NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
NFWF Project No. 73424
Project Type: Planning/Design
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
March 15, 2023
FUNDED BY:
NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION (NFWF), US EPA RECIPIENT VIA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT #LI - 00A01075 (NFWF FC.R496), EZG #73424, Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed (CT)
COMPLETED PLAN PREPARED BY:
Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. on behalf of North Central Conservation District
Refer correspondence to:
Joanna Shapiro
North Central Conservation District
24 Hyde Avenue Vernon, CT 06066-4503
(860) 875-3881
www.conservect.org/northcentral
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
QAPP APPROVALS PAGE
Approval Signatures (required prior to project start):
Date:
3/15/2023
Executive Director, North Central Conservation District Project Manager
3/15/23
Date:
Erik Mas, P.E. Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. Technical Lead / QA Manager
Date:
Mary Rickel Pelletier Park Watershed Stakeholder Engagement Lead / Project Coordinator
Lynn Dwyer
Program Director, Northeast Coastal National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Date:
Date:
Elizabeth Wright
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Project Officer, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Long Island Sound Futures Fund
Date:
Nora Conlon
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA QA Reviewer
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1.1 CONTACT INFORMATION
All personnel listed below in Table 1 will receive copies of this Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), and any approved revisions of this plan. Once approved, this QAPP will be available to any interested party by requesting a copy from the project management.
Title Name (Affiliation) Phone Number/E-mail
Project Manager Joanna Shapiro, North Central Conservation District
Technical Lead / QA Manager
Stakeholder Engagement Lead / Project Coordinator
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Program Manager
860-875-3881 joanna.winkler@snet.net
Erik Mas, P.E., Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. 413-333-5466 emas@fando.com
Mary Rickel Pelletier, Park Watershed 860-881-5089 maryp@parkwatershed.org
Lynn Dwyer, NFWF 631-312-8999
Lynn.Dwyer@NFWF.org
EPA QA Reviewer Nora Conlon, EPA 617-918-8335 conlon.nora@epa.gov
PROJECT MANAGER: Joanna Shapiro, Executive Director of the North Central Conservation District (NCCD), will serve as the fiscal agent and has the overall responsibility for ensuring that the project meets the project objectives and quality standards. The Project Manager will manage and oversee all aspects of the project, including responsibility for overseeing all activities conducted on this project including schedule adherence, budgeting, and oversight of all scope-related activities.
TECHNICAL LEAD / QA MANAGER: Erik Mas, P.E., Fuss & O’Neill, Inc., will serve as the Technical Lead and QA Manager. In this role, he is responsible for the planning and execution of all technical aspects of the project including secondary data usage, data collection and analysis, project documentation and technical deliverables, and quality assurance and quality control. The Technical Lead will oversee and manage all activities of the consultant team, interfacing with the Project Manager, the Stakeholder Team Lead/Project Coordinator, as well as other team members and project partners.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT LEAD / PROJECT COORDINATOR: Mary Rickel Pelletier, Director of Park Watershed, will serve as the Stakeholder Team Lead and Project Coordinator. She will work with the NCCD Project Manager, the Technical Lead/QA Manager, as well as the rest of the NCCD project team and project partners. Her work will include formation of the Advisory Committee as well as coordination of scheduling, agenda development, and completion of meeting minutes. She will arrange public education and community engagement activities. Mary will also participate in the field assessments for the design development process as well as serve as a design advisor. She will prepare draft text for the summary update of the North Branch
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
Park River Watershed Management Plan, as well as text and formatting for the project Story Map. In addition, Mary will prepare quarterly reports.
1.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH
The North Central Conservation District (NCCD) proposes to advance the implementation of green infrastructure in the North Branch Park River regional watershed The North Branch Park River is an approximately 6-mile long impaired urban river that flows to the Connecticut River and ultimately to Long Island Sound The North Branch has been highly modified and channelized as the Hartford metropolitan area has developed over time. Numerous pollutant sources in the watershed contribute to the recreational use and aquatic life impairments in the river as well as pollutant loads to downstream waters including Long Island Sound. The project will further the goals of the North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan, which was approved in 2010 as a living document. In addition, the project will complement recent sustainability and green infrastructure initiatives of the City of Hartford, the Town of Bloomfield, and the Metropolitan District.
The objective of this project is to advance the design of green infrastructure concepts presented in the 2010 watershed management plan and other green infrastructure opportunities in the North Branch Park River watershed to improve water quality in the North Branch and in downstream waterbodies. The geographic scope of this project (i.e., the project area) is the subwatershed associated with the main stem of the North Branch Park River, located within portions of the City of Hartford, the Town of West Hartford, and the Town of Bloomfield (Figure 1).
The project will re-engage key project stakeholders in a design process that will result in preliminary and permit-level designs for a number of high-impact green infrastructure projects, supported by the land owners and project stakeholders responsible for construction and longterm maintenance. The designs developed by this project will better position public and private project owners to acquire future funding for final design and construction. The project also includes an update of the 2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan in an online GIS story map format.
The project involves the following elements and tasks:
• Project Advisory Committee Formation and Meetings: The NCCD project team will organize a Project Advisory Committee, which is anticipated to consist of staff or representatives from the major watershed municipalities (Hartford, Bloomfield, and West Hartford), the Metropolitan District, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), neighborhood groups and residents, and state and institutional property owners in the watershed (University of Hartford, UConn Law School, St Francis Hospital, Hartford Seminary, CT Historical Society, Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford Housing Authority, Hartford High School, and others). The Project Advisory Committee will participate in project meetings and provide input on the green infrastructure design process and the watershed plan update.
• Design Development of Priority Green Infrastructure Projects: Designs will be developed for “high-impact” green infrastructure projects within the combined sewer areas in the City of Hartford and in the upstream communities of Bloomfield and West Hartford, building on the site-specific green infrastructure concepts presented in the 2010 watershed management plan. High impact projects are generally larger-scale projects that are capable of achieving substantial reductions in pollutant (fecal indicator bacteria, nutrients, and sediment) loads and runoff volumes, with secondary benefits of CSO reduction, flood resilience, and community enhancement.
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023 Final
Green infrastructure projects that will be considered as part of the design development process for the North Branch Park River include: 1) green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) installations on public/institutional property or within the municipal right-of-way at both the site and neighborhood scale, 2) tree planting and enhancement of urban tree canopy, 3) and riparian corridor and floodplain restoration. GSI practices that have been shown to be appropriate within the City of Hartford and other areas of the watershed based on cost, maintenance, and effectiveness will be considered. These include permeable pavement, bioretention systems, right-of-way bioswales, tree box systems, subsurface detention/retention systems, rainwater harvesting, and infiltration systems where soil conditions allow.
The design process will consist of the following tasks, which will allow the project team to screen and select from an initially large number of potential sites the most impactful green infrastructure opportunities for preliminary and permit-level designs given the available project budget:
o Data Gathering and Review: Updated GIS mapping and other relevant information will be compiled from existing available sources for the project area Existing available data sources include the watershed municipalities, the Metropolitan District, Capitol Region Council of Governments, and statewide GIS data layers (refer to Table 3 for specific sources of secondary data).
o Project Screening and Selection: A desktop screening-level review will be performed to initially identify potential opportunities for locating green infrastructure on public sites, within the public right-of-way, on institutional properties, and at major outfalls within the project area. The screening process will enable the project team to systematically identify other potential green infrastructure project sites that were not originally identified in the 2010 watershed management plan. The desktop screening will make use of the mapping and GIS layers compiled in the Data Gathering and Review task to identify sites within the project area with the greatest potential for green infrastructure implementation. The screening-level review will consider land ownership, physical site characteristics (soils, depth to groundwater, slope), land use and impervious cover, storm drainage and combined sewer systems, and water quality impairments. The sites identified through the desktop screening process will be discussed with the property owners to confirm potential feasibility and support for green infrastructure projects on these sites.
