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DECISION ID |
15949 |
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Pollutant: |
pH |
Final Listing Decision: |
List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list) |
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: |
New Decision |
Revision Status |
Revised |
Sources: |
Source Unknown |
Expected TMDL Completion Date: |
2021 |
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: |
Pollutant |
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Weight of Evidence: |
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.
Two lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Forty-one pH measurements exceed the water quality objective for pH.
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. Forty-one of 103 pH measurementsexceed the pH objective outlined in the Tulare Basin Plan, 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. |
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RWQCB Board Decision / Staff 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. |
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SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
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USEPA Decision: |
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LOE ID: |
28135 |
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Pollutant: |
pH |
LOE Subgroup: |
Pollutant-Water |
Matrix: |
Water |
Fraction: |
None |
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Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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Number of Samples: |
46 |
Number of Exceedances: |
1 |
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Data and Information Type: |
Not Specified |
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
One of 46 pH measurements made from the Lower Kern River at Keyesville Rec Area exceeded the pH criterion (>8.3). The pH measured on 9/14/1962 was 8.4. |
Data Reference: |
SWAMP data entered by SWRCB into BDAT database |
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Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
pH levels should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.3 (Tulare Basin Plan Objective) |
Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Central Valley Region |
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Evaluation Guideline: |
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Guideline Reference: |
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Spatial Representation: |
pH measurements were made at the Keyesville Rec Area. |
Temporal Representation: |
pH was measured approximately monthly at Keyesville Rec Are between 11/3/0960 and 7/2/1963, and approximately every 2 to 5 months between 10/4/1963 and 7/23/1975. |
Environmental Conditions: |
pH was measured in the Lower Kern River during a period of significant wildfires on the Forest between 2002 and 2004. |
QAPP Information: |
Data received from Sequoia National Forest during draft proposed Integrated Report public review period. Data was apparently collected by the United States Geological Society (USGS), between 1960 and 1993. |
QAPP Information Reference(s): |
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LOE ID: |
8819 |
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Pollutant: |
pH |
LOE Subgroup: |
Pollutant-Water |
Matrix: |
Water |
Fraction: |
None |
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Beneficial Use: |
Warm Freshwater Habitat |
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Number of Samples: |
57 |
Number of Exceedances: |
40 |
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Data and Information Type: |
Not Specified |
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: |
Forty of 57 pH measurements made by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) exceeded the Tulare Basin Plan pH objective (>8.3). The pH values that exceeded the objective (>8.3) were measured at: Calloway Weir (pH=8.8 on 3/27/2002; 8.5 on 12/12/2002; and 8.6 on 3/43/2003); at Hart Park (pH= 8.5 on 3/27/2002; 8.5 on 6/20/2002; 8.6 on 9/18/2002; 8.7 on 3/4/2003; 8.4 on 11/4/2003; 8.75 on 2/4/2004; and 8.66 on 5/26/2004); at Racheria Rd. (pH= 8.5 on 6/20/2002; 8.5 on 9/18/2002; 8.5 on 3/4/2003; 8.5 on 6/26/2003; 8.62 on 2/4/2004; and 8.44 0n 5/26/2004); at Ker MM14/MM15 (pH= 8.5 on 3/27/2002; 8.5 on 6/20/2002; 8.5 on 9/18/2002; 8.7 on 3/4/2003; 8.4 on 6/26/2003; 8.54 on 2/4/2004; and 8.4 on 5/26/2004); at Lower Richbar (pH= 8.4 on 3/27/2002; 8.4 on 6/20/2002; 8.4 on 9/18/2002; 8.4 on 6/26/2003; 8.4 on 11/4/2003; 8.67 on 2/4/2004; and 8.37 on 5/26/2004); at Democrat (pH=8.4 on 3/27/2002; 8.5 on 6/20/2002; 8.4 on 9/18/2002; 8.5 on 12/12/2002; 8.4 on 6/26/2003; and 8.4 on 11/4/2003); and at Keyesville Rec Area (pH = 8.5 on 3/27/2002; 8.5 on 6/20/2002; 8.5 on 9/18/2002; 8.7 on 3/4/2003; 8.7 on 6/26/2003; 8.54 on 2/4/2004; and 8.4 on 5/26/2004). |
Data Reference: |
SWAMP data entered by SWRCB into BDAT database |
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Water Quality Objective/Criterion: |
pH levels should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.3 (Tulare Basin Plan Objective) |
Objective/Criterion Reference: |
Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Central Valley Region |
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Evaluation Guideline: |
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Guideline Reference: |
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Spatial Representation: |
pH measurements were made on 9 dates each at: Keysville Rec Area, Democrat, Lower Richbar, Ker MM14/MM15, Racheria Rd.; on 8 dates at Hart Park; and on 4 dates at Calloway Weir. |
Temporal Representation: |
pH was measured at 7 locations on the Lower Kern River at approximately 3-month intervals, from March 27, 2002, to May 26, 2004. |
Environmental Conditions: |
pH was measured in the Lower Kern River generally during a period of wildfires on the Forest. |
QAPP Information: |
Monitoring was conducted in accordance with the State Water Resources Control Board's Quality Assurance Program Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. |
QAPP Information Reference(s): |