North Carolina



319 Nonpoint Source Grant Program Annual Report(Information Item) (Rishi Bastakoti – DWR)The Clean Water Act Section 319(h) funds state nonpoint source management activities, specifically pass-through grants to government and non-profit entities to conduct watershed restoration initiatives as well as agency NPS management staff and programmatic activities. The following information provides an orientation to the 319 grant and highlights accomplishments during 2018.Overview of the Section 319 ProgramSection 319 was added to the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1987 to establish a national program to address nonpoint sources of water pollution.§319(h) specifically authorizes EPA to award grants to states with approved Nonpoint Source Management Programs.Under 2014 EPA Guidance, §319 h funds can be spent by states in two categories - Watershed Project Funds and NPS Program Funds. The Watershed Project half of the 319(h) allocation is to be passed through by states to government and non-profit entities specifically to implement on-the-ground watershed restoration practices guided by an agency-approved 9-element watershed restoration plan.The remaining, Program half of the §319(h) allocation may be used by the state to support the wide range of activities identified in a State Nonpoint Source Management Program including staffing, TMDL and watershed plan development, monitoring, modeling, demonstration project implementation, education, stakeholder engagement, and NPS management research.Matching Funds: States are required to bring two-thirds of the EPA award amount in non-federal matching funds to the approved work plan costs in any fiscal year. North Carolina 319 Grant Highlights for FY 2018 In 2018, the North Carolina NPS Program received $3,722,333 in federal section 319(h) grant funds.$1,451,810 in Implementation Funds was awarded to 10 diverse watershed restoration projects in locations ranging from Mud Creek in the French Broad River Basin to the White Oak River Basin on the coast. Project Selection Procedure: Call for proposals is released in January. It is posted in the Division’s website and shared through a 319 listserv. It is also advertised through other relevant listserv such as UNC WRRI, News UNC Stormwater, and Restoration Watershed. Based on the call in website and listserv, some local media also share the announcement. 319 staff also periodically do outreach activities through advertised presentations to potential applicants. After receiving the applications, NPS Workgroup representing members from Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, Division of Forest Resources, Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources, Division of Water Resources (NPS Planning, Basin Planning, Modeling, Groundwater), Clean Water Management Trust Fund, US Environmental Protection Agency select the project following a rigorous process.The 319(h) grant supports state NPS staff and initiatives across five different divisions within the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Department of Agriculture, and Department of Health and Human Services. The total number of positions supported in FY 18 is: 26.5 positions.New five-year strategic plan approved: In 2018, EPA Region IV approved NC’s latest revision of our 5-year NPS Management Program. During the new 5-year cycle, DWR plans to continue progress in targeting impaired waters for restoration and adding waters to those successfully recovered from NPS impairment statewide. In addition, the Program plans to develop a protection blueprint for healthy waters as well as a set of priorities to respond to climate change as it affects nonpoint source management activities, including those funded by the 319 grants.Link for the full document: 18 success story: In Federal FY2018, NC’s NPS Program produced a success story capturing water quality restoration from impacts of agriculture and stormwater on Lower Mud Creek. The success story was accepted by EPA HQ on December 27, 2018 and now is available at operations and stormwater runoff degraded fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in a 2.23-mile segment of Lower Mud Creek in western North Carolina, prompting 303(d) listing starting in 1997. Extensive local, state and 319-funded efforts to restore the headwaters of Mud Creek and its tributary Clear Creek included streambank stabilization, wetland restoration, and installation of several agricultural BMPs. In addition, the 319-grant program funded urban stormwater control measures to alleviate Mud Creek’s impairment as it flowed through the City of Hendersonville. The cumulative effect of 319 and partners’ restoration efforts contributed to the removal of Lower Mud Creek from the 303(d) list in 2014.Watershed Based Plan Preparation: During FY 18, five watershed based plans were prepared for streams in different basins. These plans provide assessment and management information and describe actions needed to restore NPS-impaired waterbodies or to protect waterbody threatened by NPS. They are:Fine Creek (French Broad Basin)Pine Knoll Shores (White Oak Basin)Cross Creek (Cape Fear Basin)East Fork of South Fork of New River (New Basin)Middle Fork of South Fork of New River (New Basin).Issues/ ChallengesBalance between Project funds vs Program funds. NC’s NPS program fund allocation for Program/ staff support is more than 50%, which requires NC to apply for an exemption. The NPS management team has been exploring opportunities to reduce the 319 Grant funds spent on staff positions, which would increase funds available for competitive grant projects.Restoration Projects Funded in FY 2018ContractorProjectRiver BasinCounty319 (h) Grant FundNon-Federal MatchGrand TotalDurham County Soil & Water Conservation DistrictDurham County Community Conservation Assistance ProgramCape Fear & NeuseDurham100,000133,339233,339North Carolina Coastal FederationReducing Stormwater Runoff Volume on the UNC Wilmington CampusWhite OakNew Hanover117,13178,257195,388North Carolina Coastal FederationStormwater Volume Reduction in Ward Shore Park, SwansboroWhite OakOnslow67,32350,979118,302Ellerbe Creek Watershed AssociationEllerbe Creek Green Infrastructure Implementation Phase IINeuseDurham146,518232,095378,613Triangle J Council of GovernmentsRepairing Failing Septic Systems to Protect the Rocky River WatershedCape FearChatham250,887.1189,785.31340,660.82City of HendersonvilleCity of Hendersonville Patton Park Stormwater RetrofitsFrench BroadHenderson100,00077,000177,000Conserving CarolinaMud Creek Confluence Floodplain Restoration French BroadHenderson245,000890,0001,135,000NC Division of Soil and Water ConservationCarteret and Onslow Soil and Water Conservation District Stormwater Retrofit ProjectsWhite OakOnslow, Carteret150,000152,350302,350NC State UniversityLower Creek Water Quality ImprovementCatawbaCaldwell240,216176,457416,673NC State UniversityEstablishing Nutrient and Pathogen Thresholds for SCM Assessment and Revising the Rainwater Harvesting ModelStatewideStatewide34,73523,57358,308 ................
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