A. Objectives: This project will build upon an existing community partnership, C Spout Run, formed to restore riparian and aquatic habitat and water quality in the Spout Run watershed. A community based, holistic approach to watershed restoration will be adopted in order to remove Spout Run from Virginia’s impaired waters list in the next five years. Project objectives include:
Targeted stream restoration: Two targeted streambank restoration projects (1,400 linear feet of streambank) will be completed to restore riparian and aquatic habitat and support brook trout reintroduction in Spout Run. Restoration projects will utilize natural stream channel design techniques to stabilize streambanks and prevent channel erosion and sedimentation. Vegetated riparian buffers will be established to improve riparian habitat and provide shade for the stream, further stabilize streambanks, and filter polluted runoff from upland land uses.
Agricultural stewardship: The Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District will complete 5,000 linear feet of livestock exclusion fencing and 4 acres of riparian buffers on Page Brook, a tributary of Spout Run. It is expected that following completion of this project and several others planned for 2013, Page Brook will be completely excluded from livestock. Residential stewardship: A “Beautiful Buffers” program will be developed to encourage residential landowners to plant streamside buffers in areas falling within Clarke County’s Stream Protection Overlay District. Participants will receive assistance with selection of riparian plants and buffer planting designs in order to create attractive buffers that will serve as valuable habitat for wildlife while also improving water quality. A total of 3,000 linear feet of riparian buffers will be installed through the program, with a minimum width of 35 feet. The highlight of this program will be a contiguous 1,000 foot riparian buffer in the Roseville Run subdivision. In addition, a targeted neighborhood stewardship program will be implemented in this highly visible subdivision located directly on Roseville Run, a tributary of Spout Run. Homeowners will be encouraged to reduce their stormwater footprint by installing rain barrels and using sustainable landscaping techniques including rain gardens, improving habitat with native plants, and composting. Participants in the program will receive a rain barrel, a pet waste digester, a soil test kit, and native tree and shrub seedlings so that they may apply what they learn through the stewardship program in their own backyard. In addition, Clarke County will build upon an ongoing countywide reforestation project with a 3-acre Turf to Trees planting strategically sited to maximize nutrient reduction capacity.
Multimedia Outreach Campaign: The potential impact of this project throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed rests in the effectiveness of our dissemination activities to create awareness, recognition, and effective uses of grant outcomes well beyond our project boundaries. In order to tell the story of the restoration of Spout Run, The Downstream Project will capture everything from formative community meetings to streambank restoration and neighborhood stewardship projects on video. Short progress videos will be added to a Weblog on the C-Spout Run website to create a video journal of the project. At the end of the project the video journal will be combined into a single piece on DVD that can be shared with communities throughout the Shenandoah Valley and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Anticipated pollution reductions as a result of project activities were calculated using Chesapeake Bay Model loading rates from the 2010 No Action Model Run for Clarke County. BMP efficiencies were selected from Scenario Builder. Interim nutrient and sediment reduction efficiencies were used to calculate reductions for streambank stabilization activities (See Pollution Reduction cals.pdf). While riparian buffers and tree plantings were credited with percent reductions, land use conversion credits could not be estimated; therefore, pollutant reductions do not include reductions resulting from 5,000 linear feet of livestock exclusion which are expected to be significant. Estimated N reduction = 342.8 lbs/yr; Estimated P reduction = 57.07 lbs/yr; Estimated S reduction = 19.93 T/yr
B. Project Priority: Spout Run was placed on Virginia’s 303(d) list of impaired waters for failure to meet the E.coli water quality standard and the general standard due to excessive inputs of sediment. TMDLs were developed for these impairments in 2010, and a TMDL Implementation Plan is currently under development. Despite these impairments, Spout Run remains one of several valuable spring creeks in the Shenandoah Valley. In addition, the stream has the rare characteristics of a marl creek due to the geology and hydrology present in the watershed. The unique nature of this stream makes the restoration of Spout Run’s aquatic community extremely important from an ecological perspective, while also increasing the value of this exceptional natural resource to the local community.
The potential for brook trout reintroduction in Spout Run has made it a priority watershed for a number of conservation organizations in the region including Trout Unlimited. Through a series of one-on-one landowner interviews and a public meeting conducted by project partners this spring, it has become clear that watershed restoration is a high priority for community residents as well. Considerable BMP implementation has occurred in the watershed in recent years, with livestock nearly entirely excluded from one of the three subwatersheds that make up Spout Run (Page Brook). The impact of these efforts can be observed in improving water quality data over the past 3- 4 years. However, more work remains. By continuing to build upon the existing momentum established through a partnership of conservation organizations and landowners in the region (C-Spout Run), it is expected that Spout Run will be removed from the impaired waters list within the next 5 years.
