California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year  2017-18 

PLAN AND ASSESS: SURFACE WATER QUALITY

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

This measure shows the Water Boards' reporting on a key national performance measure in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) 2008-2013 Strategic Plan, Restoration of Nonpoint Source (NPS) Impaired Waters (also known as WQ-10). The purpose of this measure is to identify impaired water bodies that have been partially or fully restored as a result of various NPS control activities supported through the federal Clean Water Act Section 319 NPS Program. When NPS-impaired water bodies are partially or fully restored the restoration project is described in a "success story" report. The success stories are available on the USEPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories website. For FY 2016-17, several water bodies were removed from the State's impaired waters list for restored levels. Two Nonpoint Source Success Stories were written in FY 2017-18 for two water body segments in Region 3.

Due to the recent approval of NPS's Six-Year Implementation Plan (2014-2020), the NPS program is in the process of reassessing its performance measures to best track the program's success of effectively preventing NPS pollution from impacting surface water and groundwater in California. This process is being done in conjunction with the State and Regional Water Boards, and US EPA Region 9.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data Source: State Water Board's Nonpoint Source Program. Period: July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018 .
• Unit of Measure: Number of nonpoint source-impaired waters partially or fully restored.
• Data Definitions: Water body: For this measure, a nonpoint source-impaired water body. Pollutant: The waste, substance, or water quality parameter that is causing the water body impairment. Water body segments restored in FY 17-18 : Segments of nonpoint source-impaired water bodies that have been fully or partially restored, and a success story report was completed in FY 17-18 . Water body segments to be restored in FY 2018-19.  Segments of nonpoint source-impaired water bodies where restoration activities have been accomplished, and a success story report is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018 .
• References: Nonpoint source-impaired water restoration (WQ-10):
  USEPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories
  Information on the Water Boards' Polluted Runoff/Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Programs

GLOSSARY

Fully Restored Water Body

A fully restored water body, as defined by USEPA, means that all water quality standards or designated beneficial uses are now being met.

Nonpoint Source-Impaired Water Body

A nonpoint source-impaired water body that is primarily impaired due to the release of pollutants over a diffuse and wide area (also called polluted runoff), as specified in the 2000 or later federal Clean Water Act Section 303(d) lists of impaired waters.

Partially Restored Water Body

A partially restored water body, as defined by USEPA, means that either of two conditions are being met: (1) a water body that has a use that is initially impaired by more than one pollutant, but after restoration efforts meets the criteria for one or more (but not all) of those pollutants, or (2) a water body that initially has more than one use that is less than fully supported, but after restoration efforts one or more (but not all) of those uses becomes fully supported.