Final California 2014 and 2016 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 4 - Los Angeles Region

Water Body Name: Bull Creek
Water Body ID: CAR4052100020090409143400
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
43227
Region 4     
Bull Creek
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (being addressed by USEPA approved TMDL)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2012)
Revision Status Revised
Sources: Source Unknown
TMDL Name: Los Angeles River Pathogens (15)
TMDL Project Code: 238
Date TMDL Approved by USEPA: 03/23/2012
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: 303(d) listing decisions made prior to 2006 were not held in an assessment database and are not available in the administrative record.

There is sufficient justification to place this waterbody/pollutant in the Being Addressed portion of the CWA 303(d) List because a TMDL has been completed and approved by USEPA, and is expected to result in attainment of the standard.

This conclusion is based on the staff findings that:
1. The Los Angeles River Bacteria TMDL was approved by USEPA on 03/23/2012.
2. Pursuant to section 3.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not met.
 
Regional Board 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.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation: After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 43227, Indicator Bacteria
Region 4     
Bull Creek
 
LOE ID: 28236
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 6
Number of Exceedances: 6
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: A total of six out of six samples exceeded the Basin Plan Objective for indicator bacteria in REC-1 waters. Samples are from the County of Los Angeles Stormwater Monitoring Report 2003/04.
Data Reference: Monitoring Report (MS4 Data) - 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: One stormwater monitoring station TS02 in Bull Creek.
Temporal Representation: Grab samples collected and analyzed over the 2003-04 storm year for the MS4 data
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data collected for compliance with NPDES Permit 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
 
 
DECISION ID
39159
Region 4     
Bull Creek
 
Pollutant: Toxicity
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 Conclusion: 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.

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. One 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. One of two samples exceeded the exhibited significant acute and chronic toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia and and this sample size is insufficient to determine, with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy, the applicable beneficial use support rating..
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 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. The decision has not changed.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation: After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 39159, Toxicity
Region 4     
Bull Creek
 
LOE ID: 28254
 
Pollutant: Toxicity
LOE Subgroup: Toxicity
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
Aquatic Life Use: Wildlife Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 2
Number of Exceedances: 1
 
Data and Information Type: TOXICITY TESTING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: One out of two samples exhibited significant acute and chronic toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia. Water quality samples were taken and tested for toxicity to Pimephales promelas and Ceriodaphnia dubia in compliance with the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program's 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 states at there shall be no acute or chronic toxicity in ambient waters outside mixing zones.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
 
Evaluation Guideline: Toxicity was defined as a statistically significant effect in the sample exposure compared to the control using EPA recommended hypothesis testing (parametric Dunnett's Test or non-parametric Fisher's Exact Test).
Guideline Reference: Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms, Fourth Edition. EPA 600/4-90/27.
 
Spatial Representation: Water toxicity monitoring was conducted in Tujunga Wash at station 412LARBLL (Lat: 34.1872, Long: -118.4978).
Temporal Representation: A grab sample was taken on 06/20/05 and 07/11/05.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data was collected in compliance with the sampling and monitoring procedures detailed in the 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)