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

PLAN AND ASSESS: SURFACE WATER QUALITY

GROUP: WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT
MEASURE: NUMBER OF WATERSHED UNITS FOR
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER
QUALITY USING WATERSHED
APPROACH WERE DOCUMENTED
MESSAGE:  Water quality improvements were documented in seven watershed units in FY 2011-12 and are expected in twenty-two additional watershed units in FY 2012-13.
KEY STATISTICS FOR FY 2011-12

 

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 

Click here for table details

 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The Water Boards have identified 99 impaired watersheds to track progress and document improvements in water quality conditions using a watershed approach related to a key national performance measure in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) 2006-2011 Strategic Plan, the Watershed Improvement Measure (also known as SP-12 or "Measure W"). These "watersheds of focus" are of varying sizes, and most include multiple watersheds defined by 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC-12). Additional watersheds may be added and/or substituted. For FY 2011-12, watershed-wide improvements, and descriptions of the watershed approaches implemented to achieve the water quality improvements, were documented in watershed improvement reports for seven (7) of California's 99 watersheds of focus. These improvements were for two Walker Creek watersheds in the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) (Region 2) for water quality impairments due to Mercury, one Chorro Creek watershed in the Central Coast RWQCB (Region 3) for water quality impairments due to nutrients and dissolved oxygen levels, two Los Angeles River Reach 3 watersheds in the Los Angeles RWQCB (Region 4) for water quality impairments due to ammonia, and two San Diego Creek watersheds in the Santa Ana RWQCB (Region 8) for water quality impairments due to organophosphate pesticides (diazinon and chlorpyrifos). Work continues in the remaining watersheds to improve water quality in a number of watershed units (watershed units reported as zero in the table indicate that watershed improvement activities are in progress). California's documented water quality improvements in watershed units are counted toward USEPA's national goal of improving water quality conditions in 250 impaired watersheds by 2012.

 

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

California has over 700 water bodies that do not meet one or more water quality standards. These impaired water bodies, which are identified on the federal Clean Water Act Section (CWA) 303(d) list for the State, are subject to the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), and a variety of water quality improvement and restoration activities. Experience has shown that, to solve these problems, TMDLs and watershed plans are needed to analyze and quantify the specific causes and sources of water quality problems, identify measurable water quality goals, and implement specific actions to improve water quality. Furthermore, effective watershed management includes public and private entities collaborating within a watershed to protect our waters and other resources of community concern. The California Water Boards and the USEPA agreed to track and report progress on the "watersheds of focus" to model and demonstrate the effectiveness of the watershed approach to improving water quality. These efforts will enhance water quality improvement activities through better identifying needs, targeting activities, and sharing information.

 

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Data Source:State Water Board's Nonpoint Source Program. Period:; July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012. Extracted in August 2012.
  • Unit of Measure:Number of impaired watershed units (defined as 12-digit HUCs) for which documented improvements in water quality in "watersheds of focus" occurred using the watershed approach.
  • Data Definitions: Watersheds of focus: The number of specific watersheds identified by the Water Boards and USEPA for purposes of tracking and documenting progress in improving water quality conditions using the watershed approach. Pollutants monitored: The number of water quality parameters (e.g., sediment, nutrients, bacteria) being tracked for determining improvements in water quality conditions in watersheds of focus. Watershed units improved: Per USEPA guidance, as improvements in water quality are documented in watershed improvement reports, the number of watershed units improved (defined as 12-digit HUCs) are reported.
  • References: More information on the "Watershed Improvement Measure" (also known as SP-12, or Measure W). USEPA Guidance on SP-12.

 

GLOSSARY

Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC)
The hydrologic unit code (HUC) is the "address" of the watershed. The HUC is the numerical code of the USGS watershed classification system used to identify the watersheds, or drainage basins, at various scales. The HUC organizes watersheds by a nested size hierarchy, so large scale watershed boundaries for an entire region may be assigned a two-digit HUC, while small scale, local watershed boundaries (within the larger regional watershed) may be assigned a 12-digit HUC. Although the watershed boundaries for this measure are those established at the "12-digit HUC" scale, which averages 22 square miles in size, the watershed approach can be applied at any appropriate scale, including scales smaller or larger than HUC-12 watersheds. For more information: http://www.epa.gov/watershed/address-x.html

Impaired Water Bodies/Watersheds
Impaired water bodies are those that are not supporting one or more of their beneficial uses designated in water quality standards. For the purpose of this measure, "impaired water bodies" are those identified by the State and USEPA in the 2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) list (which is used as a baseline for this measure). For the purpose of this measure, an "impaired watershed" is a watershed containing one or more impaired water bodies.

