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: RH. Mainly working on: tmdl develop and implement fleshing this out
    • Initials: PKD. Mainly working on: Monterey Bay area listings
    • Initials: AAY. Mainly working on: Regionally approved TMDLs considered
    • Initials: BK. Working on problem id
    • Initials: SQ. Mainly working on: Source Analysis
  • 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. Various links present, explain, and discuss the list, including:

Maybe we should very briefly explain the categories on this page, so that the reader doesn't have to clicking all those links.

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,High 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, High Priority, Category 5A
    • Salinity, Low Priority

TMDL development and implementation

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

  • Identify waters requiring TMDLs
  • Priority ranking and targeting
  • Develop TMDLs (see below)

Components of TMDL development

(Summarized from, for example, EPA Protocols for developing nutrient TMDLs)

  • Problem Statement
    • Identify Problem
      • Problem identification starts the process of the TMDL by summarizing the existing impairments, where they are located, and what probable sources are known. Collecting existing data, identifying designated uses, and evaluating seasonal factors are parts of this early summary.
  • Numeric Targets
    • Develop Numeric Targets
      • Research applicable water quality standards for the waterbody depending on jurisdictions and uses.
    • Select indicators
      • Technical and general scientific validity and practical time and cost considerations are useful in selecting whch indicators to pick.
    • Identify target values
      • Choosing target values or conditions is complex, so local examples and experience in setting target values is extremely useful in the process. Various historical levels, and especially reference reach conditions can start the process. Other factors to consider when setting values are seasonal fluxes and spatial variability in the indicator. Values can be graduated on categorical type (e.g. tributary vs. main stem), and a margin of safety should be applied. The margin of safety is based on reliability and accuracy of indicator measurements, the degree of impairment, direct impacts,and best professional judgment based on experience and literature.
    • 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
      • Currently, once a TMDL is developed and approved for a water body it can be removed from the 303d list[3]
  • Implement control action
      • This can involve lowering permitted discharges if present, and using as many other strategeies as possible. Other strategies could be regulations, educational programs, best management practices, cost-sharing or other assistance, and use of volunteer groups[3].
Unclear where the items below fit into this section
  • Assess control actions
    • Evaluating success of control actions through monitoring is required in some states, but this is not directly required at the federal level unless a point source permit under section 402 is revised[3].
  • 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 used in the Monterey Bay area are summarized here. First, a list is given of the approved TMDLs that are considered in this summary. This is followed by a summary of approaches used within these TMDLs, organized according to the different components of a TMDL.

Regionally approved TMDLs considered

TMDLs for the Monterey Bay area approved by the CCRWQCB are listed below (a subset of the full list for the region).

<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[4]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Pajaro River (Including San Benito River, Llagas Creek and Rider Creek) Sediment TMDL[5]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Pajaro River (Including Llagas Creek) Nitrate TMDL [6]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • San Lorenzo River (Including Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek) Sediment TMDL [7]
    • Approved at the Federal, State and Regional level
  • Las Tablas Creek and Lake Nacimiento Mercury TMDL Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
    • Approved at the Regional level only.

Approaches to Problem Identification

BK still working on this, comments are appreciated
  • Bullet list of approaches used in problem identification, with reference to above list of TMDLs
  • Wet and dry season sampling for fecal bacteria - used to confirm the existence of a potential pathogen problem in the water body. (Watsonville Slough)
  • Genetic testing - used as source analysis for coliform bacteria. (Watsonville Slough)
  • Assessment of turbidity - (Pajaro River)
  • Assessment of sediment budget - both excessive export of sediment (Rider Creek, Pajaro River Watershed; San Lorenzo River Watershed) and lack of sediment (San Benito River, Pajaro River Watershed) can form basis for listing on the 303(d).
  • Assessment of nitrate concentration - used to check the quality of municipal and domestic supply (Pajaro River, Llagas Creek)
  • Counts of endangered and threatened fish poupalations such as steelhead and Coho salmon (San Lorenzo River Watershed)

Approaches to developing 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[8]
    • 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[9]
    • 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[10]
    • 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[11]
    • 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[12]
    • 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

Approaches to Source Analysis

SQ still working on this section.
Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far.

Identification and analysis of potential sources.

  • Watsonville Slough Pathogens TMDL[4]
    • Initial Source Tracking
      • Initial monitoring : sampling
      • Increased monitoring to problem areas to isolate and identify sources: focused grab sampling and dye testing
    • Genetic Analysis
      • Toxic Gene Biomarker Method
        • DNA extraction of E.colli colonies on agar plates in water grab samples
        • DNA analyzed for presence/ absence of toxin gene specific to host animals
    • Hydrologic Modification Analysis
      • Analyze potential relationships between waterbody circulation and bacteria concentration
    • Land Use Distribution Analysis
      • Analyze potential relationships between land use in subwatersheds with exceedences of water quality objectives


  • Pajaro River (Including San Benito River, Llagas Creek and Rider Creek) Sediment TMDLFinal Project Report
    • Computer Model by Tetra Tech


