The following tasks are proposed in order to update the 1998 Watershed Plan to bring it into compliance with Section 319 Incremental Funding guidelines.  The Updated Watershed Plan will be completed by the Watershed Project Team (WPT), a team of consultants from Watershed Resource Consultants, Inc. and Fluidclarity.  The WPT will perform all technical calculations, analysis and mapping for the project.  Stakeholder meetings and presentations will be scheduled and organized by the Nippersink Creek Watershed Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Nippersink Creek Watershed Collaboration Group and the McHenry County Defenders.  The project is estimated to take 10-12 months to complete once the WPT is authorized to proceed.

Task 1:   Update existing watershed plan to reflect current conditions

The Nippersink Creek watershed plan was developed about 6 years ago and conditions / land uses in the watershed have changed.  Prior to performing any of the tasks required to meet the nine elements for EPA 319 eligibility, the WPT will update the existing plan using currently available data to document:  (1) changes in the physical conditions in the watershed (2) new data including data gaps, (3) status of implementation including existing programs, (4) new stakeholders, and (5) changes in watershed planning priorities.  The following sub-tasks will be completed in this part:

• Identify, collect, and review new natural resource GIS data layers (examples: INHS & MCCD fish/mussel data, monitoring site data, ADID wetlands, etc.)
• Update existing GIS data layers which are out of date (examples: stream centerlines, roads, channelization, open spaces, etc.)
• Create new data layers useful in strategic planning/problem identification (examples: proposed development boundaries, stormwater detention basins, known watershed/stream problem sites)
• Collect and review county, municipal and township comprehensive plans
• Assess and summarize changes in most recent landcover (1999 IDNR) and population (2000 Census) data according to subwatersheds.

 Task 2:   Identification of causes and sources of pollutants, and impairments:

The existing watershed plan and supporting documents identify the causes and sources of impairments in general terms such as urban runoff and human activities such as channelization, riparian encroachment, and loss of wetlands.  The WPT will update the plan to identify and quantify, to the extent practical, specific pollutants such as nutrients, total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, metals, fecal coliform and the sources of these pollutants including point and non-point sources.  The product of this task will be GIS maps identifying locations and types of pollutants in each subwatershed.  This task allows the revised watershed plan to address the first element (Element a) of the IEPA Criteria for Section 319 Incremental Funding. The following sub-tasks will be completed in this part:

Review existing stream quality data collected for the watershed, including IEPA (AWQMN) data, data collected by the Sierra Club Water Sentinels Program (volunteer group), and biological monitoring data collected by the IDNR and Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network (volunteer group).

Using information from local stakeholders knowledgeable about the watershed, conduct planning-level field reconnaissance to identify additional impairments and/or sources of known pollution problems.      

Task 3:   Estimates of Pollutant Loadings.

The existing watershed plan does not fully quantify the pollutant loads to Nippersink Creek and its tributaries, or identify those subwatershed areas contributing excessive amounts. Using the list of pollutants identified in Task 2, the WPT will select an EPA / NIPC approved methodology to estimate the pollutant loadings from each subwatershed.  There are a number of modeling approaches for estimating pollutant loadings that range in complexity and cost.  Such models include spreadsheet type models such as the ‘NIPC model’, the P-load approach and  the GIS-driven Generalized Watershed Loading Function model (GWLF) to more sophisticated models such as EPA sponsored HSPF or SWMM models.  Model selection is driven by the purpose of the results, the availability of data, and the cost of developing the models.  

For this watershed, the WPT will use a GWLF model.  This methodology is based on an event mean concentration concept that estimates the nonpoint pollutant loads on an annual basis for each unit of land.  As part of this task, subwatersheds in which more sophisticated modeling might be more beneficial will be identified for future efforts following completion of the revised watershed plan.  The following sub-tasks will be completed in this part:

• The WPT will develop an existing condition or baseline model to estimate the current pollutant loading in the major subwatersheds within Nippersink Creek.

• Identify future scenarios using the best available projections of future growth in each subwatershed.  Typical scenarios may be the 10- or 20-year projected development or the full build-out condition under various development modes such as conservation or conventional development.