Improved (Water Quality Conditions in Impaired Watershed)
For the purpose of this measure, "improved" means either that: (1) one or more of the impairment causes identified in the CWA Section 2002 303(d) list are removed for at least 40 percent of the impaired water bodies or impaired miles or acres in the watershed; or (2) there is significant watershed-wide improvement, as demonstrated by valid scientific information, in one or more water quality parameters or related indicators associated with the impairments. For more information, see USEPA's Guidance for Reporting Watershed Improvement under Measure SP-12 - FY 2009

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still safely meet water quality standards. TMDLs are required for impaired water bodies on the federal Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list.

Watershed Approach
A watershed approach is a coordinating process for focusing on water resource problems within a watershed that: (1) is focused on hydrologically defined areas, (2) involves key stakeholders, (3) uses an iterative planning or adaptive management process to address priority water resource goals, and (4) uses an integrated set of tools and programs. More information

Watersheds of Focus
Watersheds of varying sizes, most including multiple watersheds defined by 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs), where improvement may be achieved in the near term (by 2012), or may take longer. Additional watersheds may be added and/or substituted.

 

Detailed Table of Watershed Improvement Measure

Improvements in impaired(1) Watersheds of Focus [USEPA Measure SP-12 (Measure W)]
Region Watershed of Focus Pollutants Monitored Results in FY 2010-11 Expected Results in FY 2011-12 (Watershed Units Improved)
1 Garcia River Sediment Tracking In Progress Final Sediment Report (3)
Scott River
  • French Creek
  • Moffett Creek
  • Sediment
  • Sediment
  • Tracking in Progress
  • Tracking in Progress
  • Tracking in Progress
  • Tracking in Progress
Shasta River Sediment Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
Terwar Creek Sediment Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
2

Napa River

Sediment Tracking in Progress Final Sediment Report (11)
Walker Creek (Tomales Bay) Mercury/Sediment Final Mercury/Sediment Report (2) Not Applicable
3 Morro Bay
  • Chorro Creek
Nitrate/Dissolved Oxygen Final Nitrate/Dissolved Oxygen Report (1) Not Applicable

  • Warden/Los Osos Creek
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
Oso Flaco Creek Nitrates Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
4 Calleguas Creek Ammonia Final Ammonia Report (1) Not Applicable
Los Angeles River T-Nitrogen Final T-Nitrogen Report (2) Not Applicable
Santa Clara River T-Nitrogen Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
5 Feather/Sacramento River Diazinon Final Diazinon Report (9) Not Applicable
Grasslands and Salt Slough Selenium Tracking in Progress Final Selenium Report (1)
Sacramento Urban Creeks Diazinon Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
6 Lake Tahoe
  • Blackwook Creek
Sediment

Tracking in Progress

Tracking in Progress

  • Heavenly Valley Creek
Sediment Tracking in Progress Tracking in Progress
Indian Creek Sediment Tracking in Progress Final Sediment Report (1)
7 New River Pathogens Tracking in Progress Final Pathogen Report (3)
8 Newport Bay(2) Nutrients Not Applicable Not Applicable
8 San Diego Creek (Reach 1) Diazinon, chlorpyrifos Final Diazinon/Chlorpyrifos Report (2) Not Applicable
9 Chollas Creek Diazinon Tracking in Progress Final Diazinon Report (1)
San Diego Beaches (Dana Point Harbor) Pathogens Tracking in Progress Final Pathogen Report (1)

Notes:
(1) Based on 2002 list of impared water bodies, adopted per federal Clean Water Act Section 303(d).
(2) Final Nutrient Report for Newport Bay completed in 2009

Click here for California map showing locations of "watersheds of focus". (Very Large PDF File)

( Page last updated:  9/6/12 )

 
 

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