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

Supporting Information

Regional Board 8 - Santa Ana Region

Water Body Name: Bolsa Chica Channel
Water Body ID: CAR8011100020080921212001
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
77125
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
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)(2016)
Revision Status Original
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: There was no new data considered in the 2014 Listing Cycle, this previously made decision will carryover. The following description applies to an earlier Listing Cycle.

This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One line of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Six 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. Six of 69 samples exceeded the Basin Plan Objective 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.
 
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 77125, Temperature, water
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
LOE ID: 28935
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 69
Number of Exceedances: 6
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the 69 samples collected, 6 exceeded the Basin Plan Objective. From Bolsa Chica Channel 1: 0 out of 11 were between June and October and 2 out of 24 were from November and May. From Bolsa Chica Channel 2: 0 out of 10 were between June and October and 4 out of 24 were between November and May.
Data Reference: Orange County Coast Keeper Coastal Watersheds Project
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Temperature objectives for natural receiving water are specified in the ¿Water Quality Control Plan.¿ The natural receiving water temperature of inland surface waters shall not be altered unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Regional Board that such alteration in temperature does not adversely affect beneficial uses. The temperature of waters designated WARM shall not be raised above 90°F June through October or above 78°F during the rest of the year as a result of controllable water quality factors.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at two stations: Bolsa Chica Channel 1 and Bolsa Chica Channel 2
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected monthly starting on 3/17/2004 through 3/30/2006.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: The data's quality is deemed acceptable because it was collected under the auspices of a Regional Board staff's approved quality assurance plan.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
73788
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
Pollutant: Ammonia (Unionized)
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: 2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: There was no new data considered, this previously made decision will carryover. The following description applies to an earlier Listing Cycle.

This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.1 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One (1) line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Eight (8) 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 in favor of 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. Eight (8) of sixty-five (65) samples exceed the Basin Plan's Objective and this exceeds the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 of the Listing Policy.
4. This water body does not currently have an aquatic life beneficial use designation in the Basin Plan.
5. Pictures showing that an aquatic life use designation exists in this water body are available.
6. 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 73788, Ammonia (Unionized)
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
LOE ID: 8494
 
Pollutant: Ammonia (Unionized)
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 65
Number of Exceedances: 8
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the 65 samples collected, eight exceeded the Basin Plan's objective. Three of these exceedances occurred in the Channel 1 sampling station and five of them occurred in the Channel 2 sampling station.
Data Reference: Orange County Coast Keeper Coastal Watersheds Project
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Basin Plan Objective: The objective varies according to the temperature of the water being sampled and ranged during the sampling period as follows: 0.13 mg/l - 0.51 mg/l
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at two stations in the Bolsa Chica Channel: Channel 1 (bc1) and Channel 2 (bc2)
Temporal Representation: The samples were taken monthly starting with 3/17/2004 through 3/30/2006
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: The data's quality is deemed acceptable because it was collected under the auspices of a Regional Board staff's approved quality assurance plan.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
77714
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
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: 2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: No new data were assessed this cycle. The decision has not changed, and is presented in "Decision Relationships Continued".

2010 USEPA Final Approval Decision Details:

The November 12, 2010 USEPA partial approval letter and the October 11, 2011 final approval letter both from Alexis Strauss, USEPA Region 9, to Tom Howard, SWRCB, concluded the following:

USEPA added Bolsa Chica Channel to the list of water quality limited segments requiring a TMDL for indicator bacteria. This water body is designated as a Water Contact Recreation (REC1) water body either explicitly or implicitly as tributaries to other designated segments (RWQCB Santa Ana Region, 2008, Table 3-1, pp.3-23 - 3-35).

The Santa Ana Basin Plan has the following water quality objective for fecal coliform to protect REC1 beneficial use:

Fecal coliform: log mean less than 200 organisms/100 mL based on five or more samples/30 day period, and not more than 10% of the samples exceed 400 organisms/100 mL for any 30-day period. (RWQCB Santa Ana Region, 2008, pp.4-9)

Recent monitoring data collected in this water body measures Escherichia coli (E. coli) indicator bacteria. E. coli is one species within the broader category of fecal coliform bacteria and monitoring data for E. coli can be used to evaluate whether the fecal coliform objective is being met in the subject water body.

