Pardon Our Mess

We are in the process of transitioning to our new website at www.nefsma.com.  We will be migrating our blog to that site as well as the information from our www.nefsma.net website.

While we get the bugs worked out, we will continue to post to this blog any information that may be of interest to our members.  We should have the bugs worked out of the new site in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, please check out the link below.  Notes from stormwater discussions at our October 20th meeting have been drafted.  Please provide any comments or suggestions regarding the notes to Rock Krzycki by November 4th.

Click here to read more.

NeFSMA Annual Meeting October 20, 2011

We are pleased to announce the 2011 Annual Membership meeting will take place on October 20, 2011 at the New World Inn in Columbus, NE.  The meeting is free of charge if you are currently a NeFSMA member.  If you are not a member, but wish to attend, you will need to pay the annual membership fee ($35 for individual; $100 agency/corporate).

You must RSVP to Lori Laster at (402) 444-6222 or llaster@papionrd.org no later than October 17, 2011.

NeFSMA ANNUAL MEETING

New World Inn and Conference Center

265 33^rd Ave

Hwy 30 & 81

Columbus NE 68601

OCTOBER 20, 2011 10:00AM – 4 PM

Planning Agenda

9:30 -10 AM        Sign In

10:00 – 10:10      

Jesse Poore, 2011 NeFSMA Chair

Welcome and Introductions to Today’s Events

10:10 – 11:00      

Nate Hartman, Lincoln and Lancaster County Health Department

NPDES Industrial Permit, a Municipal Overview

11:00 – 11:45

Ben Cunningham and Blayne Renner, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

The New NPDES Industrial Permit and Grinding and Grooving Slurry Permit Overview

11:45 – Noon     Break before Lunch

Noon – 1PM      

Jesse Poore, 2011 NeFSMA Chair

Bill Jones NDNR

NeFSMA Election of Officers Announced and Commentary

1PM – 2:15PM  

Mary Schroer, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

MS4 discussion of Stormwater Grant Expenditures (Track 1)

 

1PM – 2:15PM  

John Callen (JEO) Carrie Romero and Don Day (Olsson Associates)

Floodplain Levees Presentation (Track 2)

 

2:15 – 2:30 PM   Break and Snacks

2:30 – 4PM          

City of Lincoln and UNL Extension

MS4 Discussion on Collaborative Education (Track 1)

 

2:30 – 4PM

Craig Wacker NDNR  

HAZUS and Floodplain Grant Funds Available Discussion (Track 2)

4 PM Close

Hastings Green Infrastructure Tour

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Stormwater Management Team and the City of Hastings will be hosting a Green Infrastructure Tour.

When: Friday September 16, 9 am - 12 pm
Where: Highland Park/Hastings Museum Parking, 1330 North Burlington Avenue, Hastings, NE

Registration is $10 per person and is due by September 13.  For more information, please contact Katie Pekarek at kpekarek2@unl.edu or (402) 643-2981.

EPA Withdraws Proposal to Revise Numeric Turbidity Limit for Construction

For those of us waiting for "The Number", it appears the waiting game must continue.  On August 17, 2011, EPA stated that additional research regarding treatment performance from construction and development sites is still needed before a final number would be provided. No new timeline was offered.

Navigate to this link to read a nice write up from Bureau of National Affairs on the news release from EPA.

Is this good news or bad news?  It depends on who you are asking, right?  Regulators and MS4 managers could have looked to the numeric limit as the clear indication of whether a construction site was protecting water quality or not.  The BMPs, for all intents and purposes, become secondary as long as the numeric limit was achieved.  Not having The Number means the regulations continue to be a greater challenge to enforce.  Now we are all required to continue enforcing and overseeing a "more flexible" standard that relies on the full cooperation and understanding between the Applicant, Municipality, Design Engineer, Construction Engineer, Project Manager, Contractor, Subcontractors, Third-Party Inspectors, and others.  Those in the field know how challenging this task is.

For Applicants and those in the construction and development industry, it would appear to be good news.  The lobby against this numeric limit has been very strong.  Significant questions were raised about the number's legitimacy and implementability.  These, for now, seem to have been enough to push back the decision.  So what to do in the mean time while additional research is gathered?  Wait? Do a better job of implementing the non-numeric conditions of the permit? Perhaps. The likelyhood of a number in the future is strong.  A good suggestion would be to take samples of discharge from time to time and see how clean your BMPs are getting the stormwater running off your project.  No one says they have to be samples that are reported and you may want to know if your efforts are good enough before The Number is put down on the permit.

What messages do you take from this extended delay?  Is it good news or bad?