The NCCD project team will conduct field inventories of the resulting list of potential sites (20 to 40 sites anticipated depending on the size and complexity of each site) to confirm the physical feasibility of green infrastructure and to inform site selection and project design. Information to be confirmed during the site visits includes on-site and adjacent land use and development characteristics, areas of impervious surfaces, drainage patterns and approximate drainage areas, the presence of utilities, areas suitable for potential retrofits, and site constraints such as evidence of shallow groundwater or bedrock that could limit the feasibility of infiltration practices. Visual observations will be recorded using industry-standard field data forms (Center for Watershed Protection Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series field data forms – see Appendix A)
Potential green infrastructure concepts will be developed (up to 15 concepts depending on the size and complexity of each site) where field inventories
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496)
QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
indicate strong potential for effective green infrastructure implementation. These new concepts and sites will augment the project concepts included in the 2010 watershed management plan that have yet to be implemented
The design concepts will consist of a plan view of the proposed green infrastructure installation with an aerial imagery background showing the approximate location and footprint of the practice based on preliminary sizing to meet water quality objectives. A range of costs will be provided, along with estimates of pollutant load percent reductions based on EPA Region 1 stormwater BMP performance curves for pollutants of concern. These design concepts can serve as the basis for future funding requests and more detailed designs for selected priority projects
A technical memorandum will be prepared documenting the methods and outcome of the desktop screening, field inventories, preliminary feedback from property owners, and green infrastructure projects recommended for further implementation. Site-specific green infrastructure projects to be advanced to preliminary design (i.e., priority projects) will be selected in collaboration with the Project Advisory Committee.
o Preliminary Design: Preliminary designs will be developed for up to 5 priority projects. The preliminary design process will include the following elements:
▪ Field survey and preparation of a base plan showing site detail, utilities, and topography with one-foot contour intervals in the area of the proposed green infrastructure installations. Property boundary information available from the MDC and municipal parcel data will be included on the base plan. A2 boundary survey is not included.
▪ Test pits and infiltration testing of proposed green infrastructure installations. Municipal staff will provide equipment and an equipment operator to dig the required test pits. Fuss & O’Neill staff will coordinate and observe the test pits and perform infiltration testing.
▪ Wetland delineation and flagging, where applicable. Wetland flagging is assumed to be necessary at up to 3 project sites; the others are assumed to be located in urban areas outside of regulated wetland resources or upland review areas.
▪ Preliminary layout plan of the proposed green infrastructure elements
▪ Order of magnitude opinion of construction costs.
▪ List of anticipated permits and approvals required.
▪ Expanded design narrative building on the design concept descriptions
A preliminary design memorandum will be prepared consisting of design narrative summary and preliminary layout plans for the priority sites. Green infrastructure projects to be advanced to permit-level design will be selected in collaboration with the Project Advisory Committee.
o Permit-Level Design: Permit-level designs will be developed for the 3 highest priority green infrastructure projects selected from the preliminary design phase. Permit-level designs will be sufficiently detailed to support the local, state, or federal permitting process. The design drawing set will consist of the following:
▪ Existing conditions plan.
▪ Site plan, cross sections, and details of proposed green infrastructure elements.
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496) QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023
Final
▪ Plans showing regulated resource area impacts and FEMA floodplain boundaries, as applicable
▪ Planting plan.
▪ Sequence of construction and soil erosion and sediment control plan.
▪ Operation and maintenance requirements.
▪ Technical notes on the drawings
This task does not include preparation or filing of permit applications, final design, construction documents (including technical specifications), bidding, or construction phase services.
The proposed green infrastructure projects will be designed as retrofits using guidance from the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, the New England Stormwater Retrofit manual, and local requirements, with the goal of maximizing pollutant load reduction. A permit level design memorandum will be prepared consisting of updated design narrative, updated cost estimates, updated list of required permits and approvals, and design drawings
• Watershed Management Plan Update: The 2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan will be updated to reflect the site-specific project designs developed in previous tasks. The focused plan update process will also include:
o A discussion of plan accomplishments, lessons learned, and recommendations for how the plan could be improved for broader community involvement.
o An assessment of current water quality conditions and changes in water quality since the development of the original plan in 2010, including more recent water quality data collection and studies in the watershed.
o Local and state-wide policy changes including green infrastructure, sustainability, and climate resilience initiatives in the watershed.
o Future opportunities/paths forward for ongoing implementation of the watershed plan.
o Updated policy and regulatory recommendations.
o Revised estimates of anticipated pollutant load reductions associated with sitespecific project concepts. Anticipated load reductions will be calculated using site-specific, land use-based pollutant loading factors and EPA Region 1 Stormwater BMP performance curves.
o An overall vision concept graphic for the North Branch Park River corridor showing the proposed green infrastructure concepts and restoration opportunities.
o Updated implementation strategy (responsible parties, schedule, milestones, performance criteria, relative costs, and funding sources).
The Project Advisory Committee meetings, as well as the proposed community engagement process, will help gather input from the watershed stakeholders on priorities and recommendations for the updated watershed management plan.
The updated watershed plan will be developed in ESRI ArcGIS Story Map format, which provides flexibility to integrate interactive mapping, informational graphics, and descriptive text in a cohesive and functional manner. The Story Map is more publicallyaccessible and user-friendly than a traditional watershed plan “report” format or a static webpage. The Story Map for the North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan will be developed using a publically-available ArcGIS Story Map template such as the template developed for by EPA for the Proctor Creek Watershed in Atlanta. The Story
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed EPA Cooperative Agreement LI-00A001075 (FC.R496)
QA #23046
Date: March 15, 2023 Final
Map will also be structured to allow for future updates as project designs are implemented. The project deliverables will also include an outward facing, visually focused executive summary of the watershed plan in PDF format.
• Public Outreach and Community Engagement: Additional public outreach and community engagement activities will be coordinated with the design development process and watershed plan update to re-engage the public and key stakeholders about the North Branch Park River watershed, nonpoint source pollution issues in the watershed, and their role in the watershed plan update and implementation process. Proposed public outreach and community engagement activities include:
o Project Advisory Committee Meetings: The Project Advisory Committee will participate in project meetings and work closely with the project team by providing input on the green infrastructure design process and the watershed plan update. Presentations prepared for the Advisory Committee will be made available to the public through an online platform, such as www.ParkWatershed.org, which hosts the 2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan website: https://www.northparkplan.net/
o Stakeholder Meetings: In-person meetings and presentations will be arranged with municipal commissions, neighborhood organizations, and community groups within the North Branch Park River watershed. These events will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed
o Walkshop: A walking tour of the North Branch Park River will be arranged for interested community groups, as well as stakeholders interested in green infrastructure project sites identified during the design development process. Walking tours are meaningful opportunities to provide outreach to residents and neighbors about the proposed concepts and designs. This event will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed.
The objective of this document is to identify the quality assurance components that are necessary to implement the project activities. This objective will be achieved by following accepted methodologies to use, collect, and/or measure data. Proposed timeframes for data collection/use activities are shown in Table 2 Data needs for the project fall into four (4) categories in support of green infrastructure design and the watershed plan update – secondary data usage, field data collection, data assessment/analysis, and interviews/workshops – which are summarized in Table 3 for each of the relevant project tasks.