Based on the findings of the TMDL study, approximately 60% of the sediment in Spout Run is coming from streambank erosion. This estimate has been supported by feedback gathered from watershed residents through one on one interviews and community meetings. In order to address the sediment impairment, considerable streambank stabilization will be required on both agricultural and urban/residential land. It is anticipated that streambank practices will be coupled with livestock exclusion and riparian buffers on agricultural properties in order to reduce bacteria in Spout Run. In addition, management of residential stormwater runoff will need to be improved in the watershed’s two urbanized areas (the Towns of Millwood and Boyce). The exceptional partnership upon which this project is based will allow for a comprehensive restoration approach designed to: 1) effectively engage all watershed residents 2) manage restoration activities to both reduce pollutant loading and restore aquatic/riparian habitat 3) carefully document activities and maximize transferability of lessons learned during implementation and 4) address a local TMDL while also working towards Chesapeake Bay Phase II WIP goals.
C. Overall Context: This project will support the implementation of the Spout Run TMDLs (bacteria and benthic) and will be directly incorporated into the TMDL implementation plan currently under development by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. A series of stakeholder interviews were conducted in the watershed this spring in an effort to ensure that the implementation plan addresses local concerns and priorities. The projects included in this proposal directly reflect the feedback received from these interviews. In addition, the proposed practices will work towards meeting Phase II WIP goals, which include: streambank stabilization, livestock exclusion, riparian buffers and urban tree planting programs, rainwater harvesting, and the development of residential BMP and buffer restoration projects by local organizations. This project will also build upon several initiatives implemented by Clarke County including: their Stream Protection Overlay District, the “Planting Trees for Water Quality in Clarke County” project with the Center for Watershed Protection (funded through a NFWF Small Watershed Grant) currently underway, and the county’s Surface Water Resources Plan wherein Spout Run is identified as a priority stream for restoration. In addition, this effort is a continuation of an existing partnership working to restore Spout Run, partners include: The Downstream Project, Piedmont Environmental Council, Lord Fairfax SWCD, Friends of the Shenandoah River, Clarke County, and Trout Unlimited. To date, this partnership has focused its efforts on community outreach (website development and community meetings). With the TMDL implementation plan development process underway, the C-Spout Run partnership is well suited to build upon the relationships that have already been established within the local community and help guide the watershed restoration process.
D. WorkPlan: Streambank stabilization: Trout Unlimited’s Shenandoah Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative (HRI) will be the lead partner to complete two streambank restoration and instream habitat improvement projects. Trout Unlimited has conducted a preliminary survey of the watershed to identify appropriate sites for restoration projects, and has collected feedback from local stakeholders regarding high priority sites for restoration. Several suitable sites with significant streambank erosion have been identified. The identified sites vary in land use. One is on a cattle farm where partners have been working with the landowner to develop a farm conservation plan that includes livestock exclusion from the stream. The streambanks are denude of vegetation and overly wide in sections of high cattle use. The restoration will narrow and deepen approximately 300 feet of channel. The other project is in residential land use. It too suffers from over widening and vertical unstable streambanks due to past manipulation of the stream channel and lack of permanent vegetation. TU will stabilize and restore habitat to approximately 400 feet of channel on this site. Riparian buffers will be planted at both project sites to further stabilize streambanks, provide shade for the stream, and filter polluted runoff from upland areas. Riparian buffer site preparation will include removal of existing fescue and invasive species for plantings of native grasses and wildflower seeding, and soil preparation for tree and planting and seeding. These services will be contracted, while plantings will be completed by landowners, project partners, and volunteers recruited by Trout Unlimited. In addition, Trout Unlimited will work with the Powhatan School (located on Spout Run) to coordinate a Trout in the Classroom Program, ending with the release of trout at the two restoration sites.
Both restoration projects will use natural channel design techniques to restore the streams pattern, profile and dimension. Rock and log structures will be used to protect the streambanks and improve instream habitat for trout. Vertical incised streambanks will be graded to an appropriate slope and planted with native vegetation. Spout Run and its tributaries are low gradient spring fed systems that naturally are narrow deep sinuous channels connected to their floodplains. These activities will reconnect the channel to the floodplain and restore natural fluvial processes that help move excess sediment through the stream channel and deposit it in the floodplain and on the streambanks rather than on the streambed.