  • Pajaro River (Including Llagas Creek) Nitrate TMDLFinal Project Report
    • Land use based approach
      • Used multi-resolution datasets to identify land cover type.
      • Collected samples
      • Used a pollution load equation in ArcGIS to calculate nonpoint sources of pollution in watersheds.
        • PLOAD Version 3.0


  • San Lorenzo River (Including Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek) Sediment TMDLReport


  • Las Tablas Creek and Lake Nacimiento Mercury TMDLDraft Report
    • Developed a Mercury loading model based on a geographical information systems (GIS) database combined with chemical sample data (Mercury loading model and chemical sample data from Rice et al. 2004)
      • Estimated basin and sub-basin areas using GIS and Calwater 2.2 basin outlines
      • Estimated mercury concentration for each area
      • Summed annual mercury loads for each sub-area to create a mercury load model

Approaches to Linkage Analysis

Summarize approaches that have been used in TMDLs approved so far.

...

Approaches to developing Load Allocations

Last edited by Cooper 090415 @ 9:45.

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.” Not all TMDL allocations are in the form of load. The regulations at 40 CFR 130.2 (i) state "a mass load of the pollutant can also be expressed as a unit of concentration."

The techniques used to allocate new water quality standards vary between TMDL's. Below is a list of some of the of various allocation techniques used in some of the central California coast TMDL's.

  • Pajaro River & Llagas Creek TMDL for NitrateFinal Project Report[13]
    • Load Allocation: The nitrate TMDL is set at a maximum concentration of 10 mg/l nitrate-N in receiving water
    • Specific Sources: Load allocations of 10 mg/l nitrate-N are assigned to each source, including background and all watershed land uses


  • Pajaro River (including Llagas Creek, Rider Creek and San Benito Creek) TMDL for Sediment (suspended sediment and stream bed characteristics)Final Project Report[14]
    • Load Allocation:
      • Suspended Sediment: The numeric targets are based on exposure index (concentration and duration) developed by Newcombe and Jensen.
      • Stream Bed Characteristics: Numeric targets were established for four stream bed parameters. The parameters are residual pool volume, median gravel size in spawning gravels, %fine material for fine fines and %fine material for coarse spawning gravel.
    • Specific Sources:
      • Suspended Sediment: Due to varying natural suspended sediment conditions through out the watershed individual sub-basins were assigned unique load allocation numbers.
      • Stream Bed Characteristics: The Pajaro River including Llagas, Rider and San Benito creeks are all considered one source. All of the listed stream bed parameters exists across the different sources.


  • Watsonville Slough TMDL for PathogensFinal Project Report, DRAFT[15]
    • Load Allocation: The numeric target includes a maximum concentration and geometric mean. Maximum Concentration: No more than 10% of total samples during a period of 30days can exceed a fecal coliform concentration above 400 MPN/100ml. Geometric Mean: The geometric mean of no less than five samples over a period of 30 days exceed a concentration of 200 MPN/100ml.
    • Specific Sources: The numeric targets apply to all samples collected in the Watsonville Slough and including Gallighan, Harkin, Hanson and Struve Sloughs.


  • San Lorenzo River (Including Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek) Sediment TMDL Report[16]
    • Load Allocation: Allocations are in the form annual loads.
    • Specific Sources: Allocations were divided between each sub-basin (Shingle Mill Creek, Carbonera Creek, Lompico Creek and San Lorenzo River. For each sub-basin load sources were divided between Upland THP Roads, Streamside THP Roads on Steep Slopes, Upland Public/Private Roads, Streamside Public/Private Roads on Steep Slopes, THP Land, Other Urban and Rural Land, Mass Wastig and Channel/Bank Erosion.


  • Las Tablas Creek and Lake Nacimiento Mercury TMDL Draft Report[17]
    • Load Allocations: allocations are in the form of annual load.
    • Specific Sources: There are three sources that were specified, General Soils, Roads and Mines.

Approaches to developing a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

The text below seems to be more about monitoring in general.
It needs to be more specifically related to TMDLs. 
.e. look in some approved TMDL Final Reports, and see what approaches they have used for monitoring plans, and then summarize these approaches.
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)
  • Coastal Watershed Council (CWC) Snap Shot Day [1]
  • CWC Clean Streams Project [2]
  • National Estuarine Research Reserve Monitoring Program (NERRMP)[3]
  • Central Coast Long Term Environmental Assessment Program (CCLEAN)[4]
  • Central Coast Watershed Studies (CCOWS)[5]
  • Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc.(CCWQP) Northern and Southern Area Ag-Waiver Monitoring [6]
  • Department of Health Services [7]
  • Department of Pesticide Regulation [8]
  • State Mussel Watch [9]
  • State Toxic Substances Monitoring [10]
  • Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program [11]

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

Approaches to developing Implementation Plans

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. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Killam G. 2005. The Clean Water Act Owner's Manual. Oregon: River Network.
  4. 4.0 4.1 [http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_decisions/adopted_orders/2006/2006_0025_wat_path_proj_rpt.pdf Watsonville Slough Pathogens TMDL - Final Project Report, DRAFT].
  5. Final Project Report
  6. Final Project Report
  7. Report
  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
  14. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  15. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  16. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects
  17. Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 303 (d) Investigations and TMDL Projects

Links