Table 2 Data Collection/Use Activities and Dates
* Project Advisory Committee Meetings, Stakeholder Meetings, walkshop, and other engagement activities will be scheduled within the general timeframe indicated.
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Task Secondary Data Usage (Existing Data)
Design Development of Priority Green Infrastructure Projects
Project Screening and Selection
2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan (Fuss & O’Neill)
MDC 2018 Long Term Control Plan Update (November 2018).
CT DEEP Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit stormwater management program documents available from the watershed communities within the project area – Hartford, West Hartford, and Bloomfield (PDF and GIS format)
• Storm system mapping (outfalls, manholes, catch basins, and other structures)
• Existing stormwater treatment systems on municipal property, including planned stormwater retrofits
Ongoing or planned capital improvements (e.g., roadway improvement projects, parking lot upgrades, site redevelopment plans) in the project area sponsored by municipalities, MDC, and institutional property owners
Existing sanitary, combined storm and sanitary system, and related planimetric mapping available from the Metropolitan District (MDC) (PDF and GIS format).
Parcel and assessors Computer Aided Mass Appraisal (CAMA) GIS mapping (2021) available from CT Office of Policy and Management and Capitol Region Council of Governments
Statewide GIS data layers and mapping of site and watershed characteristics that can influence the physical feasibility of green infrastructure practices available from the University of Connecticut Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC), the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR), and Uconn and CT DEEP Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CT ECO):
• Base map features
o Roads (2010, CTDEP, US
Table
Primary/Direct Measurement Data (Field Data Collection)
Field inventories of potential sites to confirm physical feasibility of green infrastructure and to inform site selection and project design. Inventories will be performed through visual observations recorded using industry-standard (i.e., Center for Watershed Protection Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series) field data forms (see Appendix A) Field inventories will be performed by Fuss & O’Neill staff, accompanied by staff from NCCD and Mary Rickel Pelletier as needed.
• On-site and adjacent land use and development characteristics
• Areas of impervious surfaces
• Drainage patterns and approximate drainage areas
• Presence of utilities
• Areas of potential green infrastructure stormwater retrofits
• Site constraints such as evidence of shallow groundwater or bedrock that could limit the feasibility of infiltration practices
Assessment/Analysis Interviews/Workshops
Desktop screening level review to initially identify potential opportunities for locating green infrastructure on public sites, within the public right-of-way, on institutional properties, and at major outfalls within the project area, including other potential green infrastructure project sites that were not originally identified in the 2010 watershed management plan.
• Mapping and GIS layers compiled in the Data Gathering and Review task
Interviews with property owners to confirm potential feasibility and support for green infrastructure projects. Interview questions will be refined during the project and are anticipated to include:
• How is stormwater currently managed on the property?
• Are there existing issues with drainage, erosion, or water quality?
• Are you familiar with green stormwater infrastructure and low impact development concepts?
• Are there plans for physical improvements to your site (e.g., parking lot upgrades) or redevelopment of the site in the next 5 years?
• Would you be interested in partnering with the project team to site and design stormwater retrofits on your property?
• Are there operational or other site constraints that would limit the use of stormwater retrofits?
• Do you have a preference for surface (rain gardens, infiltration basins, bioswales, etc.) or subsurface (underground infiltration and storage) systems?
• What is your ability to maintain green stormwater infrastructure using inhouse or contract labor and equipment?
Between 10 and 15 interviews are anticipated to be conducted. Interviews will be conducted by Fuss & O’Neill staff, with assistance from NCCD and Park Watershed, as needed.
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch
Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Task Secondary Data Usage (Existing Data)
Design Development of Priority Green Infrastructure Projects
Project Screening and Selection (Continued)
Census)
o Municipal boundaries (2010, CTDEP, US Census)
o Hydrography (2010, CTDEP, US Census)
• Digital aerial photography (2019, USGS Connecticut Orthoimagery or Nearmap high resolution aerial maps)
• Land cover (2015 Statewide Land Cover, Uconn CLEAR or 2019 National Land Cover Dataset, USGS)
• Riparian land cover (2015, Uconn CLEAR)
• Soils (classification, infiltration potential/hydrologic soil group, depth to groundwater) (2022, NRCS Web Soil Survey)
• Impervious surface (2012, Statewide Impervious, CTECO)
• Elevation/Lidar (OCM Partners, 2022: 2018 USACE NCMP Topobathy Lidar: East Coast (CT, MA, ME, NC, NH, RI, SC)
• Water quality impairments (2022, CTDEEP Integrated Water Quality Report)
• Proximity to environmentally sensitive or protected areas (CT Natural Diversity Data Base mapping) (2022, CTDEEP)
• Flood hazard areas, FEMA Flood Map Service Center (2008, Flood Insurance Rate Map, FEMA)
Table
Primary/Direct Measurement Data (Field Data Collection)
Assessment/Analysis Interviews/Workshops
Design Development of Priority Green Infrastructure Projects
Preliminary and Permit-Level Design
Property information available from CT OPM parcel and CAMA data (2021)
Survey – planimetric site features, utilities, and topography with one-foot contour intervals in the area of the proposed green infrastructure installations
Test pits and field infiltration testing (using methods described in the CT DEEP Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, or other acceptable methods) of proposed green infrastructure installations (see SOP and field forms in Appendix B).
Wetland delineation and flagging for proposed green infrastructure installations, where applicable, in accordance with State
Design – Green infrastructure installations will be designed in accordance with the CT Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, and other relevant design guidance and regulatory requirements, with the goal of maximizing pollutant load reductions.
Not Applicable
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Task Secondary Data Usage (Existing Data)
Watershed Management Plan Update Information from the tasks and secondary data sources listed above
Water quality data collection and studies of the watershed since the development of the 2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan.
Current land use regulations (planning, zoning, subdivision, wetlands, stormwater), ordinances, and land use planning documents of the watershed municipalities
Updated watershed plan will be developed in ESRI ArcGIS Story Map format using a publically-available ArcGIS Story Map template developed by EPA for the Proctor Creek Watershed in Atlanta (or similar project application).
Updated watershed plan will incorporate the nine elements required by CT DEEP and US EPA for watershed-based plans
Table 3 Summary of Data Needs
Assessment/Analysis Interviews/Workshops of CT and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers methods.
Primary/Direct Measurement Data (Field Data Collection)
Not Applicable Pollutant load reduction estimates associated with the site-specific stormwater retrofit projects. Pollutant loads and load reductions will be estimated for total phosphorus, total nitrogen, total suspended solids, fecal indicator bacteria, and runoff volume using site-specific, land use-based pollutant load export rates (PLERs) and the EPA Region 1 Stormwater BMP performance curves developed for specific types of stormwater BMPs, both contained in the New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual (VHB, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, Southeast New England Program, 2022)
Not Applicable
Project Advisory Committee Formation –NCCD and Park Watershed will organize a Project Advisory Committee. Committee invitees are anticipated to include representatives from:
• City of Hartford
• Town of Bloomfield
• Town of West Hartford
• The Metropolitan District
• Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Trust for Public Land
• Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association
• State property owners
• University of Hartford
• Uconn Law School
• St. Francis Hospital
• Hartford International University for Religion and Peace
• CT Historical Society
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
• Mark Twain House & Museum
• Hartford Housing Authority
• Hartford High School
Advisory Committee meetings will be held remotely using video conferencing. Committee members will provide input on the green infrastructure design process and watershed plan update.
Stakeholder Meetings – In-person meetings and presentations will be arranged with municipal commissions, neighborhood organizations, and community groups within the North Branch Park River watershed. These events will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed
Walkshop – A walking tour of the North Branch Park River will be arranged for interested community groups, as well as stakeholders interested in green infrastructure project sites identified during the design development process. Walking tours are meaningful opportunities to provide outreach to residents and neighbors about the proposed concepts and designs. This event will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed.