Trout Unlimited will perform the initial site assessment and survey, complete the streambank restoration design, and manage the construction of the projects. This will include securing the necessary permits, hiring a contractor to perform the restoration activities and oversee the construction on site. Additionally, TU will monitor the restoration for 3 years following the construction activities by performing pebble counts, photomonitoring, and periodically resurveying benchmarked cross sections to document the geomorphic response of the stream channel to the restoration. The streambank stabilization activities are designed to be self maintaining once streamside vegetation is established. Periodic monitoring and site visits following storm events will be conducted to determine if additional maintenance is necessary. Site Assessment, Design and Permitting: Oct. 2012-May 2013; Construction: June 2013- Nov. 2013; Buffer Planting: Oct. 2013-April 2014; Monitoring: Oct. 2012-Oct. 2016
Livestock exclusion and riparian buffers: The Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District will complete an extensive livestock exclusion project on Page Brook, a tributary of Spout Run. An estimated 5,000 linear feet of fencing with a 35 foot buffer (4 acres) will be completed through the project. In addition, cross fencing, pipeline and seven watering troughs will be installed (see Project Site Design). With the completion of this project and two additional projects planned between 2013 and 2014, it is expected that Page Brook will be entirely excluded from livestock. In partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Whitescarver Natural Resources LLC has been also working with landowners in the Spout Run watershed to encourage livestock exclusion. Based on ongoing discussions with the property owner at one of the planned streambank restoration sites, it appears likely that the streambank restoration project will be implemented in concert with a large scale livestock exclusion project. This property has been identified as a high priority restoration site by numerous landowners in the watershed. It is expected that the proposed livestock exclusion, streamside buffers and streambank stabilization work would result in significant water quality improvements in Spout Run. Page Brook Project design: Complete; Page Brook Construction: Spring/Summer 2013
Beautiful Buffers Program: Clarke County will implement a targeted riparian buffers program, which will be designed to encourage residential property owners to vegetate 100 foot setbacks required within the Stream Protection Overlay District. While the county requires setbacks within this district, there is no requirement for riparian buffer plantings, which will result in significantly greater nutrient, sediment and bacteria removal rates when compared to turf grass. The program will be piloted at 2-3 locations in the urbanized portions of the Spout Run watershed, the Towns of Boyce and Millwood, with a goal of planting 3,000 linear feet of buffers. The Roseville Run subdivision in Boyce will be the site of a 1,000 foot buffer, which will include 10-15 residential properties located directly along the stream. Several additional sites for urban/residential buffer projects have been identified including a site at the historic Burwell Morgan Mill in the Town of Millwood. Buffer widths will vary from 35-100 feet depending on property constraints.
The Shenandoah Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists will assist landowners with the selection of attractive native riparian plants and grasses, and riparian buffer design. Site preparation will include removal of existing fescue and invasive species for plantings of native grasses and wildflower seeding, and soil preparation for tree and shrub planting and seeding. These services will be contracted, while plantings will be completed by landowners, volunteers and project partners. Participating property owners will be asked to sign a landowner agreement, committing to maintain the plantings including watering, removal of invasive species, and replacement of mortality when necessary. These pilot projects will be used to show homeowners that riparian buffers can be designed and established as attractive landscape features, and to encourage similar initiatives throughout Clarke County’s Stream Protection Overlay District. In addition, the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) will assist with promotion of the program to neighboring localities working with NSVRC on implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Phase II WIP. Buffer design: Feb. 2014 – April 2014; Buffer plantings: April – May 2014
Neighborhood Stewardship Program: The Roseville Run subdivision will also serve as the site for a Neighborhood Stewardship Campaign, which will be led by Clarke County and Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC). This neighborhood is located directly on Roseville Run, making landscaping for water quality extremely relevant to property owners. The county and PEC will work with the Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin to hold a rain barrel workshop for the neighborhood. Homeowners participating in the rain barrel workshop will receive instructions on rain barrel operation and maintenance. As part of this stewardship campaign, PEC will hold a Sustainable Landscaping workshop for neighborhood residents. Participants will learn about soil improvement, lawn care, reducing water consumption, improving habitat with native plants, and the connection between the suburban landscape and water quality. Participants in the workshop will receive a pet waste digester, a soil test kit, and native tree and shrub seedlings so that they may apply what they learn in their own backyard. Stewardship campaign: March 2013 – Nov. 2013; Sustainable landscaping workshop: March 2013