Kearney Rain Garden Workshop

On Thursday, September 15, from 9am - 4pm the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Stormwater Management Team and the City of Kearney will be hosting a rain garden workshop and training in Kearney.  The event will include classroom instruction followed by a hands on installation.  


When: September 15, 2011
Where : Harmon Park Activity Center, 3100 5th Ave., Kearney


The workshop is free, but you must register by September 13.  Please contact Andy Harter (308) 233-3273 to register.

NDEQ Invites Nonpoint Source Management Proposals

Invitation for Nonpoint Source Management Proposals

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INVITATION

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is inviting proposals for funding under the Nebraska Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program authorized through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act as administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Funding eligibility, criteria for prioritization, application format, and special conditions are outlined in these procedures. Proposals must be on the FORM PROVIDED HERE and be received in the Lincoln office of the NDEQ no later than 4:00 p.m., Central time, Tuesday, September 6, 2011, to be considered for funding. 

Please direct any questions you may have to:

Elbert Traylor, Coordinator Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality P.O. Box 98922 Lincoln, NE 68509-8922 Telephone: (402) 471-2585 E-mail: Elbert.Traylor@nebraska.gov

Questions must be received by 4:00 p.m., Central time, August 24, 2011. Responses to those questions will be posted on NDEQ’s website,http://www.deq.state.ne.us, by August 30, 2011.

Proposals are to be submitted via e-mail in Word (.doc) or Adobe PDF (.pdf) format, with a subject of: NPS Proposal to:ndeq.nonpointsource@nebraska.gov

What is Agriculture Community Doing to Prevent Non-point Source Pollution

I've given countless presentations about the importance of urban stormwater and construction stormwater runoff protection.  I would have to try very hard to think of the number of times nobody raised the question, "what is the agriculture community doing to prevent non-point source pollution."  It is almost automatic.  I can see the twinkle in their eye when they raise their hand to ask the question.  It is a valid question, but it is also a little bit of a cop-out.  One one hand, it does water-down the message that controlling erosion at developments on the city edge is important when the farm field across the road doesn't appear to be doing their fair share.  I hear that argument.  I do.  That farmer is certainly not held to the same NPDES permit requirement as the commercial land developer is.  On the other hand though, we can only control what we control and defer to others to control what they can control.

So to everyone that has ever asked, "what about all that sediment and pollutants leaving the farmer's field up the road", I share a link to a video that starts to answer that question.  The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative or MRBI produced This Video to highlight how the USDA-NRCS is working with producers to implement the most cost-effective pollution prevention practices through research.  The effort is strikingly comparable to the International Stormwater BMP Database being populated with independent scientific research about he pollution removal effectiveness of urban stormwater BMPs.

At the 2011, State-wide Stormwater Round Table, we heard that professionals need to stop diluting the message to the public by distinguishing between agricultural and urban non-stormwater pollution and just call it stormwater pollution.  What do you think? Do the research and practice cost-share measures taken by USDA-NRCS help reduce the concern that the agricultural community is not doing their fair share?  Feel free to leave your comments and observations about the topic here.

Educators Invited to "Discover a Watershed: The Missouri"

Click on the image below to open the registration form for a unique event sponsored by Nebraska Forrest Service and Project WET.  This is for traditional educators and those natural resource professionals (MS4 Coordinators???) that engage youth about water resources.  Ponca State Park is also one of Nebraska's gems.  If you can't go, please make sure to forward this information to any educational contact you may have locally.

Education Committee Soliciting Topics for 2012 Workshops

To all the NeFSMA members and those interested in what educational workshops NeFSMA provides, the Education Committee is asking for your feedback on topics/speakers that we should target for 2012. Your Board has worked hard to provide workshops that are engaging and relevant to our profession, but NeFSMA is a member-driven organization.  Please submit your floodplain and stormwater ideas about what we should provide next year.

Seriously, this is your chance.  Send an email to nefsma@hotmail.com and we will add it to the list of possible topics and speakers.

 

NDOR Erosion and Sediment Control Courses

Starting in 2011, many of you may need to be re-certified in the NDOR Erosion and Sediment Control Inspector Class or you may know of folks that need to receive the initial training in the full-day certification course.  If you are unsure when your certification expires, there is a database available on LTAP’s website that lists the certification number and expiration date of everyone certified through this program.

Below is the current schedule of upcoming classes as of today.  More classes will be held throughout the year as needed.  If you have a large number of people interested in a class, contact Ron Poe or Dennis Smith and we’ll try to set up a class in your area to cut down on travel expenses.