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
1.3 DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES
Primary/Direct Measurement Data
The generation of high-quality data is critical to the selection and design of green infrastructure projects. The direct measurement data to be collected in the field to support the design development of priority green infrastructure projects includes:
• Green Infrastructure Assessment Field Inventories and Concept Development –The project team will conduct field inventories of 20 to 40 potential sites depending on the size and complexity of each site. The list of potential sites will be initially identified through a desktop screening-level review followed by a site visit of each identified site to confirm the physical feasibility of green infrastructure and to inform site selection and project design. The sites may be located anywhere within the project area as defined in Section 1.2. There is no predetermined number of sites in each watershed community. Information to be confirmed during the site visits includes on-site and adjacent land use and development characteristics, impervious surfaces, drainage patterns, the presence of utilities, areas suitable for potential retrofits, and site constraints such as mapped lowpermeability soils or evidence of shallow groundwater or bedrock that could limit the feasibility of infiltration practices. Visual observations will be recorded using field data forms. Field inventories will be performed by Fuss & O’Neill staff, accompanied by staff from NCCD and Park Watershed as needed
Potential green infrastructure concepts (up to 15 concepts depending on the size and complexity of each site) will be developed from the field assessment data, where the field inventories indicate strong potential for effective green infrastructure implementation.
• Green Infrastructure Design Data Collection –
The following site-specific data will be collected in support of preliminary design for 5 priority projects and permit-level design for 3 of these projects:
o Survey – planimetric site features, utilities, and topography with one-foot contour intervals in the area of the proposed green infrastructure installations. Property boundary information available from the MDC and municipal parcel data will be included on the survey base plan. A2 boundary survey will not be performed. Field survey will be performed by a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut as a subconsultant to Fuss & O’Neill.
o Test pits and field infiltration testing of proposed green infrastructure installations. Municipal staff will provide equipment and an equipment operator to excavate the test pits. Fuss & O’Neill staff will coordinate and evaluate the test pits and perform infiltration testing.
o Wetland delineation and flagging for proposed green infrastructure installations, where applicable, in accordance with State of CT and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers methods. Wetland flagging is assumed to be necessary at up to 3 project sites; the others are assumed to be located in urban areas outside of regulated wetland resources or upland review areas. A Fuss & O’Neill qualified soil scientist will perform the wetland delineation and flagging.
Field data will be recorded on field data forms or in a field notebook and will be included with the final project deliverables
NFWF
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Data quality objectives (DQOs) specify the quality of environmental data required to support decision-making processes. DQO’s for green infrastructure field inventories and design data collection rely on quasi-subjective assessments by field personnel and design professionals and are not suitable for the same type of DQOs used for traditional field data collection activities such as water and sediment sample collection and analysis. DQOs for the field inventories and design data collection described above consider when, where, and how many data points are necessary, as well as the acceptable level of data uncertainty and decision errors, to identify, prioritize, and design green infrastructure projects. Accuracy, precision, completeness, representativeness, and comparability of those observations will be assessed through the collective experience of the staff conducting and overseeing the green infrastructure field inventories and project designs consistent with good engineering practice and methodologies described in:
• Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended (CT DEEP, 2004; revision in progress)
• New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual (Southeast New England Program, 20 VHB, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, Southeast New England Program, 2022)
• Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series (Center for Watershed Protection)
• Coastal Stormwater Management through Green Infrastructure: A Handbook for Municipalities (EPA, 2014).
DQOs for specific data collection tasks are as follows:
• Survey – The methods and DQOs for the collection and use of survey data collected by a Professional Land Surveyor in the State of Connecticut are contained in the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Sec. 20-300b and Standards and Suggested Methods and Procedures for Surveys and Maps in the State of Connecticut (CT Association of Land Surveyors)
• Test Pits and infiltration Testing – Test pits will be completed (excavated and evaluated) in accordance with Fuss & O’Neill’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for test pits (Appendix B). Field infiltration testing will be completed using methods described in the CT DEEP Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, or other acceptable methods. Test pit and infiltration testing field data forms (Appendix B) and field notes will be used to document these activities. Test pit DQOs are addressed in the SOP and DQOs for infiltration testing are described in the CT DEEP Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended
Test pit evaluations and infiltration testing will be conducted by a Qualified Professional, which is an individual with demonstrated expertise in soil science, including, but not limited to, a Connecticut Registered Professional Engineer, a Qualified Professional Engineer as defined in the CT DEEP MS4 General Permit, a Certified Soil Scientist, or a Professional Geologist.
• Wetland Delineation – The methods and DQOs for wetland delineation in the State of Connecticut are addressed by the State of Connecticut Inland Wetland and Watercourses Act (CGS §§ 22a-36 to 22a-42 inclusive) and, for federal jurisdictional waters including wetlands, by the prescribed methodology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual (Technical Report Y-87-1) and the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region (ERDC/EL TR-12-1) DQOs for wetland function and value assessments are addressed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ guidance entitled The Highway Methodology Workbook Supplement: Wetland Functions and Values, A Descriptive Approach
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Secondary Data Usage
This project will rely extensively on available sources of existing data related to physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of the North Branch Park River watershed and projectspecific sites within the watershed. The secondary data to be used for this project includes the data listed in Table 3. Data sources will be identified and fully referenced and metadata, if applicable, will be included with the final project deliverables
Assessing whether DQOs have been achieved for secondary data usage is somewhat different than direct data collection. For secondary data, important features include meeting the needs of the project, assuring quality of data that meets the required criteria, and known data limitations. The usual data quality indicators (e.g., completeness, representativeness, comparability) may be met if metadata is available or data was collected under a QAPP or SOP that is available for review. A secondary data decision tree will be utilized to help with determining whether data quality has been met and how that data will be used in relation to this project (see Figure 2).
Secondary Data Acceptance Criteria
The following criteria will be considered for acceptance of secondary data for use in the project:
• Data generated by a reliable source, from a data generator that is generally trusted and respected, including federal, state, and local agencies, or research institutions, and data published in peer-reviewed articles or publications.
• The data will be comparable with respect to previous and, if possible, future studies.
• Data have been collected for purposes similar to this project.
• Data was collected using a QAPP or similar plan.
• Data has been widely used and/or trusted by scientists and professionals in the subject area.
• Age or date of publication of the data to ensure the use of the most recent available information, generally data newer than 2010, which is the date of the current Watershed Management Plan
The following criteria will be considered for acceptance of secondary geospatial (GIS) data, including aerial imagery, for use in the project:
• GIS data of known origin will be used. The primary data will be from state and federal databases. Secondary data sources may include regional planning commissions, municipalities, conservation organizations, or private data sources (e.g., Nearmap for high resolution aerial imagery)
• The most recent data revision from the original source of the data layer will be used, with the exception of the use of historical GIS data for comparison with current conditions.
• Data which has been properly documented to Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standards will be used.
• Data with the best available horizontal and vertical resolution that meets the objective of the intended uses of the data.
The decision tree in Figure 2 will be used to assess the quality of secondary data. In general, the completeness of the data set will be assessed first, either by inspecting the metadata or the dataset itself. If completeness is adequate, then other requirements will be assessed based on information available from the data providers or accompanying the dataset.
Project deliverables will reference this QAPP and known limitations on data quality will be disclosed as a disclaimer in the project deliverable.
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Select most reliable data source
Do data meet quality requirements?
Use data with full reference
Are there other data sources available?
Are data crucial?
