Final California 2010 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 8 - Santa Ana Region

Water Body Name: Knickerbocker Creek
Water Body ID: CAR8017100019990211102535
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
7257
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
Pollutant: Metals
Final Listing Decision: Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2006)
Revision Status Revised
Reason for Delisting: Flaws in original listing
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for removal from the section 303(d) list under section 4 and 3.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 4, listings of water segments shall be removed from the section 303(d) list if the listing was based on faulty data, and it is demonstrated that the listing would not have occurred in the absence of such faulty data. Under section 3.1 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

Knickerbocker Creek was originally listed for metals based on elevated metal concentration in a study conducted with shellfish tissue. No native shellfish exists in Knickerbocker Creek and shellfish harvesting is not a beneficial use in Knickerbocker Creek and this line of evidence does not meet the requirement for listing purposes.

Three lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. One of the samples exceeded the applicable water quality objectives. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification for removing this water segment-pollutant combination from the section 303(d) list.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification for removing this water segment-pollutant combination from the section 303(d) list.

This conclusion is based on the staff findings that:
1. The data used satisfies the data quality requirements of section 6.1.4 of the Policy.
2. The data used satisfies the data quantity requirements of section 6.1.5 of the Policy.
3. One of three water samples exceeded the California Toxics Rule and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 of the Listing Policy.
4. Shellfish tissue data is not appropriate for evaluating water quality objectives in Knickerbocker Creek.
5. Pursuant to section 4.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not met.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be removed from the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards for the pollutant are not being exceeded.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, SWRCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be removed from the section 303(d) list because there was a flaw in the original listing and applicable water quality standards for the pollutant are not exceeded.
 
USEPA Action (if applicable):
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 7257, Metals
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
LOE ID: 4416
 
Pollutant: Metals
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 0
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Unspecified--This LOE is a placeholder to support a 303(d) listing decision made prior to 2006.
Data Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Unspecified
Objective/Criterion Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Unspecified
Guideline Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Spatial Representation: Unspecified
Temporal Representation: Unspecified
Environmental Conditions: Unspecified
QAPP Information: Unspecified
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 7257, Metals
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
LOE ID: 7745
 
Pollutant: Copper
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 3
Number of Exceedances: 1
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the 4 samples collected one exceeded the chronic and acute standards and one sample could not be compared to standards because the hardness was not measured.
Data Reference: Big Bear Lake Metals 303(d) Delisting Proposal
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Santa Ana Region’s Basin Plan Narrative Objective: The concentrations of toxic pollutants in the water column, sediments or biota shall not adversely affect beneficial uses.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
  Water Quality Standards 2000. Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California: Rules and regulations. Federal Register Vol. 65, No. 97. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Protection Agency
 
Evaluation Guideline: California Toxics Rule - The acute criteria depends on hardness as follows: 5/28/92: 17.83 ug/l, 7/28/92: not calculated and hardness data not available for criteria calculation, 8/24/92: 1.10 ug/l, 4/19/93: 9.47 ug/l. The chronic criteria depends on hardness as follows: 5/28/92: 11.57 ug/l, 7/28/92: not calculated and hardness data not available for criteria calculation, 8/24/92: 0.92 ug/l, 4/19/93: 6.52 ug/l.
Guideline Reference: Water Quality Standards 2000. Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California: Rules and regulations. Federal Register Vol. 65, No. 97. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Protection Agency
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at one station.
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected on 5/28/92, 7/28/92, 8/24/92 and on 4/19/93.
Environmental Conditions: The data represents the dry season only.
QAPP Information: The data's quality assurance is deemed acceptable because it was collected under the auspices of U.S. EPA's Clean Lakes Study.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 7257, Metals
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
LOE ID: 7746
 
Pollutant: Arsenic | Cadmium | Chromium (total) | Copper | Lead | Nickel | Zinc
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Sediment
Matrix: Sediment
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 1
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the one sample collected in the sediments, none of the metals analyzed exceeded the sediment quality guidelines.
Data Reference: Big Bear Lake Metals 303(d) Delisting Proposal
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Santa Ana Region's Basin Plan Narrative Objective: The concentrations of toxic pollutants in the water column, sediments, or biota shall not adversely affect beneficial uses.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline: Sediment Quality Guidelines are as follows: arsenic: 33 mg/kg dw; cadmium: 4.98 mg/kg dw; chromium: 111 mg/kg dw; copper: 149 mg/kg dw; lead 128 mg/kg dw; mercury: 1.06 mg/kg dw; 48.6 mg/kg dw; zinc: 459 mg/kg dw.
Guideline Reference: Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems. Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 39: 20-31
 
Spatial Representation: The sample was collected at one station in Knickerbocker Creek.
Temporal Representation: The sample was collected on 4/1/92.
Environmental Conditions: The sample was collected during the dry season.
QAPP Information: The data's quality assurance is deemed appropriate because the data was collected under the auspices of U.S. EPA's Clean Lakes Study.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
6860
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
Pollutant: Pathogens
Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2006)
Revision Status Original
Sources: Unknown Nonpoint Source
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2005
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for listing under section 2.2 of the Listing Policy. Under this section of the Policy, a minimum of one line of evidence is needed to assess listing status.

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Based on the applicable factor, a MS4 permit and order 13267 are addressing pathogen exceedances. This was done in November 2005. These are expected to result in attainment of the standard. A TMDL has been developed and is expected to result in attainment of the standard.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification in favor of placing this water segment-pollutant combination in the Water Quality Limited Segments Being Addressed portion of the section 303(d) list.

USEPA in its final decision for the 2006 303(d) list, has determined that a TMDL has not been approved by USEPA for this pollutant water body combination. Therefore, this water body pollutant combination is being placed back on the 303(d) list (TMDL required list) pending completion and USEPA approval of a TMDL.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: No new data were assessed for 2008. The decision has not changed.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation: After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board.
 
USEPA Action (if applicable): USEPA approved the listing of this water body as a water quality limited segment requiring a TMDL for this pollutant.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 6860, Pathogens
Region 8     
Knickerbocker Creek
 
LOE ID: 2993
 
Pollutant: Pathogens
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Not Specified
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Municipal & Domestic Supply
 
Number of Samples: 0
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Order number 13267 and MS4 permit are addressing pathogen exceedances in Knickerbocker Creek. Per the Regional Board, this was done in November 2005. Also, the Knickerbocker Creek Bacteria TMDL was approved by the RWQCB in 2005.
Data Reference: Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion:
Objective/Criterion Reference:
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation:
Temporal Representation:
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: QA Info Missing
QAPP Information Reference(s):