Draft California 2016 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 4 - Los Angeles Region

Water Body Name: Puente Creek
Water Body ID: CAR4053100020081117111726
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
40779
Region 4     
Puente Creek
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
Final Listing Decision: Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2012)
Revision Status Revised
Sources: Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2027
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Staff Conclusion: 303(d) listing decisions made prior to 2006 were not held in an assessment database and are not available in the administrative record.

Even though fecal coliform is no longer the applicable indicator bacteria for fresh waters in the Los Angeles Region, studies show (Noble et al., 2003) that 80 to 90% of fecal coliform are E coli in the Los Angeles Region, and therefore the fecal coliform data used to list this waterbody is a reasonable stand in for E coli until E coli data is available. This conservative approach will limit the potential for delisting this waterbody which data has shown to be impaired for fecal indicating bacteria.
 
Regional Board Staff Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be removed from the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards for the pollutant are being exceeded.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 40779, Indicator Bacteria
Region 4     
Puente Creek
 
LOE ID: 26058
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 7
Number of Exceedances: 6
 
Data and Information Type: Other Agencies/Organizations provided monitoring data
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Six of seven samples exceeded the Basin Plan single sample water quality objectives for indicator bacteria in fresh water and one of one sample exceeded the Basin Plan geometric mean water quality objectives. Water quality samples were taken and analyzed for indicator bacteria in accordance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit monitoring and testing parameters.
Data Reference: 2006-2007 Monitoring Data (MS4 Data) for Tributaries of the San Gabriel River Watershed- CI 6948 for order no. 01-182 NPDES No. CAS004001 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the County of Los Angeles, and the Incorporated Cities therein, Except the City of Long Beach.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The Basin Plan bacteria objectives state that to protect water contact recreation in fresh waters individual samples shall not exceed the following limits: fecal coliform density shall not exceed 400/100 ml; and E. coli density shall not exceed 235/100 ml. The bacteria objectives also establish that the geometric means of individual samples shall not exceed the following limits: the fecal coliform density shall not exceed 200/100 ml; and the E. coli density shall not exceed 126/100 ml, as a geometric mean. The bacteria objectives are found in Attachment A of Regional Board Resolution No. 2001-018.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works conducted sampling at monitoring station TS14 located at the Don Julian Road crossing with Puente Creek.
Temporal Representation: Grab samples were taken approximately six per year (four wet-weather events and two dry-weather events), from October 2006 through April 2007.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data was collected in compliance with the sampling and monitoring procedures detailed in County of Los Angeles MS4 Permit (NPDES No. CAS004001) Monitoring and Reporting Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s): Monitoring and Reporting Program - CI 6948 for order no. 01-182 NPDES No. CAS004001 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the County of Los Angeles, and the incorporated cities, except the City of Long Beach
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 40779, Indicator Bacteria
Region 4     
Puente Creek
 
LOE ID: 87284
 
Pollutant: Enterococcus
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 12
Number of Exceedances: 12
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Twelve of the twelve samples exceeded the enterococcus objective.
Data Reference: Data for Various Pollutants in Los Angeles County Flood Control District, 2006-2010.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: 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. Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
 
Evaluation Guideline: The single sample enterococcus concentration shall not exceed more than 61/100ml. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria USEPA 1986.
Guideline Reference: Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria - 1986. EPA440/5-84-002
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected from Puente Creek.
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected from October 2006 to April 2008.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: This data was collected by the The Los Angeles County Flood Control District for the Los Angeles County Municipal Stormwater Permit (NPDES Permit No. CAS004001. The monitoring and reporting program report was provided.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
40656
Region 4     
Puente Creek
 
Pollutant: Selenium
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)(2012)
Revision Status Original
Sources: Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Staff 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.

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. Two of seven samples exceed the California Toxics Rule Criterion Continuous Concentration for Selenium in fresh water 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 met.
 
Regional Board Staff Decision Recommendation: This is a decision previously approved by the State Water Resources Control Board and the USEPA. No new data were assessed by the Regional Board for the current cycle. The decision has not changed.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 40656, Selenium
Region 4     
Puente Creek
 
LOE ID: 26065
 
Pollutant: Selenium
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Total
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
Aquatic Life Use: Preservation of Rare & Endangered Species | Wildlife Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 7
Number of Exceedances: 2
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Two of seven samples exceeded the California Toxics Rule Criterion Continuous Concentration for Selenium. Water quality samples were taken and analyzed for Selenium in accordance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit monitoring and testing parameters.
Data Reference: 2006-2007 Monitoring Data (MS4 Data) for Tributaries of the San Gabriel River Watershed- CI 6948 for order no. 01-182 NPDES No. CAS004001 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the County of Los Angeles, and the Incorporated Cities therein, Except the City of Long Beach.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The California Toxics Rule lists a Criterion Continuous Concentration of 5.0 ug/L for Selenium to protect aquatic life in freshwater.water.
Objective/Criterion 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
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works conducted sampling at monitoring station TS14 located at the Don Julian Road crossing with Puente Creek.
Temporal Representation: Grab samples were taken approximately six per year (four wet-weather events and two dry-weather events), from October 2006 through April 2007.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data was collected in compliance with the sampling and monitoring procedures detailed in County of Los Angeles MS4 Permit (NPDES No. CAS004001) Monitoring and Reporting Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s): Monitoring and Reporting Program - CI 6948 for order no. 01-182 NPDES No. CAS004001 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the County of Los Angeles, and the incorporated cities, except the City of Long Beach