DATE	CLASS	LOCATION		AVAILABILITY
Sept 27th	Full Day – Inspector Certification	Hampton Inn & Suites	Lincoln	Open
Sept 28th & 29th	Full Day – Erosion Control Design Class	Mahoney State Park	Ashland	Open
Week of Sept 18th	Half Day – Inspector Recertification	TBD	Scottsbluff	Open

Contact Information:
Ron Poe – (402) 479-4499
Dennis Smith; UNL-LTAP – (402) 472-0976
Course information is also available on the LTAP website at: 
http://www.ne-ltap.unl.edu/erosion_control.html

New Publication by Natural Hazard Mitigation Association - A Great Cross-Disciplinary Resource

The Natural Hazard Mitigation Association has recently published a new summary paper called, "Planning and Building Livable, Safe & Sustainable Communities - The Patchwork Quilt Approach."  The paper can be Downloaded Here.  One of the primary authors was our 2011 annual conference keynote speaker, Terri Turner, AICP, CFM.    Much like her presentations this June, the paper is comprehensive and lively.  It provides a wealth of information and resources for the planner, lawyer, resource agency, municipal official and floodplain and stormwater professional.  The paper presents great talking points about the value of taking a comprehensive approach to floodplain and stormwater management rather than a reactionary response to disasters.  Maybe you are involved with one particular program, but don't know where it fits within the "patchwork quilt" and want to learn more.  You will find this paper very useful.

Potential Changes to NFIP

Last week, the House of Representatives approved a bill reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program for another five years.  In the bill passed by the House, language was included to take out the "flood-in-progress" clause of flood insurance policies.

As currently policies are written, a flood insurance policy must be in place at least 30 days prior to the beginning of a flood event. This is a hot topic right now with the unprecedented flooding along the Missouri River.  FEMA has declared that the flood began on June 1, 2011 for Nebraska residents.  If a flood insurance policy was not purchased before May 2, 2011, damage caused by this flood event will not be covered.

Several legislators in both the House and Senate have proposed to change the "flood-in-progress" rule to state that the policy must be in place 30 days before damage occurs, regardless of when the flood started.

The bill is now being considered by the Senate.  We will keep you posted on the outcome.

Click here for Omaha-World Herald Article.

NeFSMA Improving Effort to Track Continuing Education Credits for CFMs

We have been working for some time now to figure out how to improve the process of tracking Continuing Education Credits for CFMs.  ASFPM provides credit pre-approval for our meetings and conferences if they meet their discipline guidelines.  We work hard to provide events that will help CFMs meet their continuing education credit requirements so that they are not forced to attend out-of-state conferences unless they want to.  But how do we get around the process of rounding up all your attendance certificates every two years to submit to ASFPM?  Failing to do so can have expensive consequences for maintaining your CFM status.

Well, since NeFSMA is a state Chapter, ASFPM will track your credits on-line at www.floods.org if they have the information that you attended.  This means you don't have to send your certificates of attendance to them. NeFSMA will provide that information to ASFPM after each workshop if you attended.  You should log into the member page of ASFPM to verify that your information is current.  I checked mine today and it was up-to-date.

We hope this is a valued member benefit you receive from NeFSMA.  We currently have 31 NeFSMA members that maintain their CFM and possibly a few more since our Annual Conference last month.  If you are interested in becoming a CFM or what the value of that certification program might be to you or your community, please contact Bill Jones or Andrew Christensen with Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.

Nebraska H2O Updates Website, Social Interaction

The Nebraska Stormwater Cooperative - Nebraska H2O - has recently launched a completely reskinned version of their website.  The link www.nebraskah2o.org will take you to a much improved site that incorporates new social media assets for public education through their blog and individual community news feeds.  There is a lot of great stormwater protection work just getting started in these communities which will be shared through the website.

The website operates as a group information sharing platform to benefit as many residents, students, contractors, developers, city officials, and resource agencies in the State as possible.  Congratulations to Nebraska H2O on the update!  We look forward to watching your dynamic new website grow.  A link on our blog and website will help people find you too.

Iowa is Latest ASFPM Chapter

Iowa is the 31st ASFPM Chapter!

  

Please join us in welcoming Iowa as the 31st ASFPM chapter! The ASFPM Board approved Iowa's application for chapter status during their board call this week.

Iowa is the third ASFPM chapter in Region 7! Our newest chapter brings the national membership to 14,000 members with 31 Chapters and 8 states with existing floodplain management associations (not yet chapters).

The Iowa Floodplain & Stormwater Management Association (IFSMA) was formed in 2010 and joined ASFPM as chapter in 2011. IFSMA has just under 50 members.

IA Chapter Website

ASFPM Chapter page

ASFPM Adds Current Flooding Webpage

ASFPM has added a page to their website with links to news articles, photo collections, government resources, and other information regarding the current flood events.  Click here to access the page.

