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Action Plan 3:
Managing Stormwater Runoff and Promoting LID

October 17, 2011 draft final

About the new Buzzards Bay CCMP Action Plans
The Buzzards Bay NEP is now updating our 1991 landmark Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to reflect the great progress achieved since that plan was finalized. It will include new or updated goals, objectives, and management solutions to meet the environmental needs for Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed throughout the next decade.

On this page is a draft action plan from the updated Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The text on this page is a public draft provided to invite comment and discussion of the subject by residents and stakeholders. It may contain goals and recommendations that have not yet been endorsed or approved by the Buzzards Bay Steering Committee. The views or information contained here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the US Environmental Protection Agency.

We want your feedback on this action plan. First, read the complete Stormwater management and LID action plan (a 508 kb pdf file).

At the bottom of this page is a link for you to provide comments on each goal, objective and defined management approach contained in this Action Plan. Based on your feedback, we will update and revise all the action plans in the new CCMP.

Managing Stormwater Runoff and Promoting LID

Problem

Thousands of stormwater pipes and overland flow discharge contaminated runoff into Buzzards Bay and its tributaries. Connected to these pipes are tens of thousands of catch basins and hundreds of miles of pipes that convey numerous allowed and illicit pollution discharges. New development adds stormwater to this discharge network and must be better managed. This collective discharge of stormwater poses many threats to the environment, not the least of which is the closure of shellfish beds and swimming beaches in Buzzards Bay. Newly implemented federal program requirements to comply with daily load limits for bacteria, or requirements for municipal stormwater programs will cost more than a $1 billion in the coming decades. These efforts, while costly and politically challenging, will dramatically reduce shellfish bed closures in Buzzards Bay and restore habitat in many areas to conditions not seen for decades.

The ongoing development and redevelopment of land in the Buzzards Bay watershed must be reprogrammed to minimize new impacts and mitigate existing problems caused by stormwater discharges. This new approach, called low impact development (LID), can restore hydrological balances in watersheds and reduce water quality impairments.

Goals

Goal 3.1. Prevent new or increased untreated stormwater flows to Buzzards Bay and contributing watershed areas that would adversely affect shellfishing areas, swimming beaches, water quality, and wetlands.

Goal 3.2. Correct existing stormwater runoff flows to Buzzards Bay and contributing watershed areas that are adversely affecting shellfishing areas, swimming beaches, water quality, and wetlands, or exceeding watershed total pollutant load limits.

Goal 3.3. Maintain and restore natural hydrologic conditions to provide base flow conditions to streams, wetlands and estuaries.

Goal 3.4. To encourage low impact development (LID) techniques in new development and redevelopment to minimize impacts from stormwater.

Objectives

Objective 3.1. To adopt and implement local and state stormwater LID laws and regulations.

Objective 3.2. To implement effective stormwater pollution remediation projects that include proper design, construction, operation and maintenance.

Objective 3.3. To establish and implement clear criteria to manage stormwater for flood control, channel protection, groundwater recharge, and protection of water quality and wetland habitat, and compliance with TMDLs.

Objective 3.4. To provide guidance and incentives for LID that reduce stormwater runoff, provides for re-use of stormwater and reduces the need for structural practices.

Objective 3.5. To improve compliance with federal, state and local stormwater regulations and meet watershed total pollutant load limits.

Solutions

LID approaches are best implemented through local bylaws and ordinances that regulate subdivisions, commercial development, and through new municipal stormwater permit programs, and will require additional training of regulatory and technical assistance staff.

The elimination of water quality impairments caused by existing stormwater discharges is a major undertaking that will require actions and expenditures by all levels of government. EPA must enforce compliance with the Buzzards Bay pathogen TMDL through MS4 stormwater permits. DEP must upgrade state stormwater policy to include treatment standards for nitrogen and bacteria, and EEA must promote policies and regulations that foster low impact development techniques. The largest burden rests with municipalities, which will need to develop and implement meaningful stormwater management programs for themselves and the private sector supported by sound local laws, regulations, and policies.

Costs and Financing

LID approaches have modest costs for government to implement, and some approaches can even reduce development and long term maintenance costs borne by residents. The most daunting costs will be to treat exist-ing discharges causing degradation and to implement municipal stormwater programs that support these goals. This effort will likely cost more than $1 billion over several decades. The costs will likely be met through federal and state SRF loan programs, or through local financing like stormwater utilities.

Measuring Success

LID and stormwater goals will be tracked principally by programmatic actions such as the adoption of necessary laws and regulations. More importantly, documenting compliance with EPA stormwater permits and stormwater TMDLs. including constructing stormwater treatment systems, or eliminating stormwater discharges, and implementing good housekeeping programs will be key measures The ultimate measure will be improvements to water quality, especially shellfish bed closure frequency.

To fully understand the basis of these goals and objectives, and possible management approaches, please read the complete Managing Stormwater Runoff and Promoting LID Action Plan (October 17, 2011 draft final, pdf file).

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