Draft California 2014 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 4 - Los Angeles Region

Water Body Name: Tuna Canyon Creek
Water Body ID: CAR4041200020050607194935
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
67291
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
Pollutant: Trash
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 Staff Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA section 303(d) List under section 3.7 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.7 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

1 line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant.
1 of 1 sample exceeded the CRITERIA.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is insufficient justification for placing this water segment-pollutant combination on the CWA section 303(d) List. 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. 1 of 1 sample exceeded the CRITERIA and this sample size is insufficient to determine, with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy, the applicable beneficial use support rating. A minimum of 16 samples is needed to determine if a beneficial use is fully supported using table 3.1.
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 Staff 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. The readily available data and information is insufficient to determine, with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy, the applicable beneficial use support rating.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 67291, Trash
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
LOE ID: 89091
 
Pollutant: Trash
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Nuisance
Matrix: Not Recorded
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Non-Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 1
Number of Exceedances: 1
 
Data and Information Type: Occurrence of conditions judged to cause impairment
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Heal the Bay Stream Team member documented trash via photos taken on 6/8/10 in and around Tuna Canyon Creek. Types of trash included plastic bags, clothing, utensils, paper products, plastic bottles, mattresses, seat cushions and other plastic debris.
Data Reference: Photos of trash along the banks of Tuna Canyon Creek, 2010.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: From the Los Angeles RWQCB Basin Plan: Waters shall not contain floating materials, including solids, liquids, foams, and scum, in concentrations that cause nuisance or adversely affect beneficial uses.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
 
Evaluation Guideline: Narrative objective evaluated using numeric target of zero trash in Los Angeles River Trash TMDL and other regional trash TMDLs.
Guideline Reference: Trash Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Los Angeles River Watershed Revised Draft Staff Report. California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region. July 27, 2007.
 
Spatial Representation: Photos taken at Tuna Canyon Creek on 6/8/10.
Temporal Representation: Photos taken at Tuna Canyon Creek on 6/8/10.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: None
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
42329
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
Pollutant: Nitrate
Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2012)
Revision Status Original
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. Zero of the samples exceed the water quality objective.

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. Zero of five samples exceeded the Basin Plan water quality objective for nitrate and this does not exceed 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 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 42329, Nitrate
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
LOE ID: 28220
 
Pollutant: Nitrate
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
Aquatic Life Use: Wildlife Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 5
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Zero of five samples exceeded the Basin Plan water quality objective for nitrate in Tuna Canyon Creek. Water quality samples were taken and analyzed for nitrate in accordance with the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program monitoring and testing parameters.
Data Reference: Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program data for all watersheds in the Los Angeles Region 2001-2005.
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The Basin Plan lists a water quality objective of 10 mg/L for nitrate as nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N).
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Sampling were collected at monitoring station 404SMB040, located in Upper Tuna Canyon (Lat: 34.04678, Long: -118.59061) and at monitoring station 404SMB041, located in Lower Tuna Canyon Creek (Lat: 34.04028, Long: -118.58904).
Temporal Representation: Grab samples were taken on March 10, 2003 and March 27, 2003 for sample station 404SMB040 and 404SMB041, and on February 25, 2004 for sample station 404SMB040.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data was collected in compliance with the sampling and monitoring procedures detailed in Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. Sacramento, CA. State Water Resources Control Board. SWAMP. December 2002 (1st version)
 
 
DECISION ID
37306
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
Pollutant: Sulfates
Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2012)
Revision Status Original
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 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2 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. An insufficient total number of samples were taken and an insufficient number of samples exceed the MCL guideline for Sulfate.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is insufficient 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 samples exceeded the MCL guideline. More data is needed to determine if the water quality standard is exceeded.
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 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 37306, Sulfates
Region 4     
Tuna Canyon Creek
 
LOE ID: 2241
 
Pollutant: Sulfates
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Municipal & Domestic Supply
 
Number of Samples: 4
Number of Exceedances: 4
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: There was a total of four samples with all four exceeding the objective (SWAMP, 2004).
Data Reference: Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: CCR- Title 22 Table 64449-B Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels of 250 mg/l for Sulfate.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Two stations at Tuna Canyon Creek Lower: 34.0396 -118.58955 and at Tuna Canyon Creek Upper: 34.04686 -118.59066.
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected March 2003 through March 2004.
Environmental Conditions: Los Angeles County Coastal Streams: 404.12.
QAPP Information: SWAMP Quality Assurance Plan.
QAPP Information Reference(s):