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

# Supporting Information

## Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name: | Willow Creek (Madera County)
Water Body ID: | CAR5402105120000216112815
Water Body Type: | River & Stream

DECISION ID | 4758
Pollutant: | Temperature, water
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)(2006)
Revision Status | Original
Sources: | Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date: | 2019
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant
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. A large number of temperature values exceeded the water quality objective. Native fish species decline and change in abundance could be attributed to water temperature. 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 of 11 annual maximum temperature values for the South Fork of Willow Creek below Forest Service Road (SFWC 5.8 & 7.7), exceeded the 21.0°C criteria for steelhead; and at location NFWC 11, two of 11 annual maximum temperature values exceeded the 21.0°C criteria. These 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.
RWQCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: | No new data were assessed for 2008. The Regional Board will update this decision when new data and information become available and are assessed.
SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
USEPA Decision: |

Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 4758

LOE ID: | 2776
Pollutant: | Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water
Matrix: | Water
Fraction: | Total
Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat
Number of Samples: | 11
Number of Exceedances: | 8
Data and Information Type: | Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Stream temperatures were measured with Omnidata Model 112 temperature recorders at 2 locations on Willow Creek. Data was collected daily at different times of the day. Monitoring occurred from 1986 to 1996. At sampling location NFWC 11, below Bass Lake, two annual maximum temperature values (years 1990 and 1995 only) out of 11 annual values exceeded the 21.0 degrees C criteria for steelhead. For sampling location SFWC 5.8 and 7.7, below Forest Service Road, 8 annual maximum temperature values of 11 annual values exceeded the 21.0 degrees C criteria for steelhead (PG&E, 2001).
Data Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
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. Temperature objectives for COLD interstate waters, WARM interstate waters, and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries are as specified in the Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays of California including any revisions. There are also temperature objectives for the Delta in the State Water Board's May 1991 Water Quality Control Plan for Salinity. 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. Temperature changes due to controllable factors shall be limited for the water bodies specified as described in Table III-4. 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: | Stream temperatures were monitored at the following stream segments: NFWC (North Fork Willow Creek) below Bass Lake (SfW 11), and SFWC (South Fork Willow Creek) below Forest Service Road (SfW 5.8 and 7.7).
Temporal Representation: | The data was collected on a daily basis at varying times of the day. Monitoring occurred in all years from 1986 to 1996.
Environmental Conditions: |
QAPP Information: | Data is supported by a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 31.45 and are acceptable for use in developing the section 303(d) list.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
LOE ID: | 2777
Pollutant: | Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: | Population/Community Degradation
Matrix: | -N/A
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: | Rainbow trout, brown trout, Sacramento sucker, Sacramento pikeminnow, and green sunfish were collected at 4 sampling sites. Rainbow and brown trout were located in the upper section of Willow Creek and in Whisky Creek. Hardhead were not found at any the sites. Willow Creek provides fully functional rearing habitat for other cyprinid species, so the absence of hardhead is not due to lack of appropriate habitat in this reach. Hardhead is viable and healthy in the horseshoe bend of the San Joaquin River. Historically, hardhead resided in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries. A study in 1984 found 3 hardhead in the lower reaches of Willow Creek. In a 1964 study hardhead were found in most streams of the San Joaquin drainage. In the early 1970s they were only found at 9% of the sites sampled. Re-sampling many of the same sites about 15 years later found many of the populations had disappeared. During the 1984 study, no hardhead or pikeminnow were found in any of the stream reaches above the Whisky Creek confluence with Willow Creek. Follow-up surveys found none either. Willow Creek has reduced surface flow and water heats up due to solar radiation above the confluence with Whisky Creek. The measured temperature in this area was 29 degrees C at mid-day during this study. Whisky Creek has a coldwater input and has a healthy trout population (Price, 2002).
Data Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | In the absence of necessary data to interpret numeric water quality objectives, recent temperature monitoring data shall be compared to the temperature requirements of aquatic life in the water segment. In many cases, fisheries, particularly salmonids, represent the beneficial uses most sensitive to temperature. Information on current and historic conditions and distribution of sensitive beneficial uses (e.g., fishery resources) in the water segment is necessary, as well as recent temperature data reflective of conditions experienced by the most sensitive life stage of the aquatic life species. If temperature data from past (historic) periods corresponding to times when the beneficial use was fully supported are not available, information about presence/absence or abundance of sensitive aquatic life species shall be used to infer past (historic) temperature conditions if loss of habitat, diversions, toxic spills, and other factors are also considered (Water Quality Control Policy for CWA Section 303(d) List, 2004).
Objective/Criterion Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d)
Evaluation Guideline: |
Guideline Reference:
Spatial Representation: | Four study sites. Site 1 was located on Willow Creek upstream of the USGS gage 2465. Site 2 was located on Willow Creek above the confluence of San Joaquin River. Site 3 was located on Willow Creek above the confluence of Whisky Creek. And site 4 was located on Whisky Creek above the confluence of Willow Creek.
Temporal Representation: | October 3, 2000 and October 4, 2000.
Environmental Conditions: | Changes in relative diversity and abundance of native species may also be driven by habitat alteration, flow changes, sedimentation, hydromodification or the introduction of non-native species.
QAPP Information: | QA Info Missing
QAPP Information Reference(s):