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The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2011-12

PLAN AND ASSESS: BASIN PLANNING

GROUP:  BASIN PLANNING
MEASURE: 
  • BASIN PLAN AMENDMENT ACTIONS ADOPTED BY REGIONAL BOARDS
  • NUMBER OF BENEFICIAL USES ADDED, REMOVED OR CHANGED
  • RECEIVED BY STATE BOARD FOR APPROVAL
  • NUMBER OF WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES ADDED, REMOVED OR CHANGED
MESSAGE:  The primary basin planning work in FY 2011-2012 involved development of Total Maximum Daily Loads, refining beneficial use designations and continued development of water quality objectives.
KEY STATISTICS FOR FY 2010-11
Number of Basin Plan Amendment Actions by Regional Boards: 13
Number of Beneficial Uses Added, Removed, or Changed:

71 Added
14 Changed
17 Removed

Number of Water Quality Objectives Added, Removed, or Changed: 12

 

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 09-23-2012 (8:56 AM)

 

TMDL Basin Planning Amendments Adopted by Regional Boards in Fiscal Year 2011-2012
Region Title Description
Implementation Through
Adoption Date Objectives (Count)

2

Tomales Bay Mercury TMDL

Technical TMDL for mercury in Tomales Bay to protect wildlife and aquatic life. Adopted via Resolution, as implementation actions already undertaken to remediate the source of the mercury, and additional actions being implemented under the Walker Creek Mercury TMDL are expected to address impairment.

11-May-2012

0

3

Santa Maria River Watershed TMDL for Fecal Indicator Bacteria

TMDL that addresses impairment of REC-1 (water contact recreation) and SHELL (shellfish harvesting) due to fecal contamination in the Santa Maria Watershed.

14-Mar-2012

0

8

San Diego Creek and Newport Bay Watershed TMDLs for Organochlorine Compounds

Will replace EPA's TMDLs when approved. Establishes a plan of implementation.

11-Jul-2011

0

9

Los Penasquitos Lagoon TMDL for Sedimentation

Comprehensive Load Reduction Plan (CLRP) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared by the Responsible Parties; MS4 permits and WDRs issued by the Regional Board.

13-Jun-2012

1

 

Other Basin Planning Amendments Adopted by Regional Boards in Fiscal Year 2011/2012
Region Title Description Adoption Date Objectives (Count)

2

Refine Beneficial Uses of Hayward Marsh

Refines beneficial uses of Hayward Marsh, which was created in 1988 for the purpose of reclaiming treated wastewater to create brackish marsh habitat, by removing REC-1 and adding the Rare and Endangered Species (RARE) beneficial use.

15-Sep-2011

0

4

2011-2013 Triennial Review

Adopts the 2011-2013 Triennial Review (Resolution R12-001)

2-Feb-2012

0

4

Bacteria Objectives Update

Re-evaluation of the implementation provisions for the bacteria water quality objectives – specifically the calculation period (duration) and method for the geometric mean objectives

7-Jun-2012

2

4

Update to Chapter 7 of the Basin Plan

Non-Regulatory Amendment to the Basin Plan to Administratively Update Chapter 7: "Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)" by Incorporating Previously Adopted TMDLs

8-Dec-2011

0

4

Update to Chapter 2 of the Basin Plan

Non-Regulatory Amendment to the Basin Plan to Administratively Update Chapter 2: "Beneficial Uses" by Incorporating Previously Adopted Amendments and Updated Surface and Groundwater Maps and Corresponding Benficial Use Tables

10-Nov-2011

0

5

Non-Regulatory Amendments to Sacramento, San Joaquin and Tulare Lake Basin Plans

Provides a cost estimate and potential sources of financing for a Long-Term Irrigated Lands Program

13-Oct-2011

0

6

Pesticide Water Quality Objective/Waste Discharge Prohibition

Replaces the existing region-wide water quality objective for pesticides with a prohibition. Gives the Lahontan Water Board discretion to allow exemptions to the pesticide prohibition for aquatic pesticide treatments proposed for purposes of protecting public health or safety or ecological integrity and only if such projects satisfy specific exemption criteria.

7-Dec-2011

0

8

Bacteria Quality Objectives/Beneficial Uses Update

Revises REC1 BACT objective, revises REC1 SSM, develops REC2 antideg targets, establishes a narrative pathogen objective, establishes criteria for temporary suspension of BACT objectives under high flow, re-designates specific waters to remove REC1 or REC1 and 2 based on UAAs, incorporates an implementation plan to assess compliance with revised BACT objectives, deletes the MUN BACT objective, and sub-divides two waters into specific reaches with added beneficial use designations.

15-Jun-2012

5

8

Chino Basin Surface Water and Ground Water Program Revision

Revises Chino Basin Maximum Benefit surface water and ground water monitoring program as required in the TDS/N management plan to assess compliance

16-Mar-2012

0

8

Amendment to Incorporate Updates Related to the Salt Management Plan

Updates boundary of Prado Basin Management Zone and revises monitoring programs for the Chino Basin Max Benefit Program

10-Feb-2012

0

 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

In Fiscal Year 2011-12, the Regional Water Boards adopted amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) though 13 separate resolutions. The tables above provide a summary of the amendments that were adopted by each region with information about what each set of amendments is intended to do. Nearly one-third (4) of the resolutions were to adopt TMDLs. Other amendments included updated or new beneficial uses or water quality objectives; and amendments to simply clarify and update the basin plan without making substantive regulatory changes. Each set of amendments includes numerous implementation tools that will be used to implement these regulatory changes, primarily with most involving one or more changes to permitting and monitoring programs.

 

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Basin Plans are the Water Boards primary water quality planning documents. Basin Plans designate beneficial uses for waters of the state, water quality objectives designed to protect those uses, and establish implementation plans to achieve the water quality objectives. Basin Plans are living documents that are regularly updated to meet changing needs. They serve as the principal basis for waste discharge requirements (permits) issued and cleanup requirements established by the Water Boards, and also are used by outside agencies in their permitting and resource management activities. The Regional Water Boards review and revise their Basin Plans periodically to address new information and changes in policy.

 

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Data Source: Basin Plan amendments tracking database. Period: July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012. Extracted: August 2012.
  • Unit of Measure: Number of Regional Water Board and State Water Board adoptions to address amendments to Regional Water Quality Control Plans (Basin Plans).
  • Data Definitions: Title: Regional Water Board resolution to make changes (amendments) to their Basin Plan. The title includes a link to the program page for that resolution. Description: A short narrative description of the purpose of the amendments. Adoption Date: The date that the Resolution was adopted by the Regional Water Board. The adoption date is not the effective date of the amendments. For most amendments an effective date has not yet been determined, as additional approvals by state and federal agencies are still pending. Objectives (count): The number of water quality objectives that were added, removed or changed as a result of the adopted amendments. Implementation (Count): The number of discrete actions required by adopted amendments.
  • References: Regional Water Quality Control Plans (Basin Plans)

( Page last updated:  9/17/12 )

 
 

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