Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool
CAST Newsletter: September 2022
Tips and information to facilitate environmental restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Did You Know?
Did you know you can compare CAST data with monitored load data? CAST has an interactive Chesapeake Bay Non-Tidal Phase 6 map available on the Nontidal Water Quality Dashboard. Select a parameter from the drop down menu, and then select a station from the map to view details about the modeled and monitored loads at that location. We will talk more about this tool at this month's upcoming webinar.
CAST Webinars and Training
Upcoming Webinars
This month's webinar will cover how to use water quality monitoring resources. We will walk through ways to use the monitoring data, and then take a closer look at how this data compares to the loads we see in CAST.
- Topic: Monitoring Data
- Time: September 15, 2022 at noon EDT
- Join Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 830 4632 5463
- One tap mobile +13126266799,,83046325463#
Available Training Videos
Past training videos, on topics ranging from buffers to targeting nutrient reductions, are available in the Learning section of CAST under 'Free Training Videos'. Amongst the variety of training content available, there are also short videos on topics like 'Where do I start,' under CAST 101 - Getting Started.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Success Story
Riverhill Farm Alternative Energy Project: Farmer in the Shenandoah River watershed installed a biomass burning system that uses a portion of the poultry manure generated by his farm to heat the brooder barns. Read more about this success story on the Chesapeake Bay Program's Highlighting Community and Economic Benefits from Conservation Success Stories page.
Chesapeake Bay Program Deadlines
2022 Progress toward the Bay TMDL
The Chesapeake Bay Deadlines refer to the major jurisdictions' annual reporting of BMPs implemented, and existing BMPs verified as functioning in the watershed. BMP implementation information is used to create annual progress scenarios using CAST and to make assessments and report out the estimated impacts of restoration efforts.
The Phase 6 NEIEN Appendix has been approved and is available for download under CAST Progress Reporting.
- October 16, 2022: CBPO provides intial feedback to jurisdictions concerning the draft QAPP September 1 submission. The time between the initial submission on September 1 and October 16 is 45 days, which is the standard EPA QAPP review period.
- No later than December 1, 2022: Final BMP submissions for the previous July 1 to June 30 data period due fom jurisdictions for the 2022 Progress Phase 6 model assessment - both wastewater data and non-wastewater BMPs. Wastewater data includes the categories CSO, bio-solids, spray irrigation, large onsite septic systems, and rapid infiltration.
- February 7, 2023: Final progress run information for progress available to jurisdictions - needed for outside reporting of progress on commitments and to keep results relevant.
Updates to CAST
New features: Updated look and wording for the register section of the CAST homepage. "News" page added for access to the most recent copy of the CAST newsletter.
A full list of changes is available on CAST's Upgrade History. The new CAST version is Phase 6 - 7.4.0.
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