In addition, USEPA has recommended that California use USEPA's Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria (1986) when there is no adopted E. coli standard. Specifically, USEPA recommends that for REC1 beneficial use the following criteria be used:

Steady state geometric mean indicator density - 126 indicator densities/100ml Designated beach area (upper 75% confidence limit) - 235 indicator densities/100ml (EPA, 1986, Table 4, pp.15)

USEPA compared the E. coli data for this water body to the Basin Plan's fecal coliform objective, as well as to USEPA's recommended E. coli criteria and the results were:

1. Forty-nine of the 63 samples taken exceeded the USEPA E. coli criteria (235 organisms/100ml).
2. Forty-two of the 43 samples taken exceeded the Basin Plan objective for fecal coliform (400 organisms/100ml).

For this water body segment, sufficient exceedances of the fecal coliform objective and the USEPA recommended criteria exist to merit listings per the 10% exceedance threshold for conventional pollutants expressed in Table 3.2 of the State Listing Policy.

For historical clarification, the Regional and State Water Board detailed decision recommendations made prior to USEPA's final decision are presented in their respective recommendation fields in this decision.

Note: All lines of evidence (LOEs) previously made by the Regional Boards have been revised where necessary in accordance with USEPA's final decision.
 
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: 2010 USEPA Final Approval Decision Details:

The November 12, 2010 USEPA partial approval letter and the October 11, 2011 final approval letter both from Alexis Strauss, USEPA Region 9, to Tom Howard, SWRCB, concluded the following:

USEPA added Bolsa Chica Channel to the list of water quality limited segments requiring a TMDL for indicator bacteria. This water body is designated as a Water Contact Recreation (REC1) water body either explicitly or implicitly as tributaries to other designated segments (RWQCB Santa Ana Region, 2008, Table 3-1, pp.3-23 - 3-35).

The Santa Ana Basin Plan has the following water quality objective for fecal coliform to protect REC1 beneficial use:

Fecal coliform: log mean less than 200 organisms/100 mL based on five or more samples/30 day period, and not more than 10% of the samples exceed 400 organisms/100 mL for any 30-day period. (RWQCB Santa Ana Region, 2008, pp.4-9)

Recent monitoring data collected in this water body measures Escherichia coli (E. coli) indicator bacteria. E. coli is one species within the broader category of fecal coliform bacteria and monitoring data for E. coli can be used to evaluate whether the fecal coliform objective is being met in the subject water body.

In addition, USEPA has recommended that California use USEPA's Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria (1986) when there is no adopted E. coli standard. Specifically, USEPA recommends that for REC1 beneficial use the following criteria be used:

Steady state geometric mean indicator density - 126 indicator densities/100ml Designated beach area (upper 75% confidence limit) - 235 indicator densities/100ml (EPA, 1986, Table 4, pp.15)

USEPA compared the E. coli data for this water body to the Basin Plan's fecal coliform objective, as well as to USEPA's recommended E. coli criteria and the results were:

1. Forty-nine of the 63 samples taken exceeded the USEPA E. coli criteria (235 organisms/100ml).
2. Forty-two of the 43 samples taken exceeded the Basin Plan objective for fecal coliform (400 organisms/100ml).

For this water body segment, sufficient exceedances of the fecal coliform objective and the USEPA recommended criteria exist to merit listings per the 10% exceedance threshold for conventional pollutants expressed in Table 3.2 of the State Listing Policy.

For historical clarification, the Regional and State Water Board detailed decision recommendations made prior to USEPA's final decision are presented in their respective recommendation fields in this decision.

Note: All lines of evidence (LOEs) previously made by the Regional Boards have been revised where necessary in accordance with USEPA's final decision.
 
