The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2010-11

PLAN AND ASSESS: BASIN PLANNING

GROUP:

BASIN PLANNING

MEASURE:

BASIN PLAN AMENDMENT ACTIONS ADOPTED BY REGIONAL BOARDS
NUMBER OF BENEFICIAL USES ADDED, REMOVED OR CHANGED
RECEIVED BY STATE BOARD FOR APPROVAL
NUMBER OF WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES ADDED, REMOVED OR CHANGED

MESSAGE:

The primary basin planning work in FY 2010-2011 involved development of Total Maximum Daily Loads. Regional Boards also refined beneficial use designations and continued development of water quality objectives.

*KEY STATISTICS FOR FY 2010-11*
Number of Basin Plan Amendment Actions by Regional Boards:	14
Number of Beneficial Uses Added, Removed, or Changed:	2,327 Added 104 changed
Number of Water Quality Objectives Added, Removed, or Changed:	12

MEASUREMENTS - Data last updated on: 09-23-2011 (8:56 AM)

TMDL Basin Planning Amendments Adopted by Regional Boards in Fiscal Year 2010/2011
Region	Title	Description Implementation Through	Adoption Date	Objectives (Count)	Imple-mentation (Count)
3	Lower Salinas River Watershed TMDLs for Fecal Coliform	TMDLs for bacterial indicators in the Lower Salinas River Watershed to address impaired waters for water contact recreation. Includes an implementation and monitoring plan and adds the Lower Salinas River Watershed to both the Domestic Animal Waste Discharge Prohibition and the Human Fecal Material Discharge Prohibition	09-02-2010	4	11
4	Machado Lake Pesticides and PCBs TMDL	TMDLs for pesticides and PCBs in Lake Machado to address impairments of aquatic life and recreational beneficial uses. Waste load allocations implemented through the MS4, Caltrans and General Construction and Industrial Stormwater NPDES permits, and any other non-stormwater NPDES permits. Load allocations implemented through Memorandums of Agreement or Cleanup and Abatement Orders or other regulatory orders.	09-02-2010	0	6
4	Los Angeles River Watershed Bacteria TMDL	TMDL for indicator bacteria densities the Los Angeles River Watershed causing impairment of the water contact recreation (REC-1) beneficial use. Waste load allocations implemented through General and Individual NPDES permits, MS4 Permits and the Statewide Industrial, Construction, and Caltrans Storm Water General Permits. Load allocations for onsite wastewater treatment systems implemented through Waste Discharge Requirements or waivers of Waste Discharge Requirements. Load Allocations for other nonpoint sources implemented through the Nonpoint Source Implementation and Enforcement Policy.	07-09-2010	0	9
4	TMDL for indicator bacteria in the Santa Clara River Estuary and Reaches 3, 5, 6, and 7	This TMDL for indicator bacteria in the impaired sections of the Santa Clara River watershed to address impairments of water contact recreation and non contact recreation beneficial uses. Implemented through General and Individual NPDES permits, MS4 permits, Industrial and Construction Stormwater permits, the Caltrans Stormwater permit, the Conditional Waiver for Irrigated Lands, WDRs, waivers of WDRs and other appropriate mechanisms.	07-08-2010	0	12
4	Santa Monica Bay Nearshore and Offshore Debris TMDL	TMDL for Debris in the Santa Monica Bay to address impairments of aquatic life, wildlife, and recreational beneficial uses. Waste load allocations for trash will be implemented through the MS4 permit. Implementation for plastic pellets through the Industrial Stormwater permit. Load allocations for non-point sources of trash implemented in a manner consistent with the Statewide Policy for Implementation and Enforcement of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program.	11-04-2010	0	3
6	Lake Tahoe TMDL	TMDL for fine sediment and nutrients from urban stormwater, forested uplands, atmospheric deposition and stream channel erosion to attain clarity objective within 65 years. Implementation through stormwater NPDES permits, BMPs for activities on undeveloped forested lands, stream restoration projects, ongoing air quality and transportation control programs, tracking of implementation actions and water quality and air quality monitoring.	11-06-2010	0	13

Other Basin Planning Amendments Adopted by Regional Boards in Fiscal Year 2010/2011
Region	Title	Description	Adoption Date	Objectives (Count)	Imple-mentation (Count)
2	Beneficial Use Update	Adds 275 water bodies to Basin Plan and makes 2,327 changes additions and 104 changes to the designated beneficial uses for the newly added and existing water bodies.	07-14-2011	0	0
4	REC-1 Freshwater Bacteria Objectives Update	Removal of the fecal coliform objectives for freshwaters designated for water contact recreation. Updates the freshwater bacteria objectives in the Basin Plan to maintain consistency with EPA's recommendation that E.coli replace fecal coliform as an indicator of the presence of pathogens in freshwater.	07-08-2010	2	0
7	Implementation Plan for Ag Wastewater Discharges Originating within the Palo Verde Valley and the Palo Verde Mesa	Prohibition of agricultural wastewater discharges that originate within the Palo Verde Valley and Palo Verde mesa	01-20-2011	2	4
7	Yucca Valley Septic Tank Discharge prohibition	3-phase project that prohibits waste septic systems in specific areas in the Town of Yucca Valley (Town), San Bernardino County, CA	05-19-2011	2	2
7	Basin Plan Update - Non Regulatory	Nonregulatory amendment to correct or updates language, tables and figures contained in the current Basin Plan.	01-20-2011	0	0
8	Total Dissolved Solids and Nitrate-Nitrogen Water Quality Objectives for the San Jacinto Upper Pressure Management Zone	This Basin Plan amendment establishes a second set of TDS and nitrate-nitrogen objectives for the San Jacinto Upper Pressure Management Zone. This second, less stringent set of objectives is based on the finding that water quality consistent with “maximum benefit to the people of the State” will be maintained (the “maximum benefit” objectives), provided that specific water and wastewater projects and programs are implemented by Eastern Municipal Water District.	10-29-2010	2	7
9	Definition of Commercial Growing Operation in Conditional Waiver No. 4 for Agricultural and Nursery Operations (Resolution No. R9-2011-0020)	Amendment adds a definition of “commercial agricultural and nursery operations” to Conditional Waiver No. 4.	02-09-2011	0	0
9	2011 Basin Plan Triennial Review (Resolution No. R9-2011-0047