Lincoln Stormwater Tour

On Friday August 5, the UNL Stormwater Team will be sponsoring a tour of some of Lincoln's Stormwater Best Management Practices.  This will be a great opportunity to see how people across the city are implementing porous pavements, rain gardens, bioretention gardens, rainwater harvesting systems, and green roofs!

The tour will begin at 8:30 am at the Lower Platte South NRD - 3125 Portia Street in Lincoln.  Registration is $15 per person and includes a chartered bus, box lunch, drinks, and handouts.  For more information, contact Katie Pekarek at (402) 643-2981 or kpekarek2@unl.edu.

Prairie Fire - Using the Floodplain to Store Floodwaters

This article was published in the June edition of Prairie Fire Newspaper - http://www.prairiefirenewspaper.com/2011/06/using-the-floodplain-to-store-floodwaters

By Jill Kostel, Ph.D.

On May 2, 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blew up a two-mile stretch of levee in Missouri to save the town of Cairo, Ill., from catastrophic flooding. This intentional breach opened the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway—a 130,000-acre area of farmland—to take in some of the rushing floodwaters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Within two weeks, two floodways in Louisiana, the Bonnet Carre and Morganza, were opened to lower Mississippi River flood levels from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. This marks the first time in history that all three of these floodway systems have been in operation at the same time.

Natural wetlands and floodplains were our original flood protection infrastructure, and restoring more of them would help absorb and reduce floodwaters before such drastic measures as the Birds Point levee incident become necessary. Below is background on the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway and a brief summary of this flood’s events.

Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway

The Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is a component of the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project (MR&T), the world’s largest flood control project. The MR&T project was authorized by the 1928 Flood Control Act. Following the catastrophic Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, there was nationwide support for a comprehensive and unified system of public works within the lower Mississippi Valley that would provide enhanced protection from floods while maintaining a channel for navigation. The Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is one of four developed by the Army Corps of Engineers under the MR&T Project. The floodways consists of a mix of public and private lands, many of which have easements granting the corps the right to run water through.

Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in southeast Missouri just below the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The construction and operation of the floodway was authorized by the 1928 Flood Control Act and later modified under the 1965 Flood Control Act. A floodway is a basin surrounded by levees that can be intentionally blown open to divert floodwaters. The purpose of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is to lower flood stages at and upstream of Cairo, Ill., and along the east bank levee opposite of the floodway during major flood events.

The floodway is approximately 35 miles in length and varies from three to 10 miles in width. The frontline (56 miles long) and setback (36 miles long) levees enclosed about 205 square miles (130,000 acres). Within the frontline levee (river side), there are two fuseplug sections that are designed and built lower than the remaining levee. After floods in the 1970s, the Mississippi River Commission revised the plan to increase operation safety and effectiveness by including two artificial crevasses in the upper fuseplug, one in the lower fuseplug and a fourth one in the frontline levee opposite Hickman, Ky. To assure the artificial crevasses came at the precise time, the use of explosives was provided.

Under the current operation plan that was developed in 1986, the floodway is activated when designated sections of the frontline levee naturally overtop or are artificially crevassed through the placing and detonation of explosives. Artificial crevassing of the levee would commence upon the command of the Mississippi River Commission president prior to river stages reaching 61 feet on the Cairo gage with additional stage increases forecasted. The floodway is designed to divert 550,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the Mississippi River. The floodway has been used once during the Great Flood of 1937; however, most of the floodway would have been flooded as a result of natural crevasses and overtopping and backwatering through an existing 1,500-foot gap near New Madrid.

There has been legal opposition to the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway since its inception. Throughout the years, the federal government has acquired flowage and modified flowage easements that allow the government the right to operate the floodway by artificial crevassing. The easement also reserved the landowners the right to compensation if operation of the floodway resulted in “excessive deposits of sand and gravel” upon the land.

2011 Operation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway

On Monday, May 2, 2011, the Ohio River had risen to 61.05 feet at Cairo, bypassing the 1937 record of 59.5 feet. The river was expected to crest Wednesday at 61.5 feet and remain at that level until Friday. While the floodwall at Cairo can handle water up to 64 feet, the Army Corps was concerned about the strain the floodwaters were putting on this floodwall and in other areas.

Missouri officials failed to sway a federal judge, an appeals court and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency requests from Missouri and various other Midwest states, to block the Army Corps of Engineers from artificially breaching a two-mile section of the levee and inundating 130,000 acres of productive farmland.

The decision to intentionally breach the levee was made by Major General Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, on May 2, 2011, at approximately 10 p.m.

