Watershed Protection Plan for Water Quality on the Cumberland State Forest in Virginia - Term Paper Example

Watershed Protection Plan for water quality on the Cumberland Forest Watershed protection plans are ways of resolving and preventing water quality problems resulting from both nonpoint source and point source issues. A watershed is the land that drains water into a single water body such as a river, wetland, lake or ocean. Watershed protection plan activities are intended to provide a framework to restore the quality of water in impaired waters and protect water quality in areas adversely affected by nonpoint source and point source pollution. Research shows that effective watershed management should include analysis and quantification of the specific roots and sources of water quality problems, active participation of stakeholders, specific actions needed to solve identified problems and identification of measurable water quality goals. Cumberland state forest was established in 1939 to demonstrate best forest management, and provide a land base for many conservation activities including watershed protection. Cumberland state forest was established at a time when the land was in a depleted condition due to extensive agricultural uses. The forest is located within Cumberland County and in the piedmont plateau located 21 miles north of Farmville. The forest management focuses on addressing main principles of well-managed forest and at the same time, focusing on the future. The state forest features five lakes open to fishing on acquisition of a license (Virginia Department of Environmentally Quality 3). Water quality has proved to be very important to all Virginians. Studies have shown that most clean water comes from forest watersheds. Watersheds are vital sources of pure drinking water, habitat for fisheries and provide recreational services. Research shows that forests provide the best protection for watersheds; hence, one of the department’s goals is to increase the amount of forestland conserved, established, and protected in Virginias watersheds. The focus of the department is on activities that have high benefits to water quality. Practices like permanent conservation of land, establishment, and maintenance of riparian buffer zones increasing urban forest canopy by planting trees and planting trees on non-forested open land are closely related to meeting water quality goals. Similarly, research shows that the best method to maintain or improve water quality is through protection strategies as opposed to restoration strategies water quality (Virginia department of Forestry 1). These strategies include the purchase of conservation easements, public land acquisition, and tax incentives to maintain areas in forests, better enforcement of existing regulations, forest health protection efforts, communication, and educational awareness activities. One of the watershed protection plan is the non-point source protection. This program help prevents water quality degradation and restores the health of our rivers, lakes and estuaries by funding and promoting state and local watershed planning efforts , wetland and stream restoration and protection and other measures to prevent and reduce nonpoint source pollution from impacting waters. Another positive impact on watershed protection was the establishment of Chesapeake Bay; Virginia waters clean up, and oversight act in the year 2006. One of the requirements in the act was to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s waters, it also addresses the protection of water resources not yet affected by pollution (VDF 2). Additionally, there was the establishment of water quality monitoring information and restoration act to direct the department of environmental quality to develop a list of impaired waters, each impairment total maximum daily load and implementation plans. The Virginia water quality improvement act was passed to establish a comprehensive statewide program to address non-point and point source water pollution. It creates Virginia water quality improvement fund. Cumberland state has sensitized people who live and work in the watershed by making them recognize the impacts of their actions on the health of the watershed; hence, see the need to protect and restore their watershed for the benefit of the entire community and future generations. The state has involved the pubic since the support of the community is essential; the community participation goes a long way to foster an appreciation of the watershed. Moreover, introduction of local leaders and community to watershed planning processes, generation of community consensus about vision for future watershed and development of strategies to address most critical watershed issues have proved significant in watershed protection plan (Department of Community Sustainability 4). In their plan, the state identified key stakeholders and involved them. Similarly, organization of watershed advisory committee to oversee all aspects of developing a watershed plan is also another aspect of the plan. An advisory committee helps focus efforts to streamline the planning process and see planning through to implementation by advising staff on the managing process or managing watershed planning process, holding meetings, informing the community about watershed planning process, providing inputs on watershed conditions and issues among other roles. Another step in the planning is the establishment of partnerships to bring together all stakeholders in the watershed. Partnerships should be formed since goals pursued may affect other people and organizations; resources such as financial, political, and