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 77714, Indicator Bacteria
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
LOE ID: 21462
 
Pollutant: Escherichia coli (E. coli)
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 63
Number of Exceedances: 49
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the 63 samples taken by Orange County Coast Keeper Coastal Watersheds Project, 49 exceeded USEPA's recommended single sample standard and 42 samples exceeded the Basin Plan fecal coliform objective.
Data Reference: USEPA Partial Approval Disapproval Letter and enclosures for California's 2008-2010 303(d) List
  USEPA Final Decision Letter with enclosures and responsiveness summary regarding waters added to California's 2008-2010 303(d) List
  USEPA Region 9 data summary for addition of indicator bacteria to California 2010 303(d) list for some Santa Ana River - Region 8 water bodies
  Orange County Coast Keeper Coastal Watersheds Project
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: USEPA Recommended Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria -1986: E. coli: log mean less than 126 organisms/100 mL based on five or more samples per 30-day period, and single sample shall not exceed 235 organisms/100mL.

Santa Ana Region Basin Plan objective for Fecal coliform: log mean less than 200 organisms/100 mL based on five or more samples/30 day period, and not more than 10% of the samples exceed 400 organisms/100 mL for any 30-day period. (RWQCB Santa Ana Region, 2008, pp.4-9)
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
Objective/Criterion Reference: Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria - 1986. EPA440/5-84-002
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at two stations in the Bolsa Chica Channel sites 1 and 2 (bc1 and bc2):

bc1 is Located in Cypress in the upper Bolsa Chica Channel at Warland Street Bridge

bc2 is located in Huntington Beach in the lower Bolsa Chica Channel at the intersection of Bolsa Chica Blvd. and Rancho Rd.
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected monthly starting with March 31, 2004 through March 30, 2006.
Environmental Conditions: Staff is not aware of any special conditions that might effect interpretation of the data.
QAPP Information: The data's quality is deemed appropriate because it was obtained under the auspices of a QAPP approved by the Regional Board.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
 
DECISION ID
77494
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
Pollutant: pH
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: 2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: There was no new data considered in the 2014 Listing Cycle, this previously made decision will carryover. The following description applies to an earlier Listing Cycle.

Regional Board Conclusion:
This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

One (1) line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Fourteen (14) 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. Fourteen (14) of Seventy four (74) samples exceeded the Basin Plan Objective 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.



State Board Review and Conclusion:
An incorrect determination was made by the Regional Board staff on the number of exceedances allowed when there are 74 samples using Table 3.2 of the Listing Policy. State Board staff re-evaluated the existing data with the correct application of Table 3.2 and the recommendation has been revised to list for pH as follows:

One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Fourteen 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 in favor of 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. Fourteen of seventy-four samples exceeded the Basin Plan 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: 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 77494, pH
Region 8     
Bolsa Chica Channel
 
LOE ID: 21438
 
Pollutant: pH
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 74
Number of Exceedances: 14
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Of the 74 samples taken 14 exceeded the Basin Plan's objective. Four of these exceedances occurred in the Channel 1 sampling station and ten of them occurred in the Channel 2 sampling station.
Data Reference: Orange County Coast Keeper Coastal Watersheds Project
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Basin Plan Objective: The ph of inland surface waters shall not be raised above 8.5 pH units or depressed below 6.5 pH units as a result of controllable water quality factors.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at two stations in the Bolsa Chica Channel: Channel 1 (bc1) and Channel 2 (bc2). Channel 1 is Located in Cypress in the Upper Bolsa Chica Channel at Warland street bridge.
Channel 2 is located in Huntington Beach in the Lower Bolsa Chica channel at the intersection of Bolsa Chica Blvd. and Rancho Rd.
Temporal Representation: The samples were taken monthly starting with 3/17/2004 through 3/30/2006.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: The data's quality is deemed acceptable because it was collected under the auspices of a Regional Board staff's approved quality assurance plan.
QAPP Information Reference(s):