu/tmdl/tmdls.

NOTE: To receive automatic email updates concerning North Carolina TMDL or 303(d) related
announcements, send a blank email to [e-mail], then reply to the
confirmation email you receive.

------------------------------
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Appendix D – Public Comments Responsiveness Summary

The public comment period extended from July 20 through August 20, 2010. Comments were
received from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and the City of Durham. These comments
with the NC Division of Water Quality responses are provided below.

1) One comment expressed strong support for the Addendum to the Jordan Lake TMDL and
stated that the addendum represents a common sense approach.

Response: DWQ appreciates the stated support.

2) One comment stated the following: “Nutrient enrichment was the focus of special
technical studies in 1989 (University Lake) and 1996 (Cane Creek Reservoir) and the
basis for aggressive management actions that were subsequently undertaken. These
included mandatory large lot (5+ acres) residential zoning by Orange County and the
Town of Carrboro, who exercise planning and zoning jurisdiction throughout 90% of
both watersheds; OWASA‟s protection of more than 2,000 acres of critical watershed
land through fee simple acquisition and permanent conservation easements; and our
contribution of cost-share funds to farmers implementing approved agricultural
conservation plans and Best Management Practices in both watersheds.”

Response: DWQ appreciates this information and will include it in the state database
that tracks such activities.

3) One comment stated concern about the approach DWQ took in developing the addendum
to the Jordan Lake TMDL and stated a preference for individual TMDLs for each
reservoir.

Response: State regulations that implement the Jordan Lake TMDL require nutrient
reductions from both point and nonpoint sources. Therefore, individual TMDLs for each
reservoir would not likely result in any additional water quality improvement. It should
be noted that the www.jordanlake.org website provides additional information on how
the Jordan Lake rules specifically apply to each individual watershed.

4) One comment requested the addition of a table of summary statistics for chlorophyll-a,
secchi depth, nutrients, and number of samples.

Response: This table has been added to the document in Appendix B.

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5) One comment stated that the addendum should include a delineation of each watershed, a
table of land cover data for each watershed, and a table of jurisdictions for each
watershed.

Response: Table 1 has been added to the document to list the counties and municipalities
that are in each watershed. In addition, Figure 1 has been modified to display counties
and Figures 1a through 1c have been added to show municipalities and HUCs for each
watershed. Land cover information for each watershed is provided in Appendix A. Both
Cane Creek Reservoir and University Lake are delineated at the 14-Digit HUC scale.
Most of the Graham-Mebane Reservoir watershed falls within two 14-Digit HUCs.
However, a small portion falls outside these two HUCs (see Figure 1a) and was not
considered in developing the information provided in Appendix A.