Draft California 2020 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name: Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
Water Body ID: CAR5366004020200206033625
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
124884
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
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 Conclusion: Insufficient information is available to determine beneficial use support for this waterbody-pollutant combination with the statistical power and confidence required by the Listing Policy. Beneficial use support will be reassessed in a future cycle, if more data are available.
 
Regional Board Decision Recommendation: This decision was made by SWRCB staff.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, SWRCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list because it cannot be determined if applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 124884, Temperature, water
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
LOE ID: 206482
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 4
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed NWIS data for Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 0 of 4 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for Temperature.
Data Reference: WQX data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The natural receiving water temperature of intrastate waters shall not be altered unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Regional Water Board that such alteration in temperature does not adversely affect beneficial uses (Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin Plans.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Inland Fishes of California (Moyle 1976) states that for rainbow trout the optimum range for growth and completion of most life stages is 13-21 degrees C (page 129).
Guideline Reference: Inland Fishes of California
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (USGS-11274790)
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the dates of 2014-10-08 and 2016-09-01
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: QAPP not required
QAPP Information Reference(s): This is a placeholder reference for data that was collected after QAPP requirements were developed, but exempt from the requirements.
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 124884, Temperature, water
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
LOE ID: 206324
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 10
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed STORET data for Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 0 of 10 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for Temperature.
Data Reference: WQX data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The natural receiving water temperature of intrastate waters shall not be altered unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Regional Water Board that such alteration in temperature does not adversely affect beneficial uses (Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin Plans.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Inland Fishes of California (Moyle 1976) states that for rainbow trout the optimum range for growth and completion of most life stages is 13-21 degrees C (page 129).
Guideline Reference: Inland Fishes of California
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (CALWR_WQX-B4185010)
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-10-12 and 2015-10-27
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: STORET
QAPP Information Reference(s): This is a placeholder reference for data that was collected after QAPP requirements were developed, but exempt from the requirements.
 
 
DECISION ID
124883
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
Pollutant: pH
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 Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) List under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy.

A total of three lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. A total of three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the cold freshwater habitat beneficial use, three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the non-contact recreation beneficial use and three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the water contact recreation beneficial use. These data are insufficient to determine the applicable beneficial use support rating with the power and confidence required by the Listing Policy.

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 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. A total of three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the cold freshwater habitat beneficial use, three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the non-contact recreation beneficial use and three of 10 samples exceed the water quality objective for the water contact recreation beneficial use. 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.
 
Regional Board 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.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation:
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 124883, pH
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
LOE ID: 204804
 
Pollutant: pH
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Non-Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 10
Number of Exceedances: 3
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed STORET data for Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 3 of 10 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for pH.
Data Reference: WQX data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin: pH should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.5.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (CALWR_WQX-B4185010)
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-10-12 and 2015-10-27
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: STORET
QAPP Information Reference(s): This is a placeholder reference for data that was collected after QAPP requirements were developed, but exempt from the requirements.
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 124883, pH
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
LOE ID: 204294
 
Pollutant: pH
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Cold Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 10
Number of Exceedances: 3
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed STORET data for Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 3 of 10 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for pH.
Data Reference: WQX data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin: pH should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.5.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (CALWR_WQX-B4185010)
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-10-12 and 2015-10-27
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: STORET
QAPP Information Reference(s): This is a placeholder reference for data that was collected after QAPP requirements were developed, but exempt from the requirements.
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 124883, pH
Region 5     
Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County)
 
LOE ID: 204295
 
Pollutant: pH
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 10
Number of Exceedances: 3
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed STORET data for Tuolumne River west of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Tuolumne County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 3 of 10 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for pH.
Data Reference: WQX data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin: pH should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.5.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (CALWR_WQX-B4185010)
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-10-12 and 2015-10-27
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: STORET
QAPP Information Reference(s): This is a placeholder reference for data that was collected after QAPP requirements were developed, but exempt from the requirements.