Final California 2018 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 3 - Central Coast Region

Water Body Name: Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
Water Body ID: CAC3102601420070501120708
Water Body Type: Coastal & Bay Shoreline
 
DECISION ID
80930
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
Pollutant: Enterococcus
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)(2016)
Revision Status Original
Sources: A Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2027
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA section 303(d) List under sections 3.2 and 3.3 of the Listing Policy. Under these sections, 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. Forty six of 206 samples exceeded the geometric mean standard for enterococcus (LOE 56303) and 25 of 213 samples exceeded the single sample maximum for enterococcus (LOE 56302) for the water contact recreation water quality standard (Water Quality Control Plan: Ocean Waters of California, SWRCB, 2005).

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 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. Forty six of 206 samples exceeded the geometric mean standard for enterococcus for the water contact recreation water quality standard and this exceeds 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.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are exceeded and a pollutant contributes to or causes the problem.
 
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 80930, Enterococcus
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
LOE ID: 56302
 
Pollutant: Enterococcus
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 213
Number of Exceedances: 25
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Beach Watch Program data that is collected by each County's Environmental Health Department for Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 25 of 213 samples exceed the criterion for Enterococci.
Data Reference: Data for Region 3 Beach Watch.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: California Ocean Plan (SWRCB 2005) single sample maximum for enterococcus density shall not exceed 104 per 100 mL.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Ocean Waters of California. California Ocean Plan 2005. Sacramento, CA: State Water Resources Control Board, California Environmental Protection Agency
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Data for this line of evidence for Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) was collected at 1 monitoring site [ PB4]
Temporal Representation: Data was collected over the time period 1/1/2007-8/30/2010.
Environmental Conditions: Staff is not aware of any special conditions that might affect interpretation of the data.
QAPP Information: Water Board staff assessed Beach Watch Program data that is collected by each County's Environmental Health Department. There is no QA Project Plan but instead each County follows their own Quality Assurance Procedures
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 80930, Enterococcus
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
LOE ID: 56303
 
Pollutant: Enterococcus
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 206
Number of Exceedances: 46
 
Data and Information Type: Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Forty-six of the 206 geomeans exceeded the entercoccus objective.
Data Reference: Data for Region 3 Beach Watch.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The geometric mean standard for enterococcus states that the entercoccus density shall not exceed 35 per 100 mL. Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters 2009.
Objective/Criterion Reference: California Ocean Plan Water Quality Control Plan Ocean Waters of California 2009
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Samples were collected from station 1560 PB4.
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected approximately once a week from 2007 to 2010.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: The samples were collected for the Beach Watch program.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
80931
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
Pollutant: Fecal Coliform
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)(2016)
Revision Status Original
Sources: A Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2027
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA section 303(d) List under sections 3.2 and 3.3 of the Listing Policy. Under these sections, 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. Fifty nine of 232 samples exceeded the geometric mean standard for fecal coliform (LOE 56305) and 48 of 240 samples exceeded the single sample maximum for fecal coliform (LOE 56304) for the water contact recreation water quality standard (Water Quality Control Plan: Ocean Waters of California, SWRCB, 2005).

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 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. Fifty nine of 232 samples exceeded the geometric mean standard for fecal coliform (LOE 56305) and 48 of 240 samples exceeded the single sample maximum for fecal coliform (LOE 56304) for the water contact recreation water quality standard and this exceeds 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.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are exceeded and a pollutant contributes to or causes the problem.
 
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 80931, Fecal Coliform
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
LOE ID: 56304
 
Pollutant: Fecal Coliform
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 240
Number of Exceedances: 48
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Beach Watch Program data that is collected by each County's Environmental Health Department. E. coli data results are assessed using the Ocean Plan single sample maximum objective for fecal coliform to determine beneficial use support for the station named Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) and results are as follows: 48 of 240 samples exceed the criterion for Coliform, Fecal.
Data Reference: Data for Region 3 Beach Watch.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: California Ocean Plan (SWRCB 2005) single sample maximum for fecal coliform density shall not exceed 400 per 100ml
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Ocean Waters of California. California Ocean Plan 2005. Sacramento, CA: State Water Resources Control Board, California Environmental Protection Agency
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Data for this line of evidence for Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) was collected at 1 monitoring site [ PB4]
Temporal Representation: Data was collected over the time period 1/1/2007-8/30/2010.
Environmental Conditions: Staff is not aware of any special conditions that might affect interpretation of the data.
QAPP Information: Water Board staff assessed Beach Watch Program data that is collected by each County's Environmental Health Department. There is no QA Project Plan but instead each County follows their own Quality Assurance Procedures
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 80931, Fecal Coliform
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
LOE ID: 56305
 
Pollutant: Fecal Coliform
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 232
Number of Exceedances: 59
 
Data and Information Type: Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: E. coli data results are assessed using the Ocean Plan objective for fecal coliform. A thirty day, rolling geomean was calculated for all data provided when four or more samples were collected within the 30 day period. 59 of the 232 geomeans exceeded the objective.
Data Reference: Data for Region 3 Beach Watch.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The geometric mean standard for fecal coliform states that the fecal coliform density shall not exceed 200 per 100 mL. Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters 2009.
Objective/Criterion Reference: California Ocean Plan Water Quality Control Plan Ocean Waters of California 2009
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Samples were collected from station 1560 PB4.
Temporal Representation: Samples were collected approximately once a week from 2007 to 2010.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: The samples were collected for the Beach Watch program.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
80932
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
Pollutant: Total Coliform
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)(2016)
Revision Status Original
Sources: A Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2027
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA section 303(d) List under sections 3.2 and 3.3 of the Listing Policy. Under these sections, a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

Three lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. One hundred nineteen of 241 samples (LOE 56306) exceeded the shellfish harvesting water quality objective (Water Quality Control Plan: Ocean Waters of California, SWRCB, 2009).

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 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. One hundred nineteen of 241 samples (LOE 56306) exceeded the shellfish harvesting water quality objective and this exceeds 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.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are exceeded and a pollutant contributes to or causes the problem.
 
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 80932, Total Coliform
Region 3     
Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County)
 
LOE ID: 56306
 
Pollutant: Total Coliform
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Shellfish Harvesting
 
Number of Samples: 241
Number of Exceedances: 119
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Beach Watch data for Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 119 of 241 samples exceed the criterion for Coliform, Total.
Data Reference: Data for Region 3 Beach Watch.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The California Ocean Plan (2009) states the following: At all areas where shellfish may be harvested for human consumption, the following bacterial objectives shall be maintained throughout the water column: Ten percent of the samples collected during any 30-day period shall not exceed 230 MPN/100mL.
Objective/Criterion Reference: California Ocean Plan Water Quality Control Plan Ocean Waters of California 2009
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Data for this line of evidence for Pacific Ocean at Pismo Beach (San Luis Obispo County) was collected at 1 monitoring site [ PB4]
Temporal Representation: Data was collected over the time period 1/1/2007-8/30/2010.
Environmental Conditions: Staff is not aware of any special conditions that might affect interpretation of the data.
QAPP Information: The samples were collected for the Beach Watch program.
QAPP Information Reference(s):