TMDLs in the Monterey Bay Region of California

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This page summarizes the development and implementation of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plans in the Monterey Bay region of California. The page is being created by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

Page editing notes & scoring rubric

This section of this page will be deleted once the page is fleshed out. Instructions to students:

  • When you START working on the page, enter your initials here (and save):
    • Initials: _VP_____. Mainly working on: __Monitoring/Evaluation_____
    • Initials: PKD. Mainly working on: Monterey Bay area listings
    • Initials: AAY. Mainly working on: Regionally approved TMDLs considered
  • When you're done, remove your initials, and save.
  • When done with a session, email everyone to say "I've just added _____".
  • There are 8 students. Each student should flesh out one section. The sections should be fleshed out in order if possible.
  • As you go, read everyone else's work and edit as necessary.
  • The whole page needs to be of good quality for anyone to get a full score. Individuals would only be downgraded if they made only minimal contribution. All would be downgraded if page fell short of being a brief but informative snapshot of a few example TMDLs in our immediate vicinity.

Background

Under the federal Clean Water Act, all impaired (e.g. polluted) waters in the USA must be placed on a list called the 303d list. A remediation plan must then be developed and implemented for each listing on each impaired water body. These plans are called TMDLs, referring to the goal of defining and achieving a total maximum daily load of each pollutant within each body.

Monterey Bay area listings

The 303d for the Central Coast Region of California is maintained by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and can be viewed here

The closest listings to Monterey Bay include:

  • For each item on this list, we need:
    • Water body
    • Pollutant
    • Priority or category of listing. See here for some indication of category.
    • Status (in development, approved, by whom, etc)
    • Link to 2009 fact sheet for the listing. See here for fact sheets.
  • Salinas River (lower, estuary to near Gonzales Rd crossing)Fact Sheet
    • Fecal Coliform, low priority, Category 5A, TMDL in Progress, Report
    • Nitrate, high priority, Category 5A [1]
    • Chloride, medium priority, Category 5A [1]
    • Chlorpyrifos, high priority, Category 5A
    • Diazinon, high priority, Category 5A
    • Electrical Conductivity, low priority, Category 5A
    • Enterococcus, low priority, Category 5A
    • E. Coli,low priority, Category 5A
    • Sodium, low priority, Category 5A
    • Total Dissolved Solids, low priority, Category 5A
    • Turbidity, low priority, Category 5A
    • Unknown Toxicity, high priority, Category 5A
    • pH, low priority, Category 5A
  • Watsonville Slough, Fact Sheet
    • Pathogens, USEPA approved TMDL, Project Report, low priority, Category 5A
    • Pesticides, TMDL in Progress, Preliminary Project Report, low priority, Category 5A
    • Ammonia, low priority
    • Chlorophyll-a,low priority
    • Chlorpyrifos, low priority
    • Diazinon, low priority
    • Sediment Toxicity,low priority
    • Sedimentation/Siltation, low priority
    • Total Coliform, low priority
    • pH, low priority
    • Pathogens, low priority, Category 5B
    • Pesticides, low priority, Category 5A
    • Low Dissolved Oxygen, low priority, Category 5A
  • Tembladero Slough,Fact Sheet ,
    • Fecal Coliform, SWRCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Chlorophyll-a, CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Chlorpyrifos, CCRWQCB approved, high priority, Category 5A
    • Diazinon, CCRWQCB approved, high priority, Category 5A
    • Escherichia coli (E. Coli), CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Nitrate, CCRWQCB approved,high priority, Category 5A
    • Sediment Toxicity, CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Total Coliform, CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Turbidity, CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Unknown Toxicity, CCRWQCB approved,high priority, Category 5A
    • pH, CCRWQCB approved, low priority, Category 5A
    • Nutrients, CCRWQCB approved, high priority, Category 5A
    • Pesticides, CCRWQCB approved, Category 5A
  • Lower Salinas River and Elkhorn Slough, Pesticides and Priority Organics, TMDL in Progress, Project Summary
  • Corralitos Creek, Pathogen, TMDL in Progress, Public Hearing Proposed Basin Plan Amendment for Corralitos and Salsipuedes Creek
  • Gabilan Creek, Fact Sheet [2]
    • Fecal Coliform, low priority, Category 5A
    • Nitrate,Low Priority, Category 5A
    • pH, Low Priority, Category 5A
    • Boron, low priority
    • Chlorophyll-a,low priority
    • Dieldrin, low priority
    • Electrical Conductivity, low priority
    • Endrin, low priority
    • Escherichia coli (E. Coli), low priority
    • Low Dissolved Oxygen, low priority
    • Nitrogen, ammonia, low priority, Category 5A
    • Salinity, low priority
  • <need about 20 of these>
  • You can use automatically end-noted references like this [3]

