Problem Statement

According to the US EPA the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay are degraded.  Excess amounts of nutrients and sediment flow into the River and the Bay from the land and from the air (nonpoint source pollution) and from wastewater treatment plants and from industrial facilities (point source pollution).  The Rappahannock "Tributary Strategy" identifies nutrient and sediment reduction goals necessary to achieve water quality and aquatic habitat restoration objectives for the Bay by 2010, in accordance with the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 2000.  Attainment of these goals and objectives will require a major effort on the part of all levels of government, landowners and the public.
A Summary Assessment of the Problem that the Work Group is to address:

The nutrient pollution issues in the Rappahannock are driven mostly by nonpoint sources, such as agriculture, land development, forestry, septic systems and lawn management. Nonpoint sources are regulated to a far less degree than point sources. This means that more effort will have to be invested on communication, coordination, cooperation, and incentives to achieve success in addressing the nonpoint source issues than for the point source issues. The projections for success associated with various strategies in the RTS are based on the inputs and outputs of a model. The true measure of success however will be the results found from monitoring the quality of the waters of the Rappahannock basin.

A “real world” focus to the implementation of strategies is viewed as important and essential to maximizing the opportunities for achieving the greatest possible return on investments made in addressing nonpoint source pollution. Opportunities to share experiences and to forthrightly discuss practical solutions will aid all stakeholders in avoiding possible pitfalls, unintended consequences and the repetition of mistakes.

The Mission of the Work Group

To provide a forum to discuss the practical complexities, obstacles and difficulties associated with the implementation of nonpoint source pollution strategies of the RTS and to share experiences, both good and bad, to enhance efficient and effective investment of public and private resources. These discussions will produce recommendations to the RRBC and state, regional and local agencies responsible for the implementation of the RTS.

Identified Issue Areas to be Addressed

1. Clarify the legal authority of various stakeholders to act and identify where authority is appropriate or inadequate to allow effective implementation of the solutions identified in the Rappahannock Tributary Strategy.

2. Encourage “buy-in” of state, regional and local governments and agencies to the appropriate regulation of land use activities and land development in support of river-friendly water quality objectives.

3. Is current or planned water quality monitoring going to provide effective data to evaluate the success of implementing nonpoint strategies? If not, recommendations for improvements will be made.

4. Identify how to properly document successful and unsuccessful practices and to communicate those finding to others.

5. On-going assessment of the practicality of implementation strategies or techniques and providing feedback to DCR and other appropriate overseers.

6. Recommend how to effectively track changes in land use, and the rate of change, in the basin and how to use that information efficiently to make decisions that improve water quality.

7. Provide input and feedback to decision makers on prioritizing the commitment of resources to maximize results for dollars invested.

It is expected that, over time, issues will change or be added or dropped.

 

Meetings and Events

 

 

Related Links

Low Impact Development

 

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations 

 

NRCS Soil Survey Database

 

"Living With Your Land" -- Informational Brochure  

 

Tools for local efficient land use decision making:                                                                                                    

 

Forest RIM GIS Web Mapping Tool

 

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Mapping Tool