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

Supporting Information

Regional Board 9 - San Diego Region

Water Body Name: Tecate Creek
Water Body ID: CAR9112300020081210154839
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
16722
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
Pollutant: Nitrogen
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
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2, one line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Four of four of the samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for Nitrogen.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification 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 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. Four of four of the samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for Nitrogen and this sample size is insufficient to determine with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy if standards are not met. A minimum of five samples is needed for application of table 3.2.
4. Pursuant to SECTION 3.11 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 not be placed on the section 303(d) list because it cannot be determined if applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded.
 
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):
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 16722, Nitrogen
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
LOE ID: 26215
 
Pollutant: Nitrogen
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 4
Number of Exceedances: 4
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Four of four samples collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02) showed excessive nitrogen concentrations. (SWAMP, 2007).
Data Reference: Monitoring data for Region 9
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: As described in San Diego Basin Plan; inland surface waters, bays and estuaries and coastal lagoon waters shall not contain biostimulatory substances in concentrations that promote aquatic growth to the extent that such growths cause nuisance or adversely affect beneficial uses (RWQCB, 2007).
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline: A desired goal in order to prevent plant nuisance in streams and other flowing waters appears to be 0.1 mg/L total phosphorus, P. These values are not to be exceeded more than 10% of the time unless studies of the specific water body in question clearly show that water quality objective changes are permissible and changes are approved by the Regional Board. Analogous threshold values have not been set for nitrogen compounds; however, natural ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus are to be determined by surveillance and monitoring and upheld. If data are lacking, a ratio of N:P = 10:1, on a weight to weight basis shall be used (RWQCB, 2007).
Guideline Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin
 
Spatial Representation: Samples were collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02).
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected on June 2005; September 2005; January 2006; and April 2006.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality control for the chemical analysis portion of this study was conducted in accordance with the California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s): 2002. Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey, CA
 
 
DECISION ID
16723
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
Pollutant: Phosphorus
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
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2, one line(s) of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Four of four of the samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for Phosphorus.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification 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 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. Four of four of the samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for Phosphorus and this sample size is insufficient to determine with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy if standards are not met. A minimum of five samples is needed for application of table 3.2.
4. Pursuant to [SECTION 3.11/4.11] 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 not be placed on the section 303(d) list because it cannot be determined if applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded.
 
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):
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 16723, Phosphorus
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
LOE ID: 26214
 
Pollutant: Phosphorus
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 4
Number of Exceedances: 4
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Four of four samples collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02) showed excessive phosphorus concentrations (SWAMP, 2007).
Data Reference: Monitoring data for Region 9
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: As described in San Diego Basin Plan; inland surface waters, bays and estuaries and coastal lagoon waters shall not contain biostimulatory substances in concentrations that promote aquatic growth to the extent that such growths cause nuisance or adversely affect beneficial uses (RWQCB, 2007).
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline: From the Basin Plan: For inland surface waters-streams and other flowing waters, with all beneficial uses, the water quality objective for total phosphorus is 0.1 mg/L (RWQCB, 2007).
Guideline Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin
 
Spatial Representation: Samples were collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02).
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected on June 2005; September 2005; January 2006; and April 2006.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality control for the chemical analysis portion of this study was conducted in accordance with the California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s): 2002. Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey, CA
 
 
DECISION ID
16724
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
Pollutant: Selenium
Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: New Decision
Revision Status Revised
Sources: Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.1 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Four of four of the samples exceed the Califronia Toxics Rule water quality objective for Selenium.

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 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 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. Four of four of the samples exceed the Califronia Toxics Rule water quality objective for Selenium and this exceeds the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 of the Listing Policy.
4. Pursuant to section 3.11 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 placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are exceeded and a pollutant contributes to or causes the problem.
 
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 16724, Selenium
Region 9     
Tecate Creek
 
LOE ID: 26216
 
Pollutant: Selenium
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Dissolved
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 4
Number of Exceedances: 4
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Four of four samples collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02) showed excessive selenium concentrations (SWAMP, 2007).
Data Reference: Monitoring data for Region 9
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: CTR Freshwater Chronic (CCC) 5 ug/L. (U.S. EPA, 2000).
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Standards; Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants for the State of California; Rule. 40 CFR Part 131. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, Water Division, San Francisco, CA
 
Evaluation Guideline: All waters shall be maintained free of toxic
substances in concentrations that are toxic to, or
that produce detrimental physiological responses
in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life (RWQCB, 2007).
Guideline Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin
 
Spatial Representation: Samples were collected at Tecate Creek station (911TTET02).
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected on June 2005; September 2005; January 2006; and April 2006.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality control for the chemical analysis portion of this study was conducted in accordance with the California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s):