The products of this task will be maps showing existing and future growth projections and corresponding loadings for each critical pollutant (Element b).   The results of these analyses in conjunction with other criteria such as biological criteria will be used for the prioritization of the subwatersheds in Task 4. 

Task 4:   Identification of the nonpoint source management measures

The existing watershed plan contains management measures for protecting the watershed but these are not directly linked to specific pollutant sources, nor are the location of these sources mapped.  Further, the management measures are not prioritized based on an analysis of pollutant loads.   The current plan also does not contain a schedule for implementing such actions.

This task will update the watershed plan to incorporate the load analysis results obtained under Task 2.   Specifically, the results will be used to prioritize the subwatersheds and identify ‘hot spots’ under both existing and future conditions so that appropriate measures can be devised to target these hotspots. 

The difference between the future conditions and the baseline condition will provide a good indicator of potential threats to the watershed.   Using IEPA guidelines or standards and other metrics, the WPT will calculate load reductions for each constituent needed to enable the water body to achieve the intended designated uses.  For example, the IEPA guideline of TSS loads of 113 mg/L can serve as a reasonable endpoint or target for reducing sediment loads to the stream.   The subwatersheds can be prioritized base on the severity of either existing loading or anticipated future loads.  The WPT will use other criteria such as biological indicators in conjunction with the loading analysis to develop appropriate management actions, the schedule for implementing them, and the anticipated target reductions.  The products of this task include maps showing location of hot spots, and a list of proposed management actions, and suggested implementation schedule.  The schedule will indicate the urgency of each action, depending on the severity and importance of the impairment.   Completion of this task will address element c of IEPA Criteria for Section 319 Incremental Funding as well as aspects of element f. The following subtasks will be completed in this part:

• The WPT will conduct a vulnerability analysis for each subwatershed area in order to prioritize where specific management measures are needed most.  This task will utilize existing and created GIS data, comprehensive land use plans, and input from Nippersink Watershed Collaboration Group members and others familiar with development trends in the watershed.

4.1  Estimates of technical and financial resources.

The existing watershed plan does not have cost estimates for implementing the plan.  The WPT will estimate costs for implementing the updated plan, per Task 1.  Input from Nippersink Watershed Collaboration Group members and other watershed stakeholders will be gathered to prioritize projects, identify local sources of funding and designate leaders for implementation.  This Task will address element d.

4.2  Prepare a Public Education/Outreach program

The WPT will coordinate with local agencies and environmental groups to document, assess and organize a watershed wide public involvement and education process.  Completion of this task will address EPA element e.  The following subtasks will be completed in this part:

• Collect information on existing public education and outreach efforts and evaluate degree of impact in the Nippersink Creek Watershed specifically.  Education outreach efforts are currently being undertaken by:
  • Fox River Ecosystem Partnership: (Noon Network program)
  • McHenry County Soil & Water Conservation District: (Habitat Restoration Program for the Fox and Kishwaukee River Watersheds)
  • Friends of the Fox River/McHenry County Conservation District: (Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network – training of teachers and outreach to school children)
  • McHenry County Defenders: (Municipal technical assistance with conservation development design, Ecotourism promotion)
  • Land Conservancy of McHenry County: (Most Vulnerable Natural Areas Program- outreach to landowners)

An ongoing course of public outreach and education as the update of the plan is underway will serve to involve the interested and affected publics.  The plan update will involve the members of the Nippersink Creek Watershed Collaboration Group, a 3-year old working group of local and regional agencies and organizations working together to most effectively use their collective resources to the benefit of the watershed.  Leading the effort to update the plan will be the Nippersink Creek Watershed Planning Committee, the original authors of the current plan.  This committee has strong representation from the watershed’s agricultural community.  Spearheading the educational efforts will be the 34-year-old McHenry County Defenders, a local environmental group.  The Defenders’ Friends of Nippersink Creek project has been underway for over 7 years.  Outreach to developing municipalities and streamside landowners, key affected publics, fostering a conservation ethic for the watershed is the paramount goal of the Collaboration Group.    

