Cache Creek, Bear Creek, Sulphur Creek, and Harley Gulch TMDL

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• The Cache Creek Watershed Mercury Program required an assessment of mercury-contaminated sediments in the upper Cache Creek watershed.  Water Board staff has completed the survey and links to the reports are provided below:
  • Mercury Inventory in the Cache Creek Canyon (February 2008), 2.3 MB*, PDF (PDF Info)
    This report evaluates the distribution of mercury in sediment in Cache Creek and identifies tributary sources of mercury to the creek, from North Fork Cache Creek to Bear Creek.
  • Bear Creek Mercury Inventory (June 2009), 3.53 MB*, PDF (PDF Info)
    This report evaluates the spacial distribution of mercury in sediment and identifies tributary sources of mercury to Bear Creek, from upper Bear Creek to Cache Creek.
  • New! Mercury Inventory in the Cache Creek Canyon, Bear Creek Confluence to Rumsey (March 2011), 1.67 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
    This report evaluates the distribution of mercury in sediment in Cache Creek and identifies tributary sources of mercury to the creek, from the confluence of Bear Creek to Rumsey.
• The Central Valley Water Board has adopted a TMDL and Basin Plan amendment for mercury in Cache Creek, Bear Creek, and Harley Gulch. The effective Date of TMDL and Basin Plan Amendment is the date of USEPA approval, 6 February 2007.
  • USEPA Approval of Site-Specific Water Quality Objectives and COMM Beneficial Use, 172 KB, PDF (PDF info)
  • USEPA Approval of TMDL Inventory in the Cache Creek Canyon, 81 KB, PDF (PDF info)
• Final staff report for Basin Plan Amendments for Control of Mercury in the Cache Creek Watershed (October 2005)
  Final staff report adopted by the Central Valley Water Board at a public hearing on 21 October 2005.
• Final Staff Report, 1.83 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
• Appendices A-J (Includes Resolution and Basin Plan amendment, 2.21 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
• Cache Creek 10-year Floodplain Definition Report, 1.6 MB*, PDF (PDF Info)
• Staff Report - Cache Creek, Bear Creek, and Harley Gulch Mercury TMDL (November 2004)
  This is the technical TMDL report for mercury in the Cache Creek watershed, including Cache Creek, Bear Creek, and Harley Gulch. The TMDL report contains: a mercury source analysis, numeric targets to protect beneficial uses, a linkage between aqueous and biotic methylmercury concentrations; load allocations, and options for an implementation plan. The Basin Plan amendment adopted by the Central Valley Water Board in October 2005 implements this TMDL. For more information, please contact Janis Cooke at (916) 464-4672 or by email at jcooke@waterboards.ca.gov or Patrick Morris at 916-464-4621 or by email at pmorris@waterboards.ca.gov.
• Cache Creek TMDL Report, 1.43 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
• Appendices, 1.15 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
• Sulphur Creek TMDL and Basin Plan Amendment

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--Web page updated 05/18/2011