Information reprinted from: The Norwalk River Watershed Initiative Web Site: www.norwalkriverwatershed.org

[ Section I ] [ Section II ] [ Section III ] [ Section IV ] III. WATER QUALITY ACTION ITEMS Goal: To restore and protect surface and ground water to meet state water quality standards throughout the watershed such that Norwalk supports its designated uses (e.g., fishing, swimming, drinking water) Objective 1: Determine if the extensive pond/lake eutrophication observed in thewatershed is affecting instream water quality. Objective 2: Ensure adequate maintenance of septic systems. Objective 3: Reduce the impact of road sand on water quality and stream habitat. Objective 4: Maintain and increase riparian buffer areas. Objective 5: Improve solid and liquid waste management watershed businesses and municipal facilities. Objective 6: Evaluate the cumulative effect of discharges permitted by both the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Objective 7: Maintain adequate base flows in the Norwalk River and its major tributaries. Objective 8: Reduce the cumulative impacts of development and improve storm water management. Objective 9: Continue water quality monitoring and data collection and assessment. Objective 10: Ensure proper functioning of wastewater treatment plants. Back to top... Objective 1: Determine if the extensive pond/lake eutrophication observed in thewatershed is affecting instream water quality. Introductory Statement: Many of the ponds and impoundments in the watershed exhibit extensive algal growth at an early date. There is little information available as to the extent and impact of these algal blooms on water quality in the watershed. Supporting Tasks: 1. Develop a pond/lake eutrophication assessment criteria and a plan to assess eutrophication in selected water bodies and determine the role of impoundments in attenuating nutrient loads to Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound. Implementing Group: Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2000 Measure of Success: Assessment criteria and assessment plan completed. 2. Select two or three watershed ponds for assessment by CTDEP personnel, other appropriate parties (e.g., municipal health departments). Use volunteer groups (neighborhood or school) to collect data; provide training in data collection, as needed. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Assessment completed; report with recommendations drafted. 3. If eutrophication is found to affect water in the Norwalk River Watershed and/or Norwalk Harbor, develop recommendations to reduce pollutant loading. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Federal, State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Specific recommendations identified. 4. Distribute information concerning recommendations. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2001-2002 Measure of Success: Informational materials (e.g., brochure) prepared and distributed to appropriate individuals/groups. Back to top... Objective 2: Ensure adequate maintenance of septic systems. Introductory Statement: Surface and ground water can be contaminated by septic systems. A septic system, like other technology, needs maintenance to operate successfully throughout its life. Typically, septic systems last 20 to 30 years before needing replacement. The Norwalk River Watershed has experienced tremendous growth in the last 20-30 years; many systems may be nearing their functional lifetime or may have a reduced lifetime due to lack of maintenance. Proper maintenance will keep the environment healthy and prolong the life of the systems, thereby reducing replacement costs and the need for sewer extensions. Supporting Tasks: 1. Create an incentive-based model ordinance for septic system inspection and maintenance. Implementing Group: Municipal Health Departments, Advisory Committee, NRWA Year Start/End: 1998-2002 Measure of Success: Model ordinance(s) drafted. 2. Review model ordinance with municipal health departments for feedback, change, acceptability, and course of action and urge its adoption by all towns within the watershed. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, NRWA, Municipal Health Departments Year Start/End: 1999-2000 Measure of Success: Model ordinances reviewed and continued on an ongoing basis. 3. Develop an education program for septic system maintenance and the model ordinance. Implementing Group: Municipal Health Departments, NRWA Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: Septic system maintenance education program established and continued on an ongoing basis. 4. Adopt septic system ordinance within each watershed municipality. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 2000-2005 Measure of Success: Septic system inspection and maintenance ordinance adopted by each municipality. Back to top... Objective 3: Reduce the impact of road sand on water quality and stream habitat. Introductory Statement: Within the watershed, road sand moves easily into the river system and reduces water quality, degrades fish habitat, and ultimately may increase the need for dredging in the Norwalk Harbor, and the removal of sediments behind dams along the river. While road sand is an integral part of each community's safety network in winter, opportunities exist to improve conditions by setting priorities for clean-out frequency, timing, and location of catch basin pump outs and street sweeping. Supporting Tasks: 1. Obtain and review municipal (and if possible, state) sand and salt application records and policies, and estimates of amounts recovered each year. Implementing Group: FCSWCD, Municipalities Year Start/End: 1999-2000 Measure of Success: Records and policies are reviewed. Report recommending modifications to current sand/salt application rates and clean-up schedules produced. 2. Reduce application rates to only what is necessary to maintain safety. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CONNDOT Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Recommendations of report accepted and sand/salt application rates reduced to minimum necessary to maintain safety. Instream sedimentation from road sand visibly reduced from baseline conditions identified by 1996 Streamwalk. 3. Prioritize catch basin pump-outs and street sweeping based on proximity to receiving waters and sensitive habitats and rate of sand accumulation, and accelerate pump-out and street sweeping schedule to as early as possible after winter. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CONNDOT Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Catch basin pump-out and street sweeping schedules modified by all watershed towns to focus on catch basins/roads closest to surface waters and as early after winter as possible. 4. Replace or retrofit storm water catch basins to provide oil and sediment removal prior to discharge to receiving waters in critical areas and sensitive habitats (in conjunction with normal infrastructure improvement planning and implementation), and ensure proper maintenance. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CONNDOT Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Storm water catch basins with oil and sediment removal or other appropriate treatment systems incorporated into each municipality's capital improvement plan and installed as appropriate. Back to top... Objective 4: Maintain and increase riparian buffer areas. Introductory Statement: Riparian buffer areas filter polluted runoff. The Norwalk River Watershed's streamside conditions exhibit extensive loss of riparian vegetation, thereby increasing water quality degradation. Supporting Tasks: 1. Educate streamside/wetland property owners about the value of riparian buffers. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), NRWA, FCSWCD Year Start/End: 1998-2005 Measure of Success: Informational materials (e.g., brochure) on the value of riparian buffers and the importance of maintaining and restoring them developed and made available to all streamside/wetland property owners. 2. Educate municipal commissions about the value of riparian buffers. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), NRWA, CTDEP, UCONN/CES (NEMO), FCSWCD Year Start/End: 1999/2005 Measure of Success: Workshop on the value of riparian buffers presented to appropriate municipal commissions; timetable for ongoing training established for each town. 3. Develop a guidance manual on riparian buffers for municipal commissions with detailed examples of residential and commercial applications. Implementing Group: CTDEP Year Start/End: 1999-2001 Measure of Success: Guidance manual drafted and disseminated. 4. Implement habitat restoration projects using the priority list of sites established by the NRWIC's habitat restoration subcommittee. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, FCSWCD, Watershed Coordinator(s), Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Impaired sites identified through the 1996 Streamwalk and prioritized by the habitat restoration subcommittee restored as opportunities arise. Existing riparian buffers maintained and riparian areas currently devoid of vegetation restored as opportunities arise. Back to top... Objective 5: Improve solid and liquid waste management watershed businesses and municipal facilities. Introductory Statement: Many watershed businesses and municipal facilities are located adjacent to streams. Improper storage and disposal of solid and liquid wastes pose a potential threat to water quality and public health. Supporting Tasks: 1. Ensure management (housekeeping) practices follow local, state, and federal regulations that emphasize education, appropriate storage and waste management, and pollution prevention practices. Implementing Group: Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2000-2005 Measure of Success: Watershed businesses and municipal facilities furnished with information on how to comply with local, state, and federal ordinances/regulations for solid and liquid waste management. Solid and liquid wastes properly stored and disposed of by watershed businesses and municipal facilities. 2. Develop an "Adopt a Stream" program to engage riverside/streamside businesses and property owners in improving stream conditions. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations, NRWA Year Start/End: 2000-2005 Measure of Success: Fifty percent of riverside/streamside businesses and property owners participate in the "Adopt-A-Stream" program. 3. Develop business and municipal facility workshops yearly on special topics related to Objective 5 and hold such workshops annually. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP Year Start/End: 2000-2005 Measure of Success: Workshops developed and delivered on an annual basis. 4. Establish a citizens "hotline" to report pollution incidents to state and/or local authorities. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: "Hotline" established and information on how to use it disseminated. Back to top... Objective 6: Evaluate the cumulative effect of discharges permitted by both the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Introductory Statement: Permitted discharges have an effect on water quality in the watershed. The cumulative impacts are unknown at this time and need to be further evaluated. Supporting Tasks: 1. Assess and evaluate the cumulative effects of CTDEP and NYDEC permitted industrial, municipal, and stormwater discharges. Implementing Group: Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2001 Measure of Success: Evaluation system established; data collected, assessed and evaluated; and results compiled. 2. Publish and disseminate a fact sheet on the cumulative impact of permitted discharges. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), CTDEP, NYDEC Year Start/End: 2002 Measure of Success: Fact sheet published and distributed to appropriate audience. Back to top... Objective 7: Maintain adequate base flows in the Norwalk River and its major tributaries. Introductory Statement: Stream flows are reduced during summer months in some segments of the Norwalk River Watershed. Stream flow comprises base flow (ground water), overland flow (runoff), interflow (runoff that leaches into the stream through soil), and in portions of the watershed, discharge from sewage treatment plants. The adequacy of existing stream flows to protect water quality and aquatic resources is unknown at this time and needs to be evaluated. Supporting Tasks: 1. Conduct site-specific instream flow study of the river to determine appropriate flow conditions that will support healthy fish habitat for species currently present and those planned for restoration. The study should use obligate stream species or life stages (including appropriately sited study transects), consider appropriate flows, and include decision criteria agreed to prior to conducting the study. Implementing Group: Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Site-specific instream flow study completed. 