The decision to alleviate pressure on the levees and drawdown the Mississippi and Ohio rivers appears to have worked as planned. By 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, the Ohio River at Cairo had dropped by more than a foot to 60.57 feet from 61.72 feet just before the explosion. By Tuesday night, the Ohio River at Metropolis, Ill., measured 54.7 feet, the same level at the time of the breach, but it was predicted to have a crest of more than 58 feet. The second and third levee breaches that occurred on May 3 and May 5, respectively, at the southern end of the levee complete the operation of the floodway by allowing flow back into the Mississippi River.

The rush of floodwater into Birds Point inundated as many as 100 homes and washed away this year’s crop prospects. It could be late summer or early fall before the floodwaters are fully drained off the land, and the remaining sediment and moisture could do more lasting damage.

Downstream Floodways

The 2011 flood event is the most significant to hit the lower Mississippi River Valley since at least 1937 and has affected nine states: Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. With record levels predicted for the lower Mississippi River, two additional floodways developed by the Army Corps of Engineers under the MR&T Project have been opened in Louisiana: the Bonnet Carre and Morganza. Unlike the Birds Point Floodway, these floodways are opened through a gated spillway control structure.

The Bonnet Carre Floodway, which is located about 30 miles north of New Orleans, is the southernmost floodway in the MR&T. The control structure and six-mile floodway is designed to divert 250,000 cfs (or 1,870,000 gallons per second) into Lake Pontchartrain whenever the flow past New Orleans is projected to exceed 1.25 million cfs. The opening of the first gates on May 9, 2011, marked the ninth time (and the sixth time since 1973) that this structure has been used to lower river stages at New Orleans. It was used initially during the Flood of 1937. Currently, 330 of the 350 gates (or bays) are open, diverting approximately 316,000 cfs (this is more than the structure’s rated capacity).

The Morganza Spillway was opened on May 14, 2011, for the first time since 1973. The Mississippi River Commission directed the corps to operate this spillway once the river flows reached 1.5 million cfs in an effort to lower flood crest levels. While it can divert up to 50 percent of the Mississippi River’s volume, only a quarter of the 250 gates are expected to be used. Currently, 16 out of 125 bays have been opened, diverting 108,000 cfs from the Mississippi through 3,000 square miles of the low-lying areas in the Atchafalaya basin to the Gulf of Mexico.

Information in this statement was obtained from the Mississippi River Commission (“The Mississippi River & Tributaries Project: Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Information Paper”;www.mvm.usace.army.mil/publicaffairs/News/press_releases/bpnm/BPNMpaper.pdf), Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District (“Birds Point-New Madrid Flood Information Sheet,” www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Readiness/bpnm/bpnminfo.asp); Associated Press; Chicago Tribune; CNN Wire Staff and MSNBC.

UNL Urban Environment: 13 July 2011 Center for Watershed Protection Webca...

UNL Urban Environment: 13 July 2011 Center for Watershed Protection Webca...: "Douglas County Environmental Services and UNL Extension in Douglas/Sarpy Counties are screening the Center for Watershed Protection's webcas..."

It is Official - NDEQ Issues Industrial Storm Water General Permit

PRESS RELEASE  from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

For more information, contact Brian McManus (402) 471-4223, or Jim Bunstock (402) 471-4243

For Immediate Release June 30, 2011

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New NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permit Goes Into Effect

A new NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permit was signed June 30 and is in effect for all applications submitted to NDEQ after July 1, 2011. This general permit, also known as the Industrial Storm Water General Permit, or ISW-GP, NPDES NER900000, is an industrial storm water permit that authorizes discharges of storm water associated with industrial activities to: Waters of the State, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, or Combined Sewer Systems. This permit is applicable statewide to 11 categories of industrial activity established in state regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 119). It does not apply to construction activity. 

The permit replaces the general permit (NER000000) for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity issued September 18, 1997. The new permit is reflective of EPA requirements contained in the federal 2008 Multi-Sector General Permit.

To view the new permit, fillable forms, and guidance, go to www.deq.state.ne.us and select Publications and Forms, Water Quality, Applications and Forms, and select NPDES Permit for Industrial Storm Water Discharges. Or, the direct URL is: http://www.deq.state.ne.us/Publica.nsf/pages/wat011

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www.DEQ.state.NE.US Home Page

Security, Privacy & Accessibility Policy

Nebraska.gov

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
1200 "N" Street, Suite 400
P.O. Box 98922
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
(402) 471-2186

Extension-Related Flood Links and Stormwater Grant Information

Our colleagues have notified of some helpful information NeFSMA Blog followers may be interested to view.  If you have items that we should distribute, please pass it along to our Board Members or email nefsma@hotmail.com.