Turf to Trees Project: Clarke County will complete a turf to trees project based on the findings of a Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) study currently underway in the county. CWP is developing a series of GIS data layers for the county that will allow for highly effective targeting of tree planting projects to maximize nutrient reduction capacity. This project is funded through a NFWF Grant: “Planting Trees for Water Quality in Clarke County.” Preliminary results from the countywide assessment were provided to the county in spring 2012. Following completion of this analysis, potential sites within the Spout Run watershed will be identified with a goal of 3 acres of tree plantings. The county will work with project partners to identify landowners willing to participate in the program. Site preparation will include removal of invasive species and soil preparation for tree planting. These services will be contracted, while plantings will be completed by landowners, volunteers and project partners. Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) will assist Clarke County with development of a publicity and outreach plan in order to create a volunteer pool for the tree-plantings including posting announcements on their website. PEC staff will facilitate tree-planting events, and provide refreshments and educational materials at planting events. Participating property owners will be asked to sign a landowner agreement, committing to maintain the plantings including watering, removal of invasive species, and replacement of mortality when necessary. Tree plantings: Oct. – Nov. 2013
Multimedia Outreach and Marketing Campaign: The Downstream Project will develop a multimedia outreach campaign to promote the C-Spout Run partnership and the projects completed through this initiative. Downstream is already utilizing the latest web-based technologies including a WordPress blog, to capture and share general information about the TMDL process, objectives, planning efforts, and current activities in the Spout Run watershed and will continue to share and promote the results of all phases of the project on the primary site and on partner sites.
The Downstream Project will work with partners to capture the restoration process from start to finish including planning and construction, and ending with the reintroduction of trout at the restoration sites. Short progress videos and still photographs will be added to the Weblog, at least twice monthly, as a video journal of the project. Email and RSS feeds will be used to notify subscribers and partner lists of postings and progress. At the end of the project the video journal will be combined into a single piece on DVD and a run of 100 copies with color sleeve and disk imprint will be produced that can be shared with communities throughout the Shenandoah Valley and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In addition, The Downstream Project will continue to develop a unique interactive map of the watershed utilizing geo-referenced photos currently being posted on the Spout Run website to document over time, the effectiveness of stream restoration efforts. Outreach and Marketing Campaign: January 2013 – November 2014
Monitoring and Measuring Performance: Regular water quality monitoring will be conducted to evaluate the impacts of this project. Friends of the Shenandoah River will conduct monthly monitoring at 3 sites in the Spout Run watershed for 2 years. Data will be analyzed in order to evaluate the response of the basin to the restoration projects and progress in meeting both the E.coli TMDL for Spout Run and Chesapeake Bay TMDL goals. Data analyses will include E. coli enumeration and water chemistry (pH,Temp,Turb, ortho P, total P, NH4, NO2+NO3, and total N). The results of this monitoring will be posted on the FOSR web site (The Water Window), which allows users to navigate between stations on a watershed map, download data and generate graphs. FOSR has a full time laboratory, which has undergone an extensive certification process in order to receive a Level III designation from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. This allows the Commonwealth to use FOSR data for listing and delisting of impaired waters.
FOSR chemical monitoring will be supplemented with a Spout Run Citizen Monitoring Program, which will be led by FOSR and Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC). Volunteer monitors will receive training in VA Save Our Streams macroinvertebrate monitoring methodology. Monitoring equipment will be provided to volunteers by PEC. Benthic monitoring will be conducted at 3 sites in the Spout Run watershed in the fall and spring of 2013 and 2014. Monitoring data will be used in conjunction with turbidity data collected by FOSR to evaluate progress in meeting the benthic TMDL for Spout Run in which sediment was identified as the primary stressor. FOSR Monitoring: Jan. 2013 – Dec.2014; Volunteer monitoring program: April 2013 – Nov. 2014 Trout Unlimited and its volunteers will conduct extensive before and after habitat monitoring to evaluate the impact of streambank restoration on aquatic and riparian habitat. Monitoring will include: performing annual pebble counts, photomonitoring, aquatic macroinvertabrate sampling and periodically resurveying benchmarked cross sections to document the geomorphic response of the stream channel to the restoration. Monitoring: Oct. 2012-Oct. 2016
E. Partner Justification: The C-Spout Run Project includes a diverse partnership of organizations, all of which are strongly committed to the restoration of Spout Run and demonstrate the skills necessary to complete the plan of work within the 2-year project timeline. This partnership includes organizations with considerable experience engaging the agricultural community in the region, as well as experience in education and outreach, urban stormwater management, branding and marketing, planning, and project management. The organizations supporting this project all have very strong ties to the Spout Run watershed community, and have spent years building the relationships that are in place with landowners today. These relationships are critical to the success of this project. The Virginia Department of Conservation has played an active role in the development of this proposal and is enthusiastic about the opportunity to incorporate the proposed projects into the TMDL implementation plan currently under development.
