| Water Body Name: | Solano, Lake |
| Water Body ID: | CAL5112000020020501144846 |
| Water Body Type: | Lake & Reservoir |
DECISION ID |
74024 |
Region 5 |
Solano, Lake |
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| Pollutant: | Mercury |
| Final Listing Decision: | Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list) |
| Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: | Do Not Delist from 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 removal from the CWA section 303(d) List under section 4.1 of the Listing Policy. Under this section a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.
One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess mercury concentrations in fish tissues. Five of the six samples exceed the evaluation guideline. LOE 22594 was not used in the final listing decision due to the criterion change. The data in LOE 22594 were reassessed in LOE 95607 with the new criterion. LOE 95607 was used in the final listing decision. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against removing this water segment-pollutant combination from 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. Five of the six samples exceed the evaluation guideline and this exceeds the allowable frequency listed in Table 4.1 of the Listing Policy. 4. Pursuant to section 4.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are 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. |
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| LOE ID: | 95607 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Mercury | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Tissue | ||||
| Matrix: | Tissue | ||||
| Fraction: | Total | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Commercial or recreational collection of fish, shellfish, or organisms | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 6 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 5 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Fish were sampled for tissue analysis at one location from Lake Solano. A total of 5 out of 6 samples exceeded the USEPA fish tissue criterion for human health. The average wet weight mercury concentration in fish tissue was 0.38 ppm for all 6 samples collected. The number of fish collected per sample, the measured mercury concentrations in fish tissue, and the number of exceedances are, by species:
Hitch- 1 sample, 0.12 ppm, no exceedances; Sacramento Sucker- 5 samples, 0.32-0.52 ppm (average 0.43 ppm), 5 exceedances. All 6 samples were collected from fish with total lengths greater than 150 mm, which represent fish most commonly caught and consumed by sport fishers and their families. |
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| Data Reference: | Lower Putah Creek 1997-1998 Mercury Biological Distribution Study. Dept. of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis. February 1999 | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. (Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region, Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin) | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | The U.S. EPA 304(a)-recommended water quality criterion for concentrations of methylmercury in fish tissue of trophic level 4 fish (150 - 500 mm; fillet wet weight) is 0.20 mg/Kg. | ||||
| Guideline Reference: | Water Quality Criterion for the Protection of Human Health: Methylmercury. Final. United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Science and Technology Office of Water. EPA-823-R-01-001. January 2001 | ||||
| Spatial Representation: | Samples were collected at one location from the western side of Lake Solano. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Fish samples were collected during the years of 1997-1998. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | Significant mercury mining activity occurred within tributaries upstream of Lake Solano in the late 1800's to mid 1900's. This was before Monticello Dam and the resulting Lake Berryessa were constructed upstream of Lake Solano (Slotton et al., 1999). | ||||
| QAPP Information: | Data quality: Excellent. Quality Control for the fish sampling, tissue preparation, mercury analysis, and assessment of data precision and accuracy portions of this study was conducted as described in the study report (Slotton et al., 1999). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
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| LOE ID: | 22594 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Mercury | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Tissue | ||||
| Matrix: | Tissue | ||||
| Fraction: | Total | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Commercial or recreational collection of fish, shellfish, or organisms | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 6 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 5 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Fish were sampled for tissue analysis at one location from Lake Solano. A total of 5 out of 6 samples exceeded the USEPA fish tissue criterion for human health. The average wet weight mercury concentration in fish tissue was 0.38 ppm for all 6 samples collected. The number of fish collected per sample, the measured mercury concentrations in fish tissue, and the number of exceedances are, by species: Hitch- 1 sample, 0.12 ppm, no exceedances; Sacramento Sucker- 5 samples, 0.32-0.52 ppm (average 0.43 ppm), 5 exceedances. All 6 samples were collected from fish with total lengths greater than 150 mm, which represent fish most commonly caught and consumed by sport fishers and their families. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Lower Putah Creek 1997-1998 Mercury Biological Distribution Study. Dept. of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis. February 1999 | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. The objective applies regardless of whether the toxicity is caused by a single substance or the interactive effect of multiple substances. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | The USEPA Fish Tissue Residue Criterion for methylmercury in fish is 0.3 mg/kg (0.3 ppm) for the protection of human health. This is the concentration in fish tissue that should not be exceeded based on a total fish and shellfish consumption-weighted rate of 0.0175 kg fish/day. (USEPA, 2001) | ||||
| Guideline Reference: | Water Quality Criterion for the Protection of Human Health: Methylmercury. Final. United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Science and Technology Office of Water. EPA-823-R-01-001. January 2001 | ||||
| Spatial Representation: | Samples were collected at one location from the western side of Lake Solano. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Fish samples were collected during the years of 1997-1998. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | Significant mercury mining activity occurred within tributaries upstream of Lake Solano in the late 1800's to mid 1900's. This was before Monticello Dam and the resulting Lake Berryessa were constructed upstream of Lake Solano (Slotton et al., 1999). | ||||
| QAPP Information: | Data quality: Excellent. Quality Control for the fish sampling, tissue preparation, mercury analysis, and assessment of data precision and accuracy portions of this study was conducted as described in the study report (Slotton et al., 1999). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||