UNL Extension Flood Information: http://flood.unl.edu/

Extension Disaster Education Network: http://eden.lsu.edu/Pages/default.aspx

eXtension disaster link: http://www.extension.org/category/floods


Also, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA) has notified us of the Waterwise Landscape Initiative currently underway.  They seem to be having a difficult time finding people to take their money.  Can you help them?  If the information about the initiative provided below is of interest, please get in contact with: 


Christina Hoyt 
Nebraska Forest Service 
P.O. Box 830965
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68583-0965
choyt2@unl.edu

Phone: 402.472.5049
Fax: 402.472.8095
arboretum.unl.edu

NSA, inc and the Nebraska Forest Service received a 3-year grant from Nebraska Environmental Trust to fund 20  Waterwise Landscape Initiative demonstration projects throughout the state.  These grants are for up to $40,000 and require a 1:1 match, part of which may be in-kind.   These projects can be stormwater BMP and/or water conservation demonstrations.  They can be located on public or private property as long as they provide clear public benefit.  

Scottsbluff, Chadron, North Platte, Hastings, Grand Island, Fremont and Bellevue will already be doing projects through the Greener Nebraska Towns Initiative (partially funded by our  Waterwise NET grant).

EPA Targets State Framework for Nutrient Criteria Through Collaborative Efforts

The 2010 EPA Office of Water Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) Annual Report included a summary of Addressing Impacts from Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution: Nutrients Framework Document and Memorandum

EPA Office of Water Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) worked with the Office of Science and Technology to draft a State Nitrogen and Phosphorus Reduction Framework that states can use to develop strategies that address the degradation of drinking water and environmental quality due to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. On March 16, 2011, Office of Water Acting Assistant Administrator Nancy Stoner issued a Memorandum to all EPA Regional Administrators that included the “Recommended Elements of a State Framework for Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution.” (I've added them to the bottom of this post.) The memo describes the extent of the problem and reaffirms the agency’s commitment to partnering with states and collaborating with stakeholders to accelerate reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus loadings.

According to a recent joint Task Group of senior state and EPA water quality and drinking water officials, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution has the potential to become one of the costliest and challenging environmental problems the nation faces. The Framework initiates a conversation with states and other stakeholders on how best to achieve both near- and long-term reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. It envisions that as states proceed in efforts to develop numeric nutrient criteria and related schedules, they also reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution by targeting the most effective practices to the areas with highest contributions. The Framework recognizes that collaborative efforts with United States Department of Agriculture and other stakeholders will be critical for success.
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Trends listed from the Memo include:
1) 50 percent of U.S. streams have medium to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus.
2) 78 percent of assessed coastal waters exhibit eutrophication.
3) Nitrate drinking water violations have doubled in eight years.
4) A 2010 USGS report on nutrients in ground and surface water reported that nitrates exceeded background concentrations in 64% of shallow monitoring wells in agriculture and urban areas, and exceeded EPA's Maximum Contaminant Levels for nitrates in 7% or 2,388 of sampled domestic wells?
5) Algal blooms are steadily on the rise; related toxins have potentially serious health and ecological effects.
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Recommended Elements of a State Framework for Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution

1. Prioritize watersheds on a statewide basis for nitrogen and phosphorus loading reductions 
A. Use best available information to estimate Nitrogen (N) & Phosphorus (P) loadings delivered to rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, etc. in all major watersheds across the state on a Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 8 watershed scale or smaller watershed (or a comparable basis.)
B. Identify major watersheds that individually or collectively account for a substantial portion of loads (e.g. 80 percent) delivered from urban and/or agriculture sources to waters in a state or directly delivered to multi-jurisdictional waters.
C. Within each major watershed that has been identified as accounting for the substantial portion of the load, identify targeted/priority sub-watersheds on a HUC 12 or similar scale to implement targeted N & P load reduction activities. Prioritization of sub-watersheds should reflect an evaluation of receiving water problems, public and private drinking water supply impacts, N & P loadings, opportunity to address high-risk N & P problems, or other related factors.

2. Set watershed load reduction goals based upon best available information. 
Establish numeric goals for loading reductions for each targeted/priority sub-watershed (HUC 12 or similar scale) that will collectively reduce the majority of N & P loads from the HUC 8 major watersheds. Goals should be based upon best available physical, chemical, biological, and treatment/control information from local, state, and federal monitoring, guidance, and assistance activities including implementation of agriculture conservation practices, source water assessment evaluations, watershed planning activities, water quality assessment activities, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) implementation, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting reviews.

