Lower Salinas River Watershed TMDL - Monitoring Data

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A watershed-related topic examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

Summary

Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) the Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program (CCAMP) conducts monthly monitoring in the Lower Salinas Watershed in order to conduct trend analysis and detect emerging water quality problems. Monitoring is also required by the Central Coast Region Agricultural Waiver. In order to comply the Central Coast agricultural community consolidated monitoring within a Cooperative Monitoring Program (CMP). This Cooperative Monitoring Program is managed by Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc. (CCWQP), and releases annual reports. The most recent report published by CCWQP is from 2018 [1]. Within the report the Lower Salinas Watershed is listed as Hydrologic Unit (HU) 309. CCWQP also submits quarterly results of monitoring to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB). These results are displayed on the California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN) [2].

Status of Nitrate

The overall target TMDL for Nitrate is 10 mg/L for all receiving waterbodies. During the dry season (May 1st - October 31st) Nitrate should not be over 1.4 - 6.4 mg/L in impaired receiving waters for specific streams. During the wet season nitrate should not exceed 8 mg/L for impaired, receiving streams. [3]

Image 2. 2018 Nitrate Monitoring Data for locations within the Lower Salinas River Watershed Cooperative Monitoring Program. The testing performed by Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc. and data is retrieved from Central Coast Cooperative Monitoring Program 2018 Annual Water Quality Report

Examples of time series data for CCAMP monitoring sites furthest downstream in the Lower Salinas River Watershed.

Image 3. Time series data for Nitrate at Tembladero Slough. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 4. Time series data for Nitrate at Blanco Drain. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 5. Time series data for Nitrate at the Lower Salinas River. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.

Status of Un-ionized Ammonia

The target TMDL for un-ionized ammonia is 0.025 mg/L.[3] The majority of the water bodies in the Lower Salinas Valley have an un-ionized concentration mean bellow 0.025 mg/L. CCAMP has identified a monotonic decreasing trend of Ammonia levels at Tembladero Slough at Haro Road.

Image 6. Un-ionized Ammonia levels at all CCAMP monitoring sites regulated under the Lower Salinas River Watershed Nutrient TMDL. Geometric mean of un-ionized ammonia levels in water bodies regulated by the Lower Salinas River Watershed Nutrient TMDL, data retrieved from CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator.
Image 7. Time series data for Un-ionoized ammonia at Tembladero Slough. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 8. Time series data for Un-ionoized ammonia at Blanco Drain. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 9. Time series data for Un-ionoized ammonia at Espinosa Slough. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.

Status of Orthophosphate

The target TMDL concentration for orthophosphate is 0.3 mg/L during the wet season (November 1st - April 30th). The dry season target (May 1st - October 31st) depends on the specific waterbody, but target threshold ranges from 0.7 mg/L to 0.13 mg/L. [3] CCAMP has identified a monotonic decreasing trend of Orthophosphate levels at Tembladero Slough at Haro Road.

Image 10. Orthophosphate levels at all CCAMP monitoring sites regulated under the Lower Salinas River Watershed Nutrient TMDL. Geometric mean of un-ionized ammonia levels in water bodies regulated by the Lower Salinas River Watershed Nutrient TMDL, data retrieved from CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator.

Examples of time series data for CCAMP monitoring sites furthest downstream in the Lower Salinas River Watershed.

Image 11. Time series data for Orthophosphate at Tembladero Slough. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 12. Time series data for Orthophosphate at Espinosa Slough. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.
Image 13. Time series data for Orthophosphate in the Lower Salinas River. Data retrieved from: CCAMP Central Coast Data Navigator: Basic Water Quality.

Links

References

  1. Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc. 2019. Central Coast Cooperative Monitoring Program 2018 Annual Water Quality Report https://ccwqp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018-CMP-Annual-Report.pdf
  2. California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN) https://ceden.waterboards.ca.gov/AdvancedQueryTool
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lower Salinas TMDL Summary

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.