Difference between revisions of "Total Maximum Daily Load for Nitrate for the Lower Salinas River Watershed, Monterey County, California"
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...What environmental resource/s are at stake?... | ...What environmental resource/s are at stake?... | ||
| − | [[Drinking water]] is an important resource which has been threatened by high levels of nitrates in the Lower Salinas River Watershed <ref name="Nitrate Drinking Water"> | + | [[Drinking water]] is an important resource which has been threatened by high levels of nitrates in the Lower Salinas River Watershed <ref name="Nitrate Drinking Water">UC Davis study on elevated nitrates as a threat to drinking water and public health in the Salinas Valley [http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20120317/NEWS01/203170316/Contamination-conundrum-Spotlight-nitrate-Salinas-Valley-drinking-water] </ref><ref name="Addressing nitrate in CA drinking water''>2012 UC Davis study on groundwater nitrate contamination in California [http://groundwaternitrate.ucdavis.edu/files/138956.pdf]</ref><ref name="Agricultural impacts on groundwater nitrate''>Article on agricultural impacts on groundwater nitrate [www.swhydro.arizona.edu/archive/V8_N4/feature2.pdf] </ref>. |
==Stakeholders== | ==Stakeholders== | ||
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====Preliminary draft project report for nutrient TMDLs (Lower Salinas River Watershed)==== | ====Preliminary draft project report for nutrient TMDLs (Lower Salinas River Watershed)==== | ||
| − | A recent (March 2012) ''preliminary'' draft project report by the | + | A recent (March 2012) ''preliminary'' draft project report by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, (CRWQCB) Central Coast Region ([[CCRWQCB]]) on TMDLs for nutrients in the Lower Salinas River Watershed<ref name="TMDLs CA Waterboard">Link to Waterboard TMDLs for Nutrients in the Lower Salinas Watershed [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb3/water_issues/programs/tmdl/docs/salinas/nutrients/index.shtml]</ref>. |
| − | In this document, the work group identifies multiple [[Beneficial uses (Clean Water Act)|beneficial uses]] (BUs) as impaired, including those for drinking water supply, livestock watering, and aquatic habitat BUs | + | In this document, the work group identifies multiple [[Beneficial uses (Clean Water Act)|beneficial uses]] (BUs) as impaired, including those for drinking water supply, livestock watering, and aquatic habitat BUs. |
From the preliminary draft document<ref name="TMDLs CA Waterboard"/>: | From the preliminary draft document<ref name="TMDLs CA Waterboard"/>: | ||
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''Problem Statement'': | ''Problem Statement'': | ||
Discharges of nitrogen compounds and orthophosphate are occurring at levels in surface waters | Discharges of nitrogen compounds and orthophosphate are occurring at levels in surface waters | ||
| − | which are impairing a wide | + | which are impairing a wide spectrum of beneficial uses and, therefore, constitute a serious |
water quality problem. The municipal and domestic drinking water supply (MUN, GWR) | water quality problem. The municipal and domestic drinking water supply (MUN, GWR) | ||
beneficial uses and the range of aquatic habitat beneficial uses are currently impaired; potential | beneficial uses and the range of aquatic habitat beneficial uses are currently impaired; potential | ||
or future beneficial uses of the agricultural irrigation water supply (AGR) for sensitive crops may | or future beneficial uses of the agricultural irrigation water supply (AGR) for sensitive crops may | ||
| − | be impaired (refer back to Basin Plan water quality objectives in | + | be impaired (refer back to Basin Plan water quality objectives in Table 3-2). <br /><br />A total of 34 |
waterbody/pollutant combinations are impaired due to exceedances of water quality objectives. | waterbody/pollutant combinations are impaired due to exceedances of water quality objectives. | ||
The pollutants addressed in this TMDL are nitrate, un-ionized ammonia, and orthophosphate – | The pollutants addressed in this TMDL are nitrate, un-ionized ammonia, and orthophosphate – | ||
Revision as of 21:36, 28 March 2012
A watershed-related issue examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.
Contents
Summary
...a few sentences...
Location
...Name the smallest watershed (or other applicable region) within which the issue occurs...
Resource/s at stake
...What environmental resource/s are at stake?...
Drinking water is an important resource which has been threatened by high levels of nitrates in the Lower Salinas River Watershed [1][2][3].
Stakeholders
...Who are the stakeholders in the watershed? e.g. agencies, non-profits, associations...
Laws, policies, & regulations
Regulatory background
...What laws, policies, and/or regulations are involved?...
Preliminary draft project report for nutrient TMDLs (Lower Salinas River Watershed)
A recent (March 2012) preliminary draft project report by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, (CRWQCB) Central Coast Region (CCRWQCB) on TMDLs for nutrients in the Lower Salinas River Watershed[4].
In this document, the work group identifies multiple beneficial uses (BUs) as impaired, including those for drinking water supply, livestock watering, and aquatic habitat BUs.
From the preliminary draft document[4]:
Problem Statement: Discharges of nitrogen compounds and orthophosphate are occurring at levels in surface waters which are impairing a wide spectrum of beneficial uses and, therefore, constitute a serious water quality problem. The municipal and domestic drinking water supply (MUN, GWR) beneficial uses and the range of aquatic habitat beneficial uses are currently impaired; potential or future beneficial uses of the agricultural irrigation water supply (AGR) for sensitive crops may be impaired (refer back to Basin Plan water quality objectives in Table 3-2).
A total of 34 waterbody/pollutant combinations are impaired due to exceedances of water quality objectives. The pollutants addressed in this TMDL are nitrate, un-ionized ammonia, and orthophosphate – orthophosphate is included as a pollutant due to biostimulatory impairments of surface waters. Reducing these pollutants is also anticipated to address several 303(d)-listed dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a impairments in the TMDL project area.
Systems
... What elements of the biophysical system are/were involved?...
Science
...What scientific studies are or would be relevant / already completed?...
Tools
...What analytical (e.g. modeling) tools were or could be used?...
Future research
...What knowledge gaps remain?...
...Suggest a CWSP MS thesis topic that could contribute to the issue...
...Suggest a topic for a hypothetical study that had unlimited resources...
References
- ↑ UC Davis study on elevated nitrates as a threat to drinking water and public health in the Salinas Valley [1]
- ↑ 2012 UC Davis study on groundwater nitrate contamination in California [2]
- ↑ Article on agricultural impacts on groundwater nitrate [www.swhydro.arizona.edu/archive/V8_N4/feature2.pdf]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Link to Waterboard TMDLs for Nutrients in the Lower Salinas Watershed [3]
See also
- TMDLs in the Monterey Bay Region of California
- TMDLs for nutrients in the Lower Salinas River Watershed, Monterey County
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.