3. Ensure effectiveness of point source permits in targeted/priority sub-watersheds for: 
A. Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facilities that contribute to significant measurable N & P loadings;
B. All Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that discharge or propose to discharge; and/or
C. Urban Stormwater sources that discharge into N & P-impaired waters or are otherwise identified as a significant source.

4. Agricultural Areas 
In partnership with Federal and State Agricultural partners, NGOs, private sector partners, landowners, and other stakeholders, develop watershed-scale plans that target the most effective practices where they are needed most. Look for opportunities to include innovative approaches, such as targeted stewardship incentives, certainty agreements, and N & P markets, to accelerate adoption of agricultural conservation practices. Also, incorporate lessons learned from other successful agricultural initiatives in other parts ofthe country.


5. Storm water and Septic systems 
Identify how the State will use state, county and local government tools to assure Nand P reductions from developed communities not covered by the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) program, including an evaluation of minimum criteria for septic systems, use of low impact development/ green infrastructure approaches, and/or limits on phosphorus in detergents and lawn fertilizers.

6. Accountability and verification measures 
A. Identify where and how each of the tools identified in sections 3, 4 and 5will be used within targeted/priority sub-watersheds to assure reductions will occur.
B. Verify that load reduction practices are in place.
C. To assess/demonstrate progress in implementing and maintaining management activities and achieving load reductions goals: establish a baseline of existing N & P loads and current Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation in each targeted/priority sub-watershed, conduct ongoing sampling and analysis to provide regular seasonal measurements of N & P loads leaving the watershed, and provide a description and confirmation of the degree of additional BMP implementation and maintenance activities.

7. Annual public reporting of implementation activities and biannual reporting of load reductions and environmental impacts associated with each management activity in targeted watersheds 
A. Establish a process to annually report for each targeted/priority sub-watershed: status, challenges, and progress toward meeting N & P loading reduction goals, as well as specific activities the state has implemented to reduce N & P loads such as: reducing identified practices that result in excess N & P runoff and documenting and verifying implementation and maintenance of source-specific best management practices.
B. Share annual report publically on the state's website with request for comments and feedback for an adaptive management approach to improve implementation, strengthen collaborative local, county, state, and federal partnerships, and identifY additional opportunities for accelerating costeffective
N & P load reductions.

8. Develop work plan and schedule for numeric criteria development 
Establish a work plan and phased schedule for N and P criteria development for classes of waters (e.g., lakes and reservoirs, or rivers and streams). The work plan and schedule should contain interim milestones including but not limited to data collection, data analysis, criteria proposal, and criteria adoption consistent with the Clean Water Act. A reasonable timetable would include developing numeric N and P criteria for at least one class of waters within the state (e.g., lakes and reservoirs, or rivers and streams) within 3-5 years (reflecting water quality and permit review cycles), and completion of criteria development in accordance with a robust, state-specific workplan and phased schedule.

FloodSmart News - Flood Recovery Information

Flood Recovery Information In response to recent flooding, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has developed the following materials to help you assist residents recovering from flood damage and navigate the flood insurance claims process. After the Flood fact sheet: Helpful information for residents as they return home. Filing Your Flood Insurance Claim: A checklist for policyholders as they navigate the claims process. NFIP Summary of Coverage: An explanation to help policyholders understand their flood insurance policy. NFIP Flood Insurance Claims Handbook: A step-by-step guide to filing a claim. In addition, the following tips may be helpful to residents returning to flood-damaged areas. Beware of Hazards. Check for damage, including structural damage before re-entering your home. Contact the appropriate professionals immediately if you suspect damage to water, gas, electric and sewer lines. Throw away water-damaged food including canned goods that have come in contact with floodwaters. Boil water until local authorities declare the water supply safe to drink. File your Flood Insurance Claim. Call your agent who handles your flood insurance to file a claim. Have the following information with you when you place your call: (1) the name of your insurance company (your agent may write policies for more than one company); (2) your policy number; and (3) a telephone number/e-mail address where you can be reached. Take photographs. To make filing your claim easier, take photographs of any water in the house and damaged personal property. If necessary, place these items outside the home. Your adjuster will need evidence of the damage and damaged items (e.g.: cut swatches from carpeting, curtains, chairs) to prepare your repair estimate. Make a list of damaged or lost items and include their age and value where possible. If possible, have receipts for those lost items available for the adjuster. Local officials may require the disposal of damaged items. If so, keep a swatch or other sample of the item(s) for the adjuster. Gather any documents, such as photographs, receipts and itemized lists you made prior to the flood. Prevent mold and remove wet contents immediately. Work with the adjuster to calculate the damage in order to prepare an accurate estimate. Resources are available. The American Red Cross offers a free Repairing Your Flooded Home guide. This guide will help you as you first re-enter your damaged home. For FEMA Disaster Assistance call 1-800-621-3362. For general flood insurance questions call 1-800-427-4661. Please email us at info@femafloodsmart.com with any questions about NFIP and FloodSmart.  http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=40811866&msgid=566521&act=38YS&c=297732&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.floodsmart.gov%2Ftoolkits%2Fflood%2Fdownloads%2FAfterFloodFactSheet-08-2010.pdf

