TMDL Implementation Plans
Openquon Creek Implementation Plan
An Implementation Plan was developed for the Opequon Creek Watershed and is available for download here. The project was finalized in July 2006.
In 2003, the Biological Systems Engineering (BSE) department at Virginia Tech developed five TMDLs for the Opequon Creek watershed[1,2]; two to address aquatic life impairments (Abrams Creek and Lower Opequon Creek) and three to address bacteria impairments (Abrams Creek and Upper and Lower Opequon Creek). These TMDLs were approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2004.
A part of the Potomac River basin (USGS Hydrologic Unit Code 020700), Opequon Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay, Figure 1. Abrams Creek is a tributary of Opequon Creek. For clarity, the two impaired segments of Opequon Creek were designated “Upper” and “Lower.” The headwaters of Upper Opequon Creek (Segment ID VAV-B08R_OPE01A00) lie to the southwest of the city of Winchester. Abrams Creek (Segment ID VAV-B09R_ABR01A00) runs through the city of Winchester and flows into Opequon Creek. Lower Opequon Creek (Segment ID VAV-B09R_OPE01A00) begins at the confluence of Abrams Creek and Upper Opequon Creek and ends at the point where the Opequon crosses the Virginia/West Virginia state line.
Figure 1: Location of the Opequon Creek watershed with Abrams Creek delineated.
