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DECISION ID |
17890 |
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| Pollutant: |
Benthic Community Effects |
| 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: |
Pollution |
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| Weight of Evidence: |
Benthic Community Effects is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under sections 3.9 and 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.9, an additional line of evidence associating the Benthic Community Effects with a water or sediment concentration of pollutants is necessary to assess listing status.
One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this indicator. 4 of 9 samples exceeded the water quality objective.
Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against placing Benthic Community Effects in this water segment 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. 4 of 9 samples exceeded the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) value of "poor" water quality for this area and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.2 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. |
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| RWQCB Board Decision / Staff 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 because applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded. |
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| SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
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| USEPA Decision: |
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| LOE ID: |
26374 |
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| Pollutant: |
Benthic Community Effects |
| LOE Subgroup: |
Adverse Biological Responses |
| Matrix: |
Water |
| Fraction: |
None |
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| Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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| Number of Samples: |
5 |
| Number of Exceedances: |
3 |
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| Data and Information Type: |
Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys |
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
Five samples were taken from May 2001 to 2007 at one sampling site. Of the total number of samples, three samples exceeded the IBI impairment threshold. |
| Data Reference: |
Fish and Game IBI Data |
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Southern California Postfire Study. IBI. 2007. |
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| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
From the San Diego Basin Plan the objective is: 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. Compliance with this objective will be determined by use of indicator organisms, analyses of species diversity, population density, growth anomalies, bioassays of appropriate duration, or other appropriate methods as specified by the Regional Board. |
| Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (9). |
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| Evaluation Guideline: |
The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) is an analytical tool that can be used to assess the biological and physical condition of streams and rivers within a zero to one hundred scoring range: Very Poor 0-19, Poor 20-39, Fair 40-59, Good 60- 79, Very Good 80-100. The IBI score of 39 was set as an impairment threshold because it is a statistical criterion of two standard deviations below the mean reference site score which defines the boundary between 'fair' and 'poor' IBI creek conditions. (Ode, p. 9) |
| Guideline Reference: |
"A Quantitative Tool for Assessing the Integrity of Southern Coastal California Streams". Environmental Management. Volume 35, number 1 (2005): 1-13.
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| Spatial Representation: |
Samples were collected at one site: 907BCBCRx on Boulder Creek. |
| Temporal Representation: |
Sampling occurred during one event every other year over a seven year period from May 2001 to 2007. |
| Environmental Conditions: |
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| QAPP Information: |
Quality Control for collection and identification was conducted in accordance with the Quality Assurance Project Plan for the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure and the State of California, California Monitoring an Assessment Program: "CMAP", Quality Assurance Project Plan. |
| QAPP Information Reference(s): |
State of California, California Monitoring and Assessment Program: "CMAP". |
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Quality Assurance Project Plan for the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure |
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The San Diego Stream Team Quality Assurance Project Plan |
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| LOE ID: |
27024 |
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| Pollutant: |
Benthic Community Effects |
| LOE Subgroup: |
Adverse Biological Responses |
| Matrix: |
Water |
| Fraction: |
None |
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| Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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| Number of Samples: |
4 |
| Number of Exceedances: |
1 |
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| Data and Information Type: |
Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys |
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
Four samples of IBI data were taken from October 2005 to May 2007 at one sampling site. Of the total number of samples, one sample exceeded the IBI impairment threshold. |
| Data Reference: |
Stream Bioassessment Data. Co-permitee Data. Collected 2002-2007. |
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| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
From the San Diego Basin Plan the objective is: 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. Compliance with this objective will be determined by use of indicator organisms, analyses of species diversity, population density, growth anomalies, bioassays of appropriate duration, or other appropriate methods as specified by the Regional Board. (SDRWQCB, 1995) |
| Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (9). |
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| Evaluation Guideline: |
The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) is an analytical tool that can be used to assess the biological and physical condition of streams and rivers within a zero to one hundred scoring range: Very Poor 0-19, Poor 20-39, Fair 40-59, Good 60- 79, Very Good 80-100. The IBI score of 39 was set as an impairment threshold because it is a statistical criterion of two standard deviations below the mean reference site score which defines the boundary between 'fair' and 'poor' IBI creek conditions. (Ode, p. 9) |
| Guideline Reference: |
"A Quantitative Tool for Assessing the Integrity of Southern Coastal California Streams". Environmental Management. Volume 35, number 1 (2005): 1-13.