2011 NeFSMA Conference - Bioassessment Workshop and Training

Bioassessment Workshops and Training, 

Donald Huggins and Debbie Baker, Central Plains Center for BioAssessment, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, KS

This session will address Stormwater Management and Water Quality, focusing on biological monitoring.  Attendees will learn about CPCB’s proposed workshops for MS4 personnel that will address why and how to monitor streams that are influenced by stormwater. 

The Central Plain Center for Bioassessment is the water quality and aquatic ecology unit of the Kansas Biological Survey which is a non-regulatory, research unit of the University of Kansas.  We have performed local and region-wide lake, stream, and wetland surveys throughout the central plains and associated areas for federal, state, and NGO organizations.  We also have educational programs for all age groups and for both citizens and scientists.  As such, we can provide stream bioassessment education and training for stormwater personnel in workshops located throughout Nebraska.  Our prior educational experiences with people from various backgrounds and monitoring experiences in the various stream types that can be found throughout Nebraska allow us to custom tailor our workshops to the region and need.  Workshops will address the need to monitor receiving streams, the science behind monitoring, how to monitor, and use of equipment as well as discussions on stream types and the special monitoring considerations that they might require.  We will also address study design issues such as sampling site placement including control site selection, and the number of sites and the sampling period that may be necessary to identify site differences (e.g. treatment differences, discharge effects).  Workshops will include a field component for participants to gain field experience in site selection, sample collection, and use of various field gear and equipment.  We will ask conference attendees what they would like to include and learn from such workshops and if they would like us to come to their area.

2011 NeFSMA Conference - Low Impact Developments: Implementation and Monitoring

Low Impact Developments: Implementation and Monitoring in Omaha, Nebraska, Kellan Strauch, Hydrologist, USGS Nebraska Water Science Center; and Kent Holm, Environmental Services Director, Douglas County 

Learning objectives: There are many agencies and firms involved in stormwater BMPs in the Omaha metro and this presentation will strengthen that network of expertise by providing an understanding of BMPs being implemented by Douglas County.  This presentation will also provide a framework for monitoring the effectiveness of bioretention cells, something that is not routinely done. 

Abstract:
This presentation will provide an overview of low impact development projects that Douglas County is currently implementing to reduce the amount of water entering the combined sewer overflows in Omaha, Nebraska. It will focus on a monitoring study in progress at two recently installed bioretention cells at the Douglas County Health Center and Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.  The presentation will discuss the methods of the study, instrumentation being used, and preliminary results. While bioretention cells have been utilized for a number of years, questions still exist about their effectiveness.  To validate “green” infrastructure best management practices, monitoring data are needed.

The USGS and Douglas County Nebraska Environment Services are measuring the water budget at two bioretention cells in Omaha, NE to evaluate their effectiveness at reducing stormwater outflows.  
The water balance components of the cells that are being considered are: flow into the cell, precipitation, evapotranspiration, infiltration, and flow out of the cell.  A 9-inch Parshall flume is used to measure inflow. A weather station at each site measures precipitation and meteorological data that will be used to calculate evapotranspiration.  Infiltration is estimated using soil-matrix potential and water content relationships. Outflow is estimated by measuring the depth of the water above the outlet pipe.  Data collection began in December 2010.

Basic water-quality monitoring is also being done in the cells.  Auto-samplers will collect flow-weighted samples and are analyzed for E-coli, suspended sediment, and nutrients. Sensors are installed at bioretention cell inlets to measure water temperature and conductance.

The bioretention cells on the Douglas County Health Center campus are just one example of the steps Douglas County is taking to reduce the volume of stormwater leaving the Health Center campus and impacting the Saddle Creek subbasin combined sewer.  Smaller rain gardens, roofdrain disconnections, stormwater collection system, and a green roof are other stormwater volume reduction methods currently in place on the campus.  Additional bioretention will be installed this summer in association with a parking lot renovation.  A comprehensive master plan is also proposed to identify future green infrastructure opportunities on the campus.  The County and USGS are also partnering on education and outreach, to provide data on the bioretention project, stormwater information to the public and other information on the County’s sustainable landscape improvements on the Health Center Campus.