Draft 2008 California 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report

Supporting Information

Regional Board 2 - San Francisco Bay Region

Water Body Name: Peralta Creek
Water Body ID: CAR2042004020080817191851
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
9456
 
Pollutant: Diazinon | Pyrethroids | Sediment Toxicity
Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: New Decision
Revision Status Revised
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Weight of Evidence: This pollutant is being considered for listing under sections 3.6 and 3.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.6 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

Three lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess toxicity in Peralta Creek. Based on the readily available data for this water body, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification available against placing this water segment-pollutant combination on the section 303(d) list in the Water Quality Limited Segments category.

This conclusion is based on the staff findings that:

1. The data concerning current conditions and supporting the listing decision satisfy the data quality requirements of section 6.1.4 of the Policy.

2. The data used satisfy the data quantity requirements of section 6.1.5 of the Policy.

3. The allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 of the Listing Policy are not exceeded for toxicity, pyrethroids and diazinon. Only one sample was tested for toxicity and amphipod toxicity was not detected. One sample was tested for pyrethroid concentration and showed 28 toxicity units indicating potential toxic effect but growth and survival of Hyalella azteca was unaffected. In one of three samples concentration of diazinon exceeded the acute water quality threshold.

4. The sample size for toxicity and pyrethroid is insufficient to determine with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy if standards are not met.

5. Pursuant to section 3.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not met.
 
RWQCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, Water Board staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list because there is insufficient information to confirm toxicity and to determine that the standards are not met.
 
SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation:
 
USEPA Decision:
 
 
Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 9456
 
LOE ID: 8975
 
Pollutant: Pyrethroids
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Sediment
Matrix: Sediment
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 1
Number of Exceedances: 1
 
Data and Information Type: Toxicity testing of sediments
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Data used to evaluate pyrethroid toxicity comprise one sediment sample collected by the SWAMP in 2005.The pyrethroid concentration in the Peralta Creek sample exceeded 28TU but the growth and survival of Hyalella azteca was unaffected.
Data Reference: Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances that are lethal to or that produce other detrimental responses in aquatic organisms.

There shall be no chronic toxicity in ambient waters. Chronic toxicity is a detrimental biological effect on growth rate, reproduction, fertilization success, larval development, population abundance, community composition, or any other relevant measure of the health of an organism, population, or community.
Objective/Criterion Reference: San Francisco Bay Basin (Region 2) Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Amweg et al. (2006) interpreted results of toxicity testing and sediment pyrethroid concentrations in urban creeks in California. Pyrethroid concentration data and analysis of toxicity units (TU) were used to determine whether pyrethroids could be linked to the observed toxicity to Hyalella azteca. The results indicated that samples with less than 1 TU were nontoxic and those with TU greater than 2 were consistently toxic.
Guideline Reference: Pyrethroid insecticides and sediment toxicity in urban creeks from California and Tennessee. Environmental Science and Technology, 40(5): 1700-1706
 
Spatial Representation: Data were collected at a sampling location at the lower part of Peralta Creek North of Hwy 185.
Temporal Representation: Sample was collected in spring 2005.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB, 2002).
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
LOE ID: 8974
 
Pollutant: Sediment Toxicity
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Sediment
Matrix: Sediment
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 1
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: TOXICITY TESTING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Data used to evaluate sediment toxicity comprise one sediment sample collected by the SWAMP in 2005. The sample did not exhibit amphipod toxicity.
Data Reference: Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances that are lethal to or that produce other detrimental responses in aquatic organisms.
There shall be no chronic toxicity in ambient waters. Chronic toxicity is a detrimental biological effect on growth rate, reproduction, fertilization success, larval development, population abundance, community composition, or any other relevant measure of the health of an organism, population, or community.
Objective/Criterion Reference: San Francisco Bay Basin (Region 2) Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Sediment toxicity data were evaluated according to the SWAMP methodology. Sample toxicity was determined by comparing mean organism response in samples and in negative controls. Statistical evaluation and a default threshold of 80% of the control value were used to establish whether the sediment exhibited significant toxicity adversely impacting aquatic organisms.
Guideline Reference: Revised approach to toxicity test acceptability criteria using a statistical performance assessment. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, vol. 16, No. 6, pp 1322–1329
 
Spatial Representation: Data were collected at a sampling location at the lower part of Peralta Creek North of Hwy 185.
Temporal Representation: Sample was collected in spring 2005.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB, 2002).
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
LOE ID: 8977
 
Pollutant: Diazinon
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Sediment
Matrix: Sediment
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 3
Number of Exceedances: 1
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Diazinon concentration in one (January 2005) of three samples exceeded 0.1 ug/L.
Data Reference: Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances that are lethal to or that produce other detrimental responses in aquatic organisms.
There shall be no chronic toxicity in ambient waters. Chronic toxicity is a detrimental biological effect on growth rate, reproduction, fertilization success, larval development, population abundance, community composition, or any other relevant measure of the health of an organism, population, or community.
Objective/Criterion Reference: San Francisco Bay Basin (Region 2) Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan)
 
Evaluation Guideline: The TMDL for diazinon in urban creeks established diazinon concentration target of less than 0.1 ug/L expressed as a one-hour average.
Guideline Reference: San Francisco Bay Basin (Region 2) Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan)
 
Spatial Representation: Data were collected at a sampling location at the lower part of Peralta Creek North of Hwy 185.
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected in January (we season) and June (dry season) of 2005.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB, 2002).
QAPP Information Reference(s):