Clarke County: Clarke County will be responsible for overall project administration and partner coordination. In addition, the county will lead the development of the Beautiful Buffers and Neighborhood Stewardship Programs in collaboration with Piedmont Environmental Council and the Shenandoah Chapter of the VA Master Naturalists. The county has a clear history of environmental stewardship in the Spout Run watershed including three large scale restoration projects in the watershed focusing on livestock exclusion and resulting in the establishment of over 2 1⁄2 miles of stream fencing. In addition, the county has implemented a Stream Protection Overlay district requiring a 100 foot building setback from perennial streams and springs. The county is currently working with the Center for Watershed Protection on a project to reforest 55 acres of land in Clarke County. Clarke County has clearly demonstrated its commitment to restoring its local streams, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. The county was an active participant in the development of Phase II WIP strategies with the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission and is committed to continuing this relationship in pursuit of meeting restoration goals.
Trout Unlimited: Trout Unlimited (TU) will be an important partner in the Spout Run project. TU’s Shenandoah Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative (HRI) is uniquely positioned to provide technical assistance to landowners in the Spout Run watershed because of its specific focus on coldwater spring habitat restoration. With two full time professionals working in the Shenandoah Valley, TU will provide technical assistance to private landowners on Spout Run for improving instream habitat and stabilizing streambanks. Specifically, TU’s Stream Restoration Specialist will assess, design, and manage implementation of the streambank restoration components of this project, while the Shenandoah Headwaters HRI coordinator will help landowners sign up for state and federal conservation cost share programs, implement riparian buffer plantings, and coordinate volunteers and monitoring activities. The Shenandoah Headwaters HRI and TU’s volunteer members will also conduct monitoring activities associated with the stream restoration activities to document changes in the water temperature, stream geomorphology, habitat, and aquatic macroinvertebrates. TU’s Stream Restoration Specialist and Shenandoah HRI coordinator are pleased to provide in kind services for this project; however, due to the fact that they are supported with federal funds, this in kind match is not reflected in the project budget. This in kind support equates to an additional $14,288 in unofficial federal match.
The Downstream Project: The Downstream Project, a Virginia 501(c)(3) organization based in Clarke County, has a unique mission to create visual tools that stimulate greater understanding and engagement of conservation issues. Downstream’s core competency is in multimedia including video production, photography, website development, and social media. Recent projects include: a highly acclaimed 52-minute documentary on the history and problems of the Shenandoah River entitled Shenandoah, Voices of the River; Everybody Wins, a video on the benefits of livestock exclusion; and Gaining Ground, a website including two fifteen minute video productions (over 7,000 DVDs have been distributed) for the Natural Resources Conservation Service on soil conservation and the benefits of no-till farming and rotational grazing; and a 10-minute video celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Piedmont Environmental Council. Downstream founder George L. Ohrstrom II is a life-long resident of Clarke County and a leader in the county’s conservation community. For more information, visit www.thedownstreamproject.org and www.spoutrun.org.
Friends of the Shenandoah River: Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) will develop a monitoring plan for the Spout Run watershed following rigorous monitoring protocol, and will conduct regular chemical and biological monitoring to evaluate the impact of restoration projects. FOSR is a volunteer, non-profit, scientific organization with an extensive monitoring network and a full time Level III Certified Laboratory at Shenandoah University. FOSR has considerable experience collecting and analyzing water samples to evaluate the impact of restoration projects in the Shenandoah Valley including the Shenandoah Valley Clean Streams Initiative (NFWF INSR Grant).
Piedmont Environmental Council: Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) will assist Clarke County with the Turf to Trees and Neighborhood Stewardship Programs including tree and buffer plantings and a rain barrel workshop. In addition, PEC will serve as the project lead on the Sustainable Landscaping Workshop, provide assistance with education and outreach activities, and will kickoff a volunteer benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring program in the watershed in cooperation with the Friends of the Shenandoah River. Since 1972, PEC has worked to promote and protect the Virginia Piedmont’s rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty. PEC is a committed and enthusiastic partner in this project, and brings considerable experience in conservation to the table with highly skilled program staff that is widely recognized for the caliber of their work. In addition, PEC has an exceptional working relationship with key policymakers at the county and state level and a County Advisory Board who is well respected in the local community.