TMDL development and implementation

The federal EPA provides protocols for TMDL development in general here, and for specific types of constituents such as pathogens here. These protocols outline the following components of a TMDL:

<This list needs to be reformatted so that it is not in a box>
        *Problem Statement
              **Identify Problem
        *Numeric Targets
              **Develop Numeric Targets
              **Select indicators
              **Identify target values
              **Compare existing and target conditions
       *Source Assessment
              **Identify sources
              **Estimate source loadings
        *Linkage Analysis     
              **Link Targets and Sources
              **Assess linkages
              **Estimate total loading capacity
        *Allocations
              **Load allocation
              **Divide load among sources
       *Monitoring/Evaluation Plan
              **Devlop monitoring plan
              **Develop review plan
              -Develop schedule
        -Implementation Plan
              -Develop plan
  • Implement control action
  • Assess control actions
  • Build partnerships and involve the public
  • Oversee consistent national performance
  • Promote and support innovation

Approaches to TMDL development and implementation in the Monterey Bay area

Approaches to each of the above components vary throughout the nation. Approaches that have been used in the Monterey Region are summarized as follows:

Regionally approved TMDLs considered

For a full listing of approved TMDLs and developing TMDLs for the State of California Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board follow this link CCRWCB

State of California Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board approved TMDLs for the Monterey Bay area:

<ToDo: remove the load numbers from this list (which is just intended to define the scope for the rest of the page), and if applicable, discuss those kinds of details further down in the page>
  • Watsonville Slough Pathogens TMDL Final Project Report, DRAFT[4]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Pajaro River (Including San Benito River, Llagas Creek and Rider Creek) Sediment TMDLFinal Project Report[5]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Pajaro River (Including Llagas Creek) Nitrate TMDL Final Project Report[6]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • San Lorenzo River (Including Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek) Sediment TMDL Report[7]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Las Tablas Creek and Lake Nacimiento Mercury TMDL Draft Report[8]
    • Approved at the Regional level only.

Problem Identification

<BK plans to start this section>
  • Bullet list of approaches used in problem identification, with reference to above list of TMDLs
  • ...

Numeric Targets

<Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far>
This topic brings up some important points about the style and audience that we're shooting for here.
I think each of these sections needs to be a bit more prosaic than just a bullet list. It needs to be a bit more explanatory. Learn about your section, then explain it to the audience, citing Monterey Bay TMDLs to provide examples of what you are explaining. Start with some sentences explaining what a numeric target is (or whatever the section is about). Then *discuss* the approaches used. You could have some bulleted facts to support the discussion, but they need to be contextualized within a discussion. I'm thinking of things like this:
"Numeric targets are ........
"Numeric targets in the Monterey Bay area have been specified in several forms, including ........
"...in some cases the target has been expressed in units of concentration (e.g. ug/L), and in other cases.....
...and then give a few examples, using ones closest to Monterey Bay. It doesn't have to be exhaustive I think.
Also, I don't think you should discuss source analysis in the numeric targets section. We have a separate section for source analysis.
Imagine that your reader has just been given the job of setting numeric targets, and wants to read this page to get some ideas for how to go about it.


...