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| Spatial Representation: |
Samples were collected at one site: REF-BCR on Boulder Creek. |
| Temporal Representation: |
Sampling occurred on four events from October 2005 to May 2007. |
| Environmental Conditions: |
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| QAPP Information: |
Quality Control for collection and identification was conducted in accordance with the Quality Assurance Manual for Freshwater Bioassessment. |
| QAPP Information Reference(s): |
QUALITY ASSURANCE MANUAL FOR FRESHWATER BIOASSESSMENT
Revision 0 |
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DECISION ID |
16362 |
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| Pollutant: |
Toxicity |
| 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 |
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| Weight of Evidence: |
This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.6 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.6 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.
Two lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. One of the four samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for toxicity.
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. One of the four samples exceed the Basin Plan water quality objective for toxicity.
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. |
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| RWQCB Board Decision / Staff 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 because applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded. |
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| SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
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| USEPA Decision: |
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Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 16362 |
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| LOE ID: |
21391 |
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| Pollutant: |
Toxicity |
| LOE Subgroup: |
Toxicity |
| Matrix: |
Water |
| Fraction: |
None |
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| Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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| Number of Samples: |
3 |
| Number of Exceedances: |
1 |
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| Data and Information Type: |
Ambient toxicity testing (chronic) |
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
Three samples were collected at Boulder Creek station 907SDBOC2 from May 2004 to April 2005, they showed significant toxicity levels (SL) in the following tests: Selenastrum algae growth test - one of the three samples exhibit toxicity. Ceriodaphnia dubia survival/reproductive test - one of the three samples exhibit toxicity. Results were from California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, 2007. Water samples were collected on May 2004, February 2005, and April 2005. |
| Data Reference: |
Monitoring data for Region 9 |
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| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
From the Basin Plan, all waters shall be free of toxic substances that are toxic to, or that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. |
| Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (9). |
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| Evaluation Guideline: |
According to SWAMP, waters are considered toxic when samples show significant toxicity levels (SWAMP code SL) when compared to a negative control. Significant toxicity is determined when statistical tests result in an alpha of less than 5% and percent control values less than the evaluation threshold. |
| Guideline Reference: |
Monitoring data for Region 9 |
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| Spatial Representation: |
Water Toxicity Samples were collected at Boulder Creek station 907SDBOC2; (Latitude 32.96346, Longitude -116.66411). |
| Temporal Representation: |
Water samples for Boulder Creek were collected on May 2004, February 2005, April 2005. |
| Environmental Conditions: |
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| QAPP Information: |
Quality control for the chemical analysis portion of this study was conducted in accordance with the California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. |
| QAPP Information Reference(s): |
2002. Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey, CA. |
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| LOE ID: |
26275 |
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| Pollutant: |
Toxicity |
| LOE Subgroup: |
Toxicity |
| Matrix: |
Sediment |
| Fraction: |
None |
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| Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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| Number of Samples: |
1 |
| Number of Exceedances: |
0 |
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| Data and Information Type: |
Ambient toxicity testing (chronic) |
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
One sample was collected at Boulder Creek station 907SDBOC2 from May 2004. Significant toxicity levels (SL) were not found in the following test: Hyalella azteca. Results were from California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, 2007. The sediment sample was collected in May 2004. |
| Data Reference: |
Monitoring data for Region 9 |
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| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
From the Basin Plan, all waters shall be free of toxic substances that are toxic to, or that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. |
| Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (9). |
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| Evaluation Guideline: |
According to SWAMP, waters are considered toxic when samples show significant toxicity levels (SWAMP code SL) when compared to a negative control. Significant toxicity is determined when statistical tests result in an alpha of less than 5% and percent control values less than the evaluation threshold. |
| Guideline Reference: |
Monitoring data for Region 9 |
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| Spatial Representation: |
Water Toxicity Samples were collected at Boulder Creek station 907SDBOC2; (Latitude 32.96346, Longitude -116.66411). |
| Temporal Representation: |
Sediment sample for Boulder Creek was collected on May 2004. |
| Environmental Conditions: |
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| QAPP Information: |
Quality control for the chemical analysis portion of this study was conducted in accordance with the California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. |
| QAPP Information Reference(s): |
2002. Quality Assurance Management Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey, CA. |