human may be needed to accomplish the goals and coalitions that show interests in agreements (Virginia department of Forestry 2). Notably, it should come to an understanding that watersheds and rivers do not conform to political boundaries. Key to successful long-term watershed protection and protection is to develop a cooperative approach of bringing people together to pursue a common goal. Additionally, there should be the identification of obstacles to regional cooperation like competition for funding regional activities over local issues, meshing of individual efforts with regional efforts and funding mechanisms for watershed assessment and protection measures. This is to alleviate potential obstacles to reaching agreements and successful implementation of watershed protection measures. Other steps involved in watershed planning include developing a plan of action to initiate steps required to meet short-term goals and ensure long-term regional cooperation. Thereafter, a memorandum of understanding should be written and signed by all parties. Next is the identification of resources and utilizing them to gather information and lend technical expertise. Such resources may include extension services, soil and water conservation service or nearby university. Further, there is development of public outreach and communication plan to meet the specific needs of the surrounding communities based on issues specific to its citizens and leaders. This process will facilitate the development of public involvement, consequently, effectively addressing the vision of the participating stakeholders and local jurisdictions for long-term watershed protection (Department of Community Sustainability 4). Then there is the development of educational materials to disseminate information about watershed planning and management at various meetings and events. Moreover, Cumberland state forest has developed a website to reach a larger audience and keep stakeholders informed of project development. Following is the assessment of the watershed to understand existing conditions such as current land use and activities around the watershed that are likely to affect the quality of the of water, these can be achieved through gathering background information and data collection. At the source point, numerous plans are underway to protect the watershed; the state has invested in conservation activities like; forest reforestation around the watershed, filter strips, streamside management zone, access roads constructions, and stream crossings among other good practices. The purpose of streamside management zone is to protect the water body from adjacent land use activities by providing relatively stable vegetation zone to trap and filter out pollutants and sediments before they gain access to water sources (Virginia Department of Environmentally Quality 2). Research has it that streamside management zone helps regulate water temperatures, and, therefore, providing a conducive aquatic environment. Tree harvesting should be conducted far from waterways to prevent debris from entering into the water; cutting of trees should be avoided along the water banks. Similarly, establishment of filter strips to treat sheet flow from neighboring surfaces slow down runoff velocities and filter out sediments and other solid pollutant; hence, preventing them from being washed into water bodies. No human activities should be allowed in the filter strips. Next is the construction of stream crossings and installing them across a watercourse to provide travel ways for pedestrians and vehicles. The structures help improve the quality of water by reducing sedimentation and helps regulate the construction of permanent structures like bridges that encroach big portions of land (Department of Community Sustainability 3). Proper construction of roads that lead to forestland to minimize soil erosion resulting from forest operations. The construction of access roads should be done properly so as in the future they don’t interfere with the smooth flow and circulation of biological chemicals and organisms. Proper and calculative tree harvesting procedures to be embraced. Before any tree cutting activity, there should be an intensive analysis on subsequent impact on wildlife and environment. Proper ethics like avoiding petroleum spills, keeping slashing far away from roads, trails, and use of machines with ground pressure track to be embraced. Regulations regarding the use of forest pesticides must be adhered to minimize exposure and the negative effects of the chemicals. BMP recommends a distance of at least 50ft buffer from water bodies. Proper spraying procedures like directly spraying chemicals to the target and precautions like avoidance to spray during windy and hot temperatures should be followed strictly. In addition, Cumberland state forest has embraced biological monitoring systems to reveal cumulative effects of both non-point source and point source pollutions to rivers and streams (VDF 2). The results are useful in future assessment of the ecological health and reliability of the watershed under study. Finally, establishing reference watersheds helps in providing least impacted baseline by which to compare study data. In conclusion, the research clearly states that a properly managed forest protects water quality as well as soil productivity. Cumberland state forest protection plan demonstrates good forest management aimed at providing land for wildlife habitat and watershed protection, and thus, to avoid environmental degradation and depletion of resources, everybody should support implementation of policies of the Virginia department of forestry. Read More