# Final 2008 California 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report

# Supporting Information

## Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name: | Butt Valley Reservoir (Plumas County)
Water Body ID: | CAL5184302220041209123701
Water Body Type: | Lake & Reservoir

DECISION ID | 4498
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)(2006)
Revision Status | Original
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant
Weight of Evidence: | This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under sections 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. Based on section 3.2 the site has a few exceedances of temperature guidelines. Also, there is no evidence that human activities are modifying the temperature regime so as to adversely impact cold water species. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is insufficient 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 water temperature guideline used complies with the requirements of section 6.1.3 of the Policy. 2. The data used satisfies the data quality requirements of section 6.1.4 of the Policy. 3. The data used satisfies the data quantity requirements of section 6.1.5 of the Policy. 4. Three of 3 annual maximum temperature values exceeded the water temperature guideline of 21.0 degrees Celsius, and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.2 of the Listing Policy. 5. Pursuant to section 3.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not met.
RWQCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: | This is a decision made by the State Water Resources Control Board and approved by the USEPA in 2006 . No new data were assessed by the Regional Board for 2008. The decision has not changed.
SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
USEPA Decision: |

Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 4498

LOE ID: | 726
Pollutant: | Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water
Matrix: | Water
Fraction: | None
Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat
Number of Samples: | 3
Number of Exceedances: | 3
Data and Information Type: | Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Butt Valley Reservoir was sampled at 3 stations: BV1, BV2-S, BV2-B. Each station had a set of 4 daily maximum temperature values, one for each month (June to September) for 2002. Based on this set of values the annual maximum temperature was determined for 2002. Three of the 3 total annual maximum temperatures for 2002 exceeded the 21.0 degrees C steelhead criteria (PG&E, 2003c).
Data Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | At no time or place shall the temperature of COLD or WARM intrastate waters be increased more than 5 degrees F above natural receiving water temperature. To the extent of any conflict with the above, the more stringent objective applies. In determining compliance with the water quality objectives for temperature, appropriate averaging periods may be applied provided that beneficial uses will be fully protected.
Objective/Criterion Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Evaluation Guideline: | The guideline used was from Sullivan et al. (2000) Published Temperature Thresholds-Peer Reviewed Literature which includes reviewed sub-lethal and acute temperature thresholds from a wide range of studies, incorporating information from laboratory-based research, field observations, and risk assessment approaches. This report calculated the Annual Maximum (instantaneous maximum observed during the summer) upper threshold criterion for steelhead trout as 21.0 degrees C. The risk assessment approach used by Sullivan et al. (2000) suggests that an upper threshold for the Annual Maximum of 21.0 degrees C for steelhead will reduce average growth 10% from optimum.
Guideline Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Spatial Representation: | Samples were taken at three stations: BV1 (Butt Valley Powerhouse), BV2-S (Butt Valley Res. at Caribou Intake near the surface), BV2-B (Butt Valley Res. at Caribou Intake near the bottom).
Temporal Representation: | Samples were collected during the summer months (June, July, August, and September) of 2002.
Environmental Conditions: |
QAPP Information: | Rock Creek--Cresta Project Water Temperature Monitoring Plan.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
LOE ID: | 725
Pollutant: | Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: | Testimonial Evidence
Matrix: | Not Specified
Fraction: | None
Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat
Number of Samples: | 0
Number of Exceedances: | 0
Data and Information Type: | Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Information received from RWQCB staff. The existence of reservoirs results in an inherent temperature regime. Reservoirs take on their own individual temperature regimes, which includes seasonal development of warm and cold water layers. This has nothing to do with human induced impacts. Specifically for Butt Reservoir, there is no evidence that human activities are modifying the temperature regime so as to adversely impact cold water species.
Data Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | Basin Plan: ...Achievement of of the [water quality] objectives depends on applying them to controllable water quality factors. Controllable water quality factors are those actions, conditions, or circumstances resulting from human activities that may influence the quality of waters of the state...and that may be reasonably controlled.
Objective/Criterion Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Evaluation Guideline: |
Guideline Reference:
Spatial Representation: |
Temporal Representation: |
Environmental Conditions: |
QAPP Information: | QA Info Missing
QAPP Information Reference(s):