2. Evaluate results of instream flow study to determine an appropriate range of flows necessary to support state water quality standards, including whether "flushing" flows are necessary to support healthy riparian areas. Implementing Group: Federal and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2002-2003 Measure of Success: Appropriate range of stream flows identified and the necessity of "flushing" flows determined. Back to top... Objective 8: Reduce the cumulative impacts of development and improve storm water management. Introductory Statement: Storm water runoff from developed areas (i.e., impervious surfaces from commercial and industrial areas and residentially altered landscapes) is a significant threat to continued water quality improvement in the watershed. Cumulatively, storm water runoff results in visible degradation of water quality as water moves downstream towards the mouth of the river. Improvements to storm water quality need to be made and maintained. Supporting Tasks: 1. Educate municipal land use commissions about the design of effective storm water management systems and required maintenance programs. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Federal, Regional, and State Agencies, UConn (NEMO) Year Start/End: 1998-2000 Measure of Success: Educational/training programs delivered to all seven watershed municipalities. 2. Reduce the cumulative impacts of current and future development on water quality by implementing best management practices. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Municipal land use commissions use knowledge gained through NEMO/CTDEP training to improve development proposals by reducing impervious surfaces and storm water runoff. 3. Encourage CONNDOT and municipal land use commissions to conduct comprehensive evaluations of storm water management system design and their long-term maintenance plan in the review of permit applications. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Improved designs and maintenance schedules on all applications. 4. Ensure state and federal storm water discharge permits have been applied for by compiling a list of sites that appear to require permits and comparing it with the list of existing permits. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, NYDEC, EPA, Watershed Coordinator Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: All facilities/activities subject to storm water permits in the watershed have applied for, and are in compliance with the conditions of the appropriate permit. 5. Educate watershed property owners about storm water problems and nonpoint source pollution and urge compliance with permit requirements. Conduct workshops to assist businesses with permit compliance. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: All property owners made aware of problems caused by storm water, and all facilities/activities subject to storm water permits have applied for and are in compliance with the conditions of the appropriate permit. 6. Educate homeowners, golf course operators, school groundskeepers, and municipal park maintenance staff about the impact of excessive fertilizer use and associated nutrient enrichment on water quality and the benefits of environmentally sound groundskeeping practices. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-2000 Measure of Success: Educational materials (e.g., brochures, fact sheets, and workshops,) developed and delivered through mailings, workshops, and other appropriate mechanisms. 7. Continue or initiate storm drain stenciling programs in each town in the watershed with message reading, "Don't Dump: Drains to Norwalk River." Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Watershed Coordinator(s), Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Storm drains discharging to surface waters within the watershed stenciled. Back to top... Objective 9: Continue water quality monitoring and data collection and assessment. Introductory Statement: Continued monitoring of the river's water quality is necessary to support state, municipal, and citizen actions to improve and maintain conditions. Monitoring will establish a baseline for measuring further improvements in water quality and will help identify chronic pollution problems. Supporting Tasks: 1. Continue water quality monitoring program by Harbor Watch/River Watch. Publish yearly summary and conclusions. Evaluate trends and modify procedures as needed. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, HW/RW Year Start/End: 1998-ongoing Measure of Success: High quality data collected, analyzed, and disseminated to appropriate agencies/organizations. 2. Develop a hot spot response plan to notify appropriate local and state agencies when obvious pollution is observed. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, HW/RW, Watershed Coordinator(s), NRWA Year Start/End: 1998-1999 Measure of Success: "Hot spot" response plan endorsed by state and watershed towns. 3. Summarize and publish data periodically. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, HW/RW Year Start/End: 1998-ongoing Measure of Success: Data reports published periodically. 4. Repeat Streamwalk in 2003. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, FCSWCD, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2003 Measure of Success: Streamwalk conducted and report published and disseminated. Back to top... Objective 10: Ensure proper functioning of wastewater treatment plants. Introductory Statement: Wastewater treatment plants in the watershed meet municipal and environmental needs. Properly operated and maintained systems will not further degrade the water quality watershed and will help the river achieve its designated uses. Continued monitoring of wastewater treatment plans and the sanitary sewers system will be necessary to ensure proper operation. Municipalities need to ensure that growth plans do not exceed treatment plant capabilities. Supporting Tasks: 1. Publish an annual report card showing wastewater treatment plant proficiency. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP Year Start/End: 2000-ongoing Measure of Success: Annual report card published. 2. Ensure future land use development is compatible with current and projected treatment plant capacities. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities Year Start/End: Ongoing Measure of Success: Capacity of existing sewage treatment plants is not exceeded, and the sewer system is not expanded without a comprehensive analysis to determine whether there are more environmentally sound solutions.   This concludes Section III. Continue to Section IV.