Lord Fairfax SWCD: The Lord Fairfax SWCD will serve as the lead on outreach to the agricultural community regarding the implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMPs). The SWCD will work closely with Trout Unlimited to coordinate livestock exclusion projects with streambank restoration where possible, and will serve as the lead on the Page Brook livestock exclusion project. The Lord Fairfax SWCD is responsible for administration of the Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program in Clarke County. SWCD Technical staff has considerable experience working with producers to design and implement agricultural BMPs. The SWCD has worked with a number of producers in the watershed on livestock exclusion projects to date, with Page Brook nearing complete exclusion from livestock.
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC): The NSVRC is one of 21 PDCs in Virginia, and provides a variety of technical and program services to member local governments. The planning region includes five counties, fourteen towns and one city in the Northern Valley. The program work of the NSVRC has been meeting the needs of local and state government for the last 40 years. The NSVRC has been actively involved in the development of Virginia’s Phase II WIP, leading a Regional Bay TMDL Stakeholder Committee for the Northern Shenandoah Valley, as well as a Natural Resources Advisory Committee. The NSVRC will facilitate sharing of lessons learned from the C-Spout Run project to the benefit of other localities in the planning region. In addition, NSVRC will serve as a conduit to distribute project results through the VA Association of PDC’s for application in Chesapeake Bay TMDL implementation planning and local land use planning.
Dissemination and Transferability of Results: The results and impact of our grant efforts rests in the effectiveness of our dissemination activities to create awareness, recognition, and uses of grant outcomes well beyond our project boundaries. The goal of our dissemination plan is utilization of our organizational and implementation strategies by other watersheds, and sound planning will help insure this result. Working with “hands-on” partners, fully engaged in the removal of Spout Run from the impaired waters list, The Downstream Project will provide expertise in story development, videography, audio-video editing, DVD creation, graphic design, website development, and social marketing and promotion as we capture everything from formative community meetings to projects in the field, specifically streambank restoration and neighborhood stewardship projects. (See Multimedia Outreach and Marketing Campaign).
By capturing the restoration process in the Spout Run watershed on video and through photography, we will be able to tell the story of an engaged community working to restore aquatic and riparian habitat to support brook trout reintroduction. Based on our watershed stakeholder interviews and input received during community meetings, this is 
a story that will “speak to” and inspire landowners in the Spout Run community and similar spring creeks throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is our expectation that dissemination of the Spout Run restoration DVD and supporting multimedia materials will result in a greater understanding of the stream restoration process and a willingness to engage in restoration activities among private property owners. The extensive and diverse nature of the C-Spout Run partnership will allow for widespread distribution of project materials. Initially, 100 DVDs will be produced for targeted distribution to organizations with the capacity to show the video to larger audiences. The Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) will assist with promotion and distribution of project materials. With a network of 21 PDC’s across the state, NSVRC will help to ensure that lessons learned through the C-Spout Run project are communicated to localities across the state. In addition, NSVRC will assist with regional dissemination of project results by facilitating the sharing of information between localities in their 5 county area. NSVRC will provide opportunities for Clarke County to present project results at Regional Bay TMDL Stakeholder Committee meetings so that pilot programs created and implemented through this project may be evaluated and prioritized for inclusion in the suite of strategies utilized by localities to meet Phase II WIP goals.
F. Budget Impacts: The Center for Watershed Protection was awarded a NFWF Grant (Planting Trees for Water Quality in Clarke County) to assist the county in locating optimal reforestation sites based on pollutant removal capacity. The findings of this ongoing study will be used to select planting sites for this project. In addition, Trout Unlimited intends to apply for a TU Embrace a Stream Grant in fall 2012 ($5,000) in order to support streambank stabilization work in the watershed. Once the Spout Run TMDL implementation plan is complete, projects included in the plan will be eligible to receive EPA Section 319 funding administered by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). These funds are available through a competitive RFP process, which could be pursued by the C-Spout Run partnership. If the project budget were reduced by 20%, partners would work to locate additional funding for each project and secure donated materials for tree planting projects and stream restoration. In addition, monitoring frequencies could be reduced, with data supplemented by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.