Can data provide relevant, if limited, information?
Use data, but fully describe limitations. If quality is unknown, include disclaimer.
Do not use and note need for data collection
Do not use.
Secondary Data Reduction
Data manipulation and reduction will be avoided to the maximum extent practicable. The types of data reduction/manipulation anticipated for this project include the following:
• Data units may need to be changed for report consistency, to allow comparisons, or for use in desktop assessments/analyses
• Certain data sets may be reduced and represented as percentages (i.e., percent of a land use type)
• Some data reduction may be used to display data in map form (i.e., average values at a site)
• Some data may be reduced for comparison with a water quality standard.
Secondary Data Validation
Secondary data will be validated by reviewing the data prior to its use and describing the data and any data reduction methods in the project deliverables. The following data validation steps will be followed:
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
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• A copy of the secondary data sets will be saved as a read-only, protected file to be used in the event that the integrity of the working dataset is compromised.
• Working data will be stored in a spreadsheet or ArcGIS format and will include relevant raw data, which will be locked for editing.
• Data manipulation will be minimized, but when necessary, data manipulation will start with raw data, and formulas including units, conversion factors, and formulas will be shown in the spreadsheet.
• Prior to including in project deliverables, raw and reduced data will be displayed in graphical format and inspected to look for anomalous values. Decisions to eliminate anomalous values will be documented in the spreadsheets and will be noted in the project deliverables.
Assessments and Analyses
The following desktop assessments and analyses will be performed in support of the green infrastructure design development process and the watershed management plan update:
• Desktop screening level review to initially identify potential opportunities for locating green infrastructure on public sites, within the public right-of-way, on institutional properties, and at major outfalls within the project area, including other potential green infrastructure project sites that were not originally identified in the 2010 watershed management plan. Project sites will be screened and/or scored based on physical feasibility and other factors as determined from:
o Mapping and GIS layers compiled in the Data Gathering and Review task
o Interviews with property owners to confirm potential feasibility and support for green infrastructure projects. Interviews will be conducted by staff from Fuss & O’Neill, NCCD, or Park Watershed. Interview questions will be refined during the project and are anticipated to include:
▪ How is stormwater currently managed on the property?
▪ Are there existing issues with drainage, erosion, or water quality?
▪ Are you familiar with green stormwater infrastructure and low impact development concepts?
▪ Are there plans for physical improvements to your site (e.g., parking lot upgrades) or redevelopment of the site in the next 5 years?
▪ Would you be interested in partnering with the project team to site and design stormwater retrofits on your property?
▪ Are there operational or other site constraints that would limit the use of stormwater retrofits?
▪ Do you have a preference for surface (rain gardens, infiltration basins, bioswales, etc.) or subsurface (underground infiltration and storage) systems?
▪ What is your ability to maintain green stormwater infrastructure using inhouse or contract labor and equipment?
• Green infrastructure installations will be designed in accordance with the CT Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, the New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual, and local regulatory requirements, with the goal of maximizing pollutant load reduction.
• Pollutant load reduction estimates associated with the site-specific project concepts. Pollutant loads and load reductions will be estimated using site-specific, land use-based pollutant load export rates (PLERs) and the EPA Region 1 Stormwater BMP performance curves developed for specific types of stormwater BMPs, both contained in the New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual
The use of existing data of known quality in assessment/analysis efforts is extremely important and helps ensure that the assessment/analysis yields accurate predictions with an acceptable level of uncertainty. It is assumed that data available from state and federal agencies has been
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
collected in accordance with a QAPP or appropriate SOPs. Should data not provided by a state or federal agency be used or if data from a state or federal agency has been collected without a QAPP or SOP, the data of unknown quality (i.e., collected without a documented QAPP or using SOPs not approved by state or federal agencies) will be flagged and noted as either conditionally acceptable for limited use or not acceptable for use.
The DQOs associated with the assessment/analysis effort are briefly described below in the context of completeness, representativeness, and comparability. The traditional context of precision and accuracy is not included due to the fact that, in most cases, the data has already been collected and analyzed through acceptable analytical procedures by state and federal agencies.
• Completeness is a measure of the amount of valid data obtained during a process. The target completeness for assessment/analysis is 100 percent – e.g., all available sources included. Note that in this case, the available data is relatively limited. The actual completeness may vary depending on the intrinsic availability of the input data.
• Representativeness is a measure of how closely the input or parameterization data reflect actual physical characteristics of the study area. Applicable analysis inputs or parameterization data sources will have a QAPP in place or be of documented quality prior to use in the assessment/analysis effort. Data of unknown quality (i.e., collected without a QAPP of using SOPs not approved by state or federal agencies) will be flagged and noted as either conditionally acceptable for limited use or not acceptable for use.
• Comparability expresses the confidence with which one data set can be compared to another. Data comparability from external sources is very much tied to the individual project methodology and time at which it was collected. For the purpose of the assessment/analysis effort, comparability will be maintained by using consistent units, appropriate temporal scales, and reproducible methods. Required data transformations will be noted in the project deliverables. Information that exists outside a reasonable temporal scale, has significantly changed, or will potentially diminish the assessment results are not comparable. Fuss and O’Neill will make these determinations using best professional judgment, as necessary. Comparability between other assessment indicators will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In most cases, data of a particular type will be obtained from a single source, reducing issues of comparability.
Interviews and Workshops
Property Owner Interviews: Interviews will be conducted with property owners in the project area in support of the green infrastructure design development process. Interviews will be used to confirm potential feasibility and property owner support for green infrastructure projects. Interviews will be conducted by Fuss & O’Neill staff, with assistance from NCCD and Park Watershed, as needed.
The DQOs for these interviews are to:
• Develop a consistent list of interview questions to better understand the feasibility, preferences, and support of property owners for green infrastructure installations. Interview questions will be refined during the project and are anticipated to include:
o How is stormwater currently managed on the property?
o Are there existing issues with drainage, erosion, or water quality?
o Are you familiar with green stormwater infrastructure and low impact development concepts?
o Are there plans for physical improvements to your site (e.g., parking lot upgrades) or redevelopment of the site in the next 5 years?
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
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o Would you be interested in partnering with the project team to site and design stormwater retrofits on your property?
o Are there operational or other site constraints that would limit the use of stormwater retrofits?
o Do you have a preference for surface (rain gardens, infiltration basins, bioswales, etc.) or subsurface (underground infiltration and storage) systems?
o What is your ability to maintain green stormwater infrastructure using in-house or contract labor and equipment?
• Specific properties and property owners to be interviewed will be identified during the desktop screening process based on land ownership, physical site characteristics (soils, depth to groundwater, slope), land use and impervious cover, storm drainage and combined sewer systems, and water quality impairments. Between 10 and 15 interviews are anticipated to be conducted.
• Complete interviews with property owners using the questions designed to obtain feedback.
• Document responses to interview questions through notes taken by the interviewer. Notes will be retained in their original form and provided as an appendix.
• Integrate the interview feedback into the final selection of project sites for field inventories and subsequent design
For interview feedback to be considered in the final selection of project sites for field inventories and subsequent design, it should pertain to the area of the site under consideration (relevant), be provided within the project time period (timely), and align with relevant local, state, and federal stormwater BMP design guidance and requirements.
Workshop Meetings: Workshop meetings will be conducted as part of the public outreach and community engagement process to re-engage the public and key stakeholders and seek input to help inform the green infrastructure designs and watershed plan update. Proposed public outreach and community engagement activities include:
• Project Advisory Committee Formation: NCCD and Park Watershed will organize a Project Advisory Committee. Committee invitees are anticipated to include representatives from:
o City of Hartford
o Town of Bloomfield
o Town of West Hartford
o The Metropolitan District
o Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
o Trust for Public Land
o Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association
o State property owners
o University of Hartford
o Uconn Law School
o St. Francis Hospital
o Hartford International University for Religion and Peace
o CT Historical Society
o Mark Twain House & Museum
o Hartford Housing Authority
o Hartford High School
• Project Advisory Committee Meetings: The Project Advisory Committee will participate in project meetings and work closely with the project team by providing input on the green infrastructure design process and the watershed plan update. Presentations prepared for
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
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the Advisory Committee will be made available to the public through an online platform, such as www.ParkWatershed.org, which hosts the 2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan website: https://www.northparkplan.net/
• Stakeholder Meetings: In-person meetings and presentations will be arranged with municipal commissions, neighborhood organizations, and community groups within the North Branch Park River watershed. These events will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed. Neighborhoods within the project area (i.e., within the lower North Branch Park River watershed) that are classified as Environmental Justice or other underrepresented communities will be targeted.
• Walkshop: A walking tour of the North Branch Park River will be arranged for interested community groups, as well as stakeholders interested in green infrastructure project sites identified during the design development process. Walking tours are meaningful opportunities to provide outreach to residents and neighbors about the proposed concepts and designs. This event will be organized by NCCD and Park Watershed. The walkshop will be held at various proposed green infrastructure sites in the watershed, and between 15 and 30 people are anticipated to attend.
The DQOs for these meetings/events are to:
• Develop a list of questions in advance of each workshop to frame and provide a foundation for the meeting or event. The questions will be designed to better understand stakeholder preferences and interest in green infrastructure, feedback on draft green infrastructure designs, and feedback on watershed management measures and draft watershed plan recommendations.
• Prepare presentation materials, guided by the workshop themes and questions, in advance of each workshop meeting/event.
• Complete 6 Project Advisory Committee Meetings, 3 Stakeholder Meetings, and 1 Walkshop using the presentation materials developed for each meeting/event.
• Develop summary notes from each meeting/event that capture insights and responses to questions raised during discussions. Notes will be provided as an appendix.
• Integrate the discussion during meetings/events into the green infrastructure designs and updated watershed plan.
For feedback to be considered in the green infrastructure designs and updated watershed plan, it should pertain to the project area (relevant), be provided within the project time period (timely), and align with relevant local, state, and federal stormwater BMP design guidance/requirements and other best practices for watershed management.
1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA
The Quality Assurance Objectives (QAOs) define a tolerable level of potential decision error for data collected on a project. They help to define the DQOs and clarify the project objectives further. The QAOs are then used as comparison criteria during data quality review by the Technical Lead/QA Manager to determine if the minimum requirements have been met and the data may be used as planned. Section 1.3 addresses QAO criteria for the four types of data needed for this project. Additional quality control and data management requirements are described in Sections 3 and 4.
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
1.5 DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS
The consultant team from Fuss & O’Neill is led by Erik Mas, P.E., with over 27 years of experience in watershed management and stormwater planning and design in Connecticut including watershed plan development and green infrastructure retrofit projects in the North Branch Park River and other urban watersheds throughout southern New England. The Fuss & O’Neill team also includes engineers, landscape architects, scientists, and planners with expertise designing and implementing green stormwater infrastructure in urban settings. Erik and other senior members of the Fuss & O’Neill team will lead the execution of the project tasks to meet the project data quality objectives.
All documents developed during the project, including this QAPP, will be distributed in electronic format (PDF files) to the Project Manager, Technical Lead/QA Manager, and Stakeholder Engagement Lead/Project Coordinator as well as the NFWF Program Director and EPA Project Officer. Data and information shared during the project will be transferred between project partners as email attachments or via secure file share for files that exceed the size limit for email attachments
All records generated by this project will be stored at the main office of Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. in Manchester, Connecticut Copies of this QAPP will be distributed to all parties involved with the project, including signatories and field personnel. Any future changes or amendments to the QAPP will be held and distributed in the same fashion. Copies of previous versions of the QAPP will be clearly marked as “superseded by Revision #” so as not to create confusion.
Digital records of all project information and data used to complete the project activities will be retained by Fuss & O’Neill and subconsultants for at least seven years from the date of collection, use, assessment, or reporting.
2 DATA ACQUISITION
2.1 PRIMARY/DIRECT MEASUREMENT
The following sections describe the data acquisition methods associated with the field effort for the green infrastructure field inventories and design development. Field activities will be adequately and consistently documented to ensure defensibility of data used for decision-making and to support data interpretation. Field data will be recorded on field data forms as indicated below and will be included with the final project deliverables.
• Green Infrastructure Assessment Field Inventories – The project team will conduct field inventories of 20 to 40 potential sites depending on the size and complexity of each site. The list of potential sites will be initially identified through a desktop screening-level review, to confirm the physical feasibility of green infrastructure and to inform site selection and project design. Information to be confirmed during the site visits includes on-site and adjacent land use and development characteristics, impervious surfaces, drainage patterns, the presence of utilities, areas suitable for potential retrofits, and site constraints such as mapped low-permeability soils or evidence of shallow groundwater or bedrock that could limit the feasibility of infiltration practices. Visual observations will be recorded using industry-standard field data forms (Center for Watershed Protection Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series field data forms – see Appendix A) and field photos Field inventories will be performed by Fuss & O’Neill staff, accompanied by staff from NCCD and Park Watershed as needed.
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
The following site-specific data will be collected in support of preliminary design for 5 priority projects and permit-level design for 3 of these projects, unless indicated otherwise in the descriptions below:
• Survey – Field survey will be performed to obtain planimetric site features, utilities, and topography with one-foot contour intervals in the area of the proposed green infrastructure installations. Survey will be performed by a Professional Land Surveyor licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut as a subconsultant to Fuss & O’Neill in accordance with the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Sec. 20-300b and Standards and Suggested Methods and Procedures for Surveys and Maps in the State of Connecticut (CT Association of Land Surveyors). Survey data will be provided at a level of accuracy suitable for preliminary and permit-level design of green infrastructure installations. Property boundary information available from the MDC and municipal parcel data will be included on the survey base plan. A2 boundary survey will not be performed.
• Test pits and Infiltration Testing – Test pits and field infiltration testing will be performed for proposed green infrastructure installations to verify soil type, USDA soil textural class, NRCS Hydrologic Soil Group, seasonal high groundwater table, and in-situ saturated hydraulic conductivity. Test pits will be completed (excavated and evaluated) in accordance with Fuss & O’Neill’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for test pits (Appendix B). Field infiltration testing will be completed using methods described in the CT DEEP Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, or other acceptable methods including:
o Double-ring infiltrometer (ASTM D3385-03)
o Turf-tec infiltrometer method (commercially adapted version of the double-ring infiltrometer method)
o Guelph permeameter (ASTM D5126-90 Method)
o Falling head permeameter (ASTM D5126-90 Method)
o Borehole infiltration test (New Hampshire Stormwater Manual)
The field infiltration test method should be representative of vertical water infiltration through the soil, excluding lateral flows, under field saturated conditions
Test pit evaluations and infiltration testing will be conducted by a Qualified Professional, which is an individual with demonstrated expertise in soil science, including, but not limited to, a Connecticut Registered Professional Engineer, a Qualified Professional Engineer as defined in the CT DEEP MS4 General Permit, a Certified Soil Scientist, or a Professional Geologist. Municipal staff will provide equipment and an equipment operator to excavate the test pits. Fuss & O’Neill staff will coordinate and evaluate the test pits, perform infiltration testing, and will be responsible for adhering to SOPs and quality assurance procedures. Test pit and infiltration testing field data forms (Appendix B) and field notes will be used to document these activities
• Wetland Delineation – A Fuss & O’Neill qualified soil scientist will delineate the limits of Federal and State jurisdictional waters, wetlands, and watercourses for proposed green infrastructure installations, where applicable. Wetland delineation is assumed to be necessary at up to 3 project sites; the others are assumed to be located in urban areas outside of regulated wetland resources or upland review areas. Wetlands and watercourses will be delineated (identified, classified, and flagged at approximately 30foot intervals) in accordance with State of Connecticut Inland Wetland and Watercourses Act (CGS §§ 22a-36 to 22a-42 inclusive). In addition, Federal jurisdictional waters, including wetlands, will be delineated in accordance with the prescribed methodology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual (Technical Report Y-87-1) and the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region (ERDC/EL TR-12-1). Waters, wetlands and watercourses delineated will be flagged in the field during a time of year when the ground is not frozen or there is less than three inches of snow cover. Fuss & O’Neill will designate the boundary of wetlands with a prefix letter and numbered in a logical sequence. Wetland flags will be located using sub-meter GPS equipment.