• Prepare a public information/education plan that dovetails with existing programs and identified management measures in the updated plan designed to educate the public on the nonpoint source management measures (remedial and preventive) necessary to maintain the high quality of the Nippersink Creek watershed.

4.3  Plan Implementation Tasks

Plan implementation tasks include assigning responsibilities, costs, schedule and promoting public awareness.  The current watershed implementation plan contains these components of plan implementation in a limited way for portions of the watershed.  The implementation plan will prioritize tasks in order to protect high quality areas facing development pressures. 
The WPT will update the current plan to develop an action plan that includes (1) assignment of responsibilities to stakeholders (2) schedule for implementation, and (2) costs associated with each action.  Completion of this task will address EPA elements f.  The following subtask will be completed in this part:

• Prepare a spreadsheet summarizing management measures, estimated costs, priority ranking, and designated agency/group responsible for successful implementation. Management measures will be organized into “tiers”.

4.4  Plan Monitoring and Milestones

The existing watershed plan does not contain a monitoring component and specific criteria for assessing plan success (milestones).  The WPT will develop a set of criteria for measuring plan success.  The criteria will include metrics for plan monitoring that encompass the objectives of the plan including public education, the extent to which water quality standards are met, and whether implementation is on schedule.

Specifically, WPT will develop measurable milestones for monitoring the progress of implementation such as stakeholder participation, number of publications for public outreach, number and schedule of meetings, seminars, acres of open lands, lengths of stream reaches restored, acres of green corridors, acres of restored wetlands, utlization of recycling programs, expenditure per project, and project completion dates.  This subtask will address element g.

The extent to which the proposed load reduction for each pollutant is achieved can be measured by implementing a stream monitoring program to measure suitable chemical or physical parameters such as concentration of selected nutrients such as phosphorus, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) or dissolved oxygen (DO) or stream water temperature.  Reduction of these parameters over a period of time will provide an objective assessment of compliance.  The results of the pollutant load analysis are useful for developing such a monitoring program since they provide the critical locations for the target pollutants.

Since compliance with chemical or physical criteria alone does not always reflect the aquatic health of a water body, WPT will supplement the updated watershed plan by developing environmental indicators that include biological, physical, and hydrological factors in addition to chemical factors.   Such indicators are typically derived from a sampling program that focuses aquatic or biological health of the stream over a period of time.   The sampling / monitoring program will include metrics that integrate biological indices such as the Floristic Quality Index (FQI), the index of biotic integrity (IBI) or the macroinvertabrates biotic integrity (MBI).   Interim milestones could include: periodic summary of acres of wetlands filled/lost according to USACE permits; number of acres of floodplain/wetlands placed in Conservation Reserve Program or Conservation Easements (from MCSWCD/Land Conservancy of McHenry County); number of EPA-issued water quality violations; number of structural water quality devices installed in developed areas.  These metrics will be the best indicators of the effectiveness of the action plan over time.  Completion of this task will address elements h and i.

Task 5  Stakeholder Input

Following completion of Tasks 1, 2 and 3, the Nippersink Creek Watershed Collaboration Group will organize up to 6 stakeholder meetings with county/township/municipal governments, state/local agencies, local land preservation / environmental groups, and interested stakeholder organizations (such as McHenry County Farm Bureau) for the WPT to present preliminary findings (watershed assessment) and seek input on watershed issues, critical areas/sites for management measures and viability of implementing certain management measures and education programs.

The WPT will also attend 8 additional meetings with the partnering organizations (Nippersink Creek Watershed Collaboration Group, Nippersink Creek Watershed Plan Update Team, etc.) for the purposes of providing plan progress updates and opportunity for periodic stakeholder input.

Task 6  Revised Watershed Plan

The WPT will complete the project by preparing a hardcopy and electronic copy of the Revised Watershed Plan that will summarize the watershed conditions and detail the specific items identified in the EPA’s nine criteria for watershed protection funding.  The GIS data that is suitable for release to the public will be placed on a CD/DVD and distributed to local agencies / municipalities.  The data will also be made available to the general public and other organizations interested in helping to implement watershed protection activities in the Nippersink Creek Watershed.