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

# Supporting Information

## Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name: | Deer Creek (from Deer Creek Reservoir to Lake Wildwood, Nevada County)
Water Body ID: | CAR5172001220080623175736
Water Body Type: | River & Stream

DECISION ID | 13092
Pollutant: | Mercury
Final Listing Decision: | List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: | New Decision
Revision Status | Revised
Sources: | Resource Extraction
Expected TMDL Completion Date: | 2016
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant
Weight of Evidence: | This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.1 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. Five 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. Four of 18 samples exceed the USEPA (CTR) mercury-based numeric criterion for human health and this exceeds the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 of the Listing Policy. In addition, 1 out of 5 fish samples exceed the USEPA fish tissue criterion for human health and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.1 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: | 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.
SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: |
USEPA Decision: |

Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 13092

LOE ID: | 22967
Pollutant: | Mercury
LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Tissue
Matrix: | Tissue
Fraction: | Total
Beneficial Use: | Commercial or recreational collection of fish, shellfish, or organisms
Number of Samples: | 5
Number of Exceedances: | 1
Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Fish were sampled for tissue analysis at one location from this reach. A total of 1 out of 5 samples exceeded the USEPA fish tissue criterion for human health. The average wet weight mercury concentration in fish tissue was 0.19 ppm for all 5 samples collected. The number of fish collected per sample, the measured mercury concentrations in fish tissue, and the number of exceedances are, by species: Brown Trout- 4 samples, 0.11-0.32 ppm (average 0.18 ppm), 1 exceedance; Rainbow Trout- 1 sample, 0.22 ppm, no exceedances. All 5 samples were collected from fish with total lengths greater than 150 mm, which represent fish most commonly caught and consumed by sport fishers and their families.
Data Reference: | Mercury Bioaccumulation in Fish in a Region Affected by Historic Gold Mining: The South Yuba River, Deer Creek, and Bear River Watersheds, California, 1999. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-367. Prepared in cooperation with Bureau of Land Management; California State Water Resources Control Board; Nevada County Resource Conservation District; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sacramento, CA
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. The objective applies regardless of whether the toxicity is caused by a single substance or the interactive effect of multiple substances.
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
Evaluation Guideline: | The USEPA Fish Tissue Residue Criterion for methylmercury in fish is 0.3 mg/kg (0.3 ppm) for the protection of human health. This is the concentration in fish tissue that should not be exceeded based on a total fish and shellfish consumption-weighted rate of 0.0175 kg fish/day (USEPA, 2001).
Guideline Reference: | Water Quality Criterion for the Protection of Human Health: Methylmercury. Final. United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Science and Technology Office of Water. EPA-823-R-01-001. January 2001
Spatial Representation: | Samples were collected at one location from this reach of Deer Creek near Willow Valley Road.
Temporal Representation: | Fish samples were collected during one sampling event on 10/6/1999.
Environmental Conditions: | Significant gold mining activity occurred during the Gold Rush era within the watershed of this reach of Deer Creek (USGS, 2005).
QAPP Information: | In accordance with section 6.1.4 of the Listing Policy, data from major monitoring programs in California and Published USGS reports are considered of adequate quality.
QAPP Information Reference(s):
LOE ID: | 22966
Pollutant: | Mercury
LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water
Matrix: | Water
Fraction: | Total
Beneficial Use: | Commercial or recreational collection of fish, shellfish, or organisms
Number of Samples: | 18
Number of Exceedances: | 4
Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Water samples were collected at three locations from this reach, at DCL2, DCL5 and DCL6 (codes defined in Spatial Representation section). A total of 30 water samples were collected at these three locations representing eighteen 30-day average samples. Four out of the eighteen 30-day average samples exceeded the USEPA (CTR) mercury-based numeric criterion for human health. A total of 10 water samples were collected at each location representing six 30-day average samples for each station. DCL2: None of the six 30-day average samples exceeded the USEPA (CTR) mercury-based numeric criterion for human health. The total recoverable mercury concentrations in water ranged from 0.76 ng/l to 32.2 ng/l with an average of 10.8 ng/l for the six 30-day average samples. DCL5: Two of the six 30-day average samples exceeded the USEPA (CTR) mercury-based numeric criterion for human health. The total recoverable mercury concentrations in water ranged from 2.4 ng/l to 205 ng/l with an average of 57.7 ng/l for the six 30-day average samples. DCL6: Two of the six 30-day average samples exceeded the USEPA (CTR) mercury-based numeric criterion for human health. The total recoverable mercury concentrations in water ranged from 1.7 ng/l to 355 ng/l with an average of 112.4 ng/l for the six 30-day average samples.
Data Reference: | Deer Creek Watershed Mercury Survey, draft 2-28-2007
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | The USEPA (CTR) numeric criterion for the protection of human health for the consumption of both water and fish that live in the water is 50 ng/l (30-day average) for total recoverable mercury (40 CFR 131.38).
Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Standards 2000. Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California: Rules and regulations. Federal Register Vol. 65, No. 97. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Protection Agency
| Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Central Valley Region
Evaluation Guideline: |
Guideline Reference:
Spatial Representation: | Samples were taken from three stations located along this reach of Deer Creek: DCL2 (Deer Creek 20 m below Boulder Street ford on Willow Valley Road); DCL5 (Deer Creek one mile below Champion mine on Rothert property); and DCL6 (Deer Creek inlet at Lake Wildwood Drive bridge).
Temporal Representation: | Water samples were collected during ten sampling events from 09/15/2005 to 6/29/2006.
Environmental Conditions: | Samples represented a range of flow conditions, including two low-flow irrigation season events, four high-flow storms, and four intermediate-flow winter and spring events. Significant gold mining activity occurred during the Gold Rush era within the watershed of this reach of Deer Creek (USGS, 2005).
QAPP Information: | Protocols for the water sampling conducted for this study are described in Field Sampling Protocols for Total Mercury Water Samples (Friends of Deer Creek, 2005). Quality Control for all of the elements described in section 6.1.4 of the Policy was conducted in accordance with the Citizen Water Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan For The Yuba Watershed Monitoring Committee (van der Veen, 2004). The Friends of Deer Creeks mercury survey was a collaboration with the Regional Water Quality Control Board/Central Valley Region and their CALFED mercury QA program.
QAPP Information Reference(s):