In addition to delineating jurisdictional areas, the functions and values of the wetlands will be evaluated to assess the self-sustaining properties of the wetland ecosystem that exist in the absence of subjective human values (functions) and identify the benefits to humans derived from either one or more functions and the physical characteristics associated with the wetland (values). The function and value assessment will be performed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ guidance entitled “The Highway Methodology Workbook Supplement: Wetland Functions and Values, A Descriptive Approach.”
A wetlands and watercourses memo/report will be prepared consistent with the requirements of the local regulatory authority (City of Hartford, Town of Bloomfield, or Town of West Hartford). The report will summarize the wetland and upland soils mapped on site and any watercourses on the site. The report will also include a summary of the functions and values of wetlands and watercourses identified at the project site.
2.2 SECONDARY DATA USAGE
Secondary data will be used for the selection and design of green infrastructure projects and update of the watershed management plan. Data sources will be referenced and documentation of data quality provided in the project deliverables, including links web-based data, where appropriate Table 3 summarizes the data sources that will be used for this project.
2.3 ASSESSMENTS AND ANALYSES
The following desktop assessments and analyses will be performed in support of the green infrastructure design development process and the watershed management plan update using secondary data sources and interviews with property owners:
• Desktop screening level review to initially identify potential opportunities for locating green infrastructure on public sites, within the public right-of-way, on institutional properties, and at major outfalls within the project area, including other potential green infrastructure project sites that were not originally identified in the 2010 watershed management plan. Project sites will be screened and/or scored based on physical feasibility and other factors as described in Section 1.3.
• Green infrastructure installations will be designed in accordance with the CT Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, the New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual, and local regulatory requirements, with the goal of maximizing pollutant load reduction.
• Pollutant load reduction estimates associated with the site-specific project concepts. Pollutant loads and load reductions will be estimated using site-specific, land use-based pollutant load export rates (PLERs) and the EPA Region 1 Stormwater BMP performance curves developed for specific types of stormwater BMPs, both contained in the New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual.
Fuss & O’Neill project staff will perform these assessments and analyses under the direction of the Technical Lead/QA Manager
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
2.4 INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOPS
Input from community stakeholders will be an important component of obtaining information to support the planning and design process. The project includes the following interviews and workshop meetings to inform the green infrastructure design process and the watershed plan update:
• Interviews will be conducted with property owners in the project area to confirm potential feasibility and property owner support for green infrastructure projects. Specific properties and property owners to be interviewed will be identified during the desktop screening process based on land ownership, physical site characteristics (soils, depth to groundwater, slope), land use and impervious cover, storm drainage and combined sewer systems, and water quality impairments. Interviews will be conducted by Fuss & O’Neill staff, with assistance from NCCD and Park Watershed, as needed. Section 1.3 describes the detailed methods, documentation, and DQOs associated with the interviews
• Workshop meetings will be conducted as part of the public outreach and community engagement process to re-engage the public and key stakeholders and seek input to help inform the green infrastructure designs and watershed plan update. Proposed public outreach and community engagement activities include formation of and meetings with a Project Advisory Committee, other stakeholder meetings, and a walking tour of the watershed (i.e., walkshop) for community groups and other stakeholders. Section 1.3 describes the detailed methods, documentation, and DQOs associated with the workshop meetings.
2.5 DOCUMENTATION PROCEDURES
Data collection and assessment activities will be adequately and consistently documented to ensure defensibility of any data used for decision-making, as described in section and to support data interpretation. Information on project documentation has been provided in Section 1.3 and Sections 2.1 through 2.4.
3 QUALITY CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
3.1 MEASUREMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
The overall QA objective for this project is to develop and implement procedures for data collection and reporting that will provide results that are scientifically defensible. Specific procedures for reporting of data, internal QC, audits, and corrective action are described in the other sections of this QAPP
3.2 INTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL
Primary/Direct Measurement
Data derived from field activities (green infrastructure inventories, survey, test pits and infiltration testing, and wetland delineation) will be quality controlled through Fuss & O’Neill internal review, including initial review by the field personnel responsible for collecting the data (e.g., Professional Land Surveyor, soil scientist, engineer) followed by a review of the data by the Technical Lead/QA Manager for completeness and consistency with the DQOs described in Section 1.3. The Fuss & O’Neill Technical Lead/QA Manager will be responsible for overseeing the work to
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Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
ensure that methodologies and processes used are consistent with the procedures outlined in the QAPP and the overall project goals
If field data are determined to be inadequate due to errors or unacceptable deviations from DQOs, data will be re-collected. If re-collection of field data is not possible, the data will be flagged as either unusable, which will exclude the data from any subsequent analysis, or flagged as questionable in which case the data will be reported and used in analysis with a flag. Where possible, secondary data may be used in place of field data. Incomplete data or secondary data used in place of field data will be noted as necessary. The final decision on whether to include or reject the field data will be made by the Technical Lead/QA Manager
Secondary Data Usage
Secondary data will be quality controlled through Fuss & O’Neill internal review, which will be performed by the Technical Lead/QC Manager, to ensure that secondary data meet the QC objectives described in Section 1.3 and Section 1.4 and are appropriate for the intended use. If secondary data are determined to be inconsistent with the QC objectives, another secondary data source that meets the QC objectives will be used, where possible
Assessments and Analyses
The green infrastructure desktop screening, green infrastructure designs including design calculations and opinions of construction costs, and pollutant load reduction estimates will be quality controlled through Fuss & O’Neill internal QC review processes. The internal QC review will be overseen by the Technical Lead/QC Manager working with other senior Fuss & O’Neill technical staff experienced in the planning and design of green infrastructure practices in urban settings. The QC review will include review of these assessments and analyses with respect to the QC objectives described in Section 1.3 and Section 1.4. If the results of the assessments or analyses are determined to be inconsistent with the QC objectives, the data and assessment/analysis will be reviewed for errors. Any identified errors or issues will be corrected, and the data will be re-assessed or re-analyzed.
Interviews and Workshops
The Technical Lead/QA Manager will review the draft notes and summaries associated with the property owner interviews as well as the draft summary notes from each stakeholder workshop meeting/event to ensure that results are consistent with the specified QC objectives. The Technical Lead/QA Manager will review and provided feedback within one week of receiving draft materials. The Technical Lead/QA Manager will flag comments as unusable that are outside of the project scope or cannot be verified and the flagged comments will be included as part of the project files.