  • Watsonville Slough Pathogens TMDL Final Project Report, DRAFT[9]
    • Sources identified to be major contributors are urban stormwater runoff from City of Watsonville and Santa Cruz County, manure applied to agricultural fields, livestock facilities and sanitary sewage collection systems. All are required to meet the following TMDLs
      • Geometric mean 200MPN/100ml (min of 5 samples per 30 days)
      • Maximum of 400MPN/100ml (mot more than 10% of samples per 30 days)
  • Pajaro River (Including San Benito River, Llagas Creek and Rider Creek) Sediment TMDLFinal Project Report[10]
    • Sediment TMDLs are total for all land uses from individual subwatersheds. Each land use type (agriculture, silviculture, urban/residential, sand and gravel mining, rangeland/grazing, roads and natural erosion) are considered when total annual sediment loads from individual subwatersheds were calculated.
      • Tres Pinos - 53,778 metric tons/year
      • San Benito - 39,679 metric tons/year
      • Llagas - 9,185 metric tons/year
      • Uvas - 15,177 metric tons/year
      • Upper Pajaro - 43,951 metric tons/year
      • Corralitos (including Rider Creek) - 11,389 metric tons/year
      • Mouth of Pajaro - 7,268 metric tons/year
  • Pajaro River (Including Llagas Creek) Nitrate TMDL Final Project Report[11]
    • The reports findings state that of the three major contributors of nitrate (urban, agriculture and open space) agriculture is the major contributor and should continue with the Conditional Waiver program to reduce nitrate discharge.
      • TMDL for nitrate in Pajaro River and Llagas Creek is set at a maximum concentration of 10 mg/l nitrate-N
  • San Lorenzo River (Including Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek) Sediment TMDL Report[12]
    • Major contributors of sediment are timber harvest lands and roads (past and present),raods, mass wastings (land slides), roads, channel errosion and urban land uses. Each land use was considered when developing total annual loads.
      • Shingle Mill Creek- 857 tons/year
      • Carbonera Creek - 11,728 tons/year
      • Carbonera Creek - 9,542 tons/year
      • San Lorenzo River - 306,139 tons/year
  • Las Tablas Creek and Lake Nacimiento Mercury TMDL Draft Report[13]
    • Mercury was historically mined in this Lake Nacimiento region. This has made it a pollutant of concern. Although these targets have not been approved Federally or from California State, the Regional Board has approved these TMDL standards.
      • Target TMDL for water is 0.05 μg/L
      • Target TMDL for sediment is 0.486 mg/kg

Source Analysis

<SQ plans to start this section>
<Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far>


...

Linkage Analysis

<Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far>

...

Allocations

<CF plans to start this section>
<Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far>

The allocations indicate the amount of pollutant reduction that is required to attain specified water quality standards. Allocations may be assigned based on land use, land area, or erosional process. The regulations at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 130.2(g) state that “Load allocations are best estimates of the loading, which may range from reasonably accurate estimates to gross allotments, depending on the availability of data and appropriate techniques for predicting the loading.”

Monitoring/Evaluation Plan

<The text below seems to be more about monitoring in general. It needs to be more specifically related to TMDLs. i.e. look in some approved TMDL Final Reports, and see what approaches they have used for monitoring plans, and then summarize these apparoaches.>
<For example "Several approaches to specifying a monitoring plan have been adopted in approved TMDLS in the Monterey Bay area. For example, the Blah TMDL specifies that....  On the other hand, the Whoopee TMDL, requires that .....">
  

State and local monitoring programs collect monthly and annual data for water quality assessment. Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) staff review data to assess whether applicable water quality standards are being exceeded and make recommendations for 303(d)list. The following organizations have contributed monitoring data for Monterey Bay area:

<The citations in this list are being incorrectly used. They would probably all be better off as normal links, not using 'ref' tags.>
  • Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program (CCAMP)[1]
  • Coastal Watershed Council (CWC) Snap Shot Day [2]
  • CWC Clean Streams Project [3]
  • National Estuarine Research Reserve Monitoring Program (NERRMP)[4]
  • Central Coast Long Term Environmental Assessment Program (CCLEAN)[5]
  • Central Coast Watershed Studies (CCOWS)[6]
  • Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc.(CCWQP) Northern and Southern Area Ag-Waiver Monitoring [7]
  • Department of Health Services [8]
  • Department of Pesticide Regulation [9]
  • State Mussel Watch [10]
  • State Toxic Substances Monitoring [11]
  • Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program [12]

Monitoring is required to identify impaired waters, prioritize clean up plans and provide feedback on effectiveness of TMDL implementation. TMDLs are evaluated...

Implementation Plan

<Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far>

...

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 State Water Resources Control Board. 2008. Available at: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/tmdl/303d/appendix_e.shtml
  2. CCRWQCB
  3. this is an example refernce
  4. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  5. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  6. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  7. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  8. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  9. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  10. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  11. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  12. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  13. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects

Links