4 DATA MANAGEMENT
Primary/Direct Measurement
• Green Infrastructure Assessment Field Inventories – Visual observations will be recorded using industry-standard field data forms (Center for Watershed Protection Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series field data forms – see Appendix A) and field notes. Following the field inventories, field data forms and field notes will be checked and signed by the lead field personnel. Field data (including copies of field data forms and field notes) will be forwarded to the Technical Lead/QA Manager, who will be responsible for reviewing the field data for accuracy and completeness. If field data appear to be incorrect, incomplete, or missing, the field data will be returned to field personnel for completion and/or correction. Electronic copies of all field data will be
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
maintained on the Fuss and O’Neill file server, which will be available to the project team Field staff will retain original field forms and notes
• Survey – The Professional Land Surveyor subconsultant will be responsible for the review of the field survey data and survey plans for accuracy and completeness prior to submittal to Fuss & O’Neill The technical Lead/QA Manager and Fuss & O’Neil senior design engineer will review the field survey data and survey plans for accuracy and completeness. If field survey data or the survey plans appear to be incorrect, incomplete, or missing, the Professional Land Surveyor will be notified to address any issues The Professional Land Surveyor will provide electronic copies of the field survey data and survey plan in PDF and CAD format for use by the project team. Original field survey data will be provided to the Technical Lead/QA Manager upon request.
• Test pits and Infiltration Testing – Test pit and infiltration testing field data forms (Appendix B) and field notes will be used to document the test pits and infiltration testing activities and results Following the test pits and infiltration testing, field data forms and field notes will be checked and signed by the Qualified Professional, as described in Section 2.1. Field data (including copies of field data forms and field notes) will be forwarded to the Technical Lead/QA Manager, who will be responsible for reviewing the field data for accuracy and completeness. If field data appear to be incorrect, incomplete, or missing, the field data will be returned to field personnel for completion and/or correction. Electronic copies of field forms and notes will be maintained on the Fuss and O’Neill server, which will be available to the project team. The Qualified Professional will retain original field forms and notes.
• Wetland Delineation – Following the wetland delineation and flagging, field data forms and field notes will be checked and signed by the Fuss & O’Neill soil scientist Field data (including copies of field data forms and field notes) will be forwarded to the Technical Lead/QA Manager, who will be responsible for reviewing the field data for accuracy and completeness as well as the wetland delineation memo/report. If field data appear to be incorrect, incomplete, or missing, the field data will be returned to the soil scientist for completion and/or correction. Electronic copies of field forms, field notes, and the wetland delineation memo/report will be maintained on the Fuss and O’Neill server, which will be available to the project team. The soil scientist will retain original field forms and notes.
Secondary Data Usage
Copies of the secondary data listed in Table 3, including GIS data, reports, and other documents, will be downloaded from their original sources and saved in electronic format on the Fuss & O’Neill file server for use by the project team. The data will be provided to NFWF upon request.
Assessments and Analyses
The green infrastructure desktop screening level review, green infrastructure designs, pollutant load reduction estimates, and related design information will be documented in a series of technical memoranda, including associated assessment and design calculation spreadsheets
The technical memoranda will be incorporated into and part of the updated watershed management plan. These project deliverables and associated primary and secondary data will be reviewed by the Fuss & O’Neill Technical Lead/QA Manager. Fuss & O’Neill will share the draft project deliverables with the NCCD Project manager and the Stakeholder Engagement Lead/Project Coordinator for additional review and comment Fuss & O’Neill will finalize the project deliverables based on the review comments as well as stakeholder input. These project deliverables and associated data will be stored on the Fuss & O’Neill file server.
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Interviews and Workshops
Notes from property owner interviews and workshop meeting summary notes will be transcribed into a computer at the office. The interview notes and workshop summary notes will be reviewed by the Fuss & O’Neill Technical Lead/QA Manager, the NCCD Project Manager, and the Stakeholder Engagement Lead/Project Coordinator. Workshop summary notes will be shared with the Project Advisory Committee for review and comment. Final workshop summary notes will be distributed to meeting participants and will be part of the updated watershed management plan. Interview and workshop summary notes will be stored on the Fuss & O’Neill file server.
4.1 DATA ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
Data must be consistently assessed and documented to determine whether project QAOs discussed in section 1.4 have been met, quantitatively assess data quality, and identify potential limitations on data use. Assessment and compliance with quality control procedures will be undertaken during the data collection phase of the project
4.2 DATA TO BE INCLUDED IN QA SUMMARY REPORTS
During the project, NFWF may require periodic reporting, as noted below. Table 4 summarizes the types of data to be reported and the method in which that information will be delivered to NFWF staff.
reports, MS4 permit documentation, planned capital improvements, existing green infrastructure practices
Property Owner Interview Feedback
Workshop Meeting Feedback
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
Table 4 QA Summary Reporting Data
Oral feedback from property owners in response to list of questions
Obtain oral and written feedback from community and stakeholders including Project Advisory Committee
Compile feedback (notes) into a summary report and upload via NFWF online system
Compile feedback (notes) into a summary report and upload via NFWF online system
At NFWF request and during the project closeout procedure
At NFWF request and during the project closeout procedure
At project completion, the project team will provide copies of the above data. At a minimum, information must be provided to NFWF staff according to the QA Summary Report template, included as Appendix C The EPA Project Officer will receive reports, as appropriate.
4.3 REPORTING FORMAT
All results meeting data quality objectives and results having satisfactory explanations for deviations from objectives will be reported in the QA Summary Report Results will be reported to NFWF at project completion as noted in Section 4.2 above Reports may be submitted electronically along with the final programmatic report.
5 DATA VERIFICATION AND USABILITY
Data verification and usability are addressed in Section 3 and other sections of this QAPP.
5.1 SELF-ASSESSMENT, DATA SYSTEM AUDITS
The Fuss & O’Neill Technical Lead/QA Manager and NCCD Project Manager are responsible for determining the need for and implementation of corrective action measures to the data collection procedures. Periodic self-assessments and/or data system audits will be implemented based on the nature and scope of project-specific data collection activities. Corrective action will be implemented upon the identification of problems discovered through self-assessments or system audits. If a problem is identified, the Technical Lead/QA Manager will:
• Evaluate the problem in accordance with data quality objectives
• Determine whether implementation of corrective action is required
• Assign and implement a corrective action
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action.
NFWF may implement, at their discretion, various audits or reviews of this project to assess conformance and compliance to the quality assurance project plan.
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
6 REFERENCES
2010 North Branch Park River Watershed Management Plan
2018 MDC Long Term Control Plan Update
Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended (CT DEEP, 2004; revision in progress)
New England Stormwater Retrofit Manual (Southeast New England Program, 20 VHB, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, Southeast New England Program, 2022)
Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series (Center for Watershed Protection)
Coastal Stormwater Management through Green Infrastructure: A Handbook for Municipalities (EPA, 2014).
Standards and Suggested Methods and Procedures for Surveys and Maps in the State of Connecticut (CT Association of Land Surveyors).
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual (Technical Report Y-87-1)
Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region (ERDC/EL TR-12-1).
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ guidance entitled The Highway Methodology Workbook
Supplement: Wetland Functions and Values, A Descriptive Approach.
New Hampshire Stormwater Manual
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2
APPENDICES
A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INVENTORY FIELD DATA FORM
B TEST PIT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) & TEST PIT/FIELD INFILTRATION TESTING FIELD DATA FORMS
C QA SUMMARY REPORT TEMPLATE
NFWF QAPP PROJECT NO.: 73424
Project Name: Planning to Reduce Water Pollution in the North Branch Park River Watershed
Date: March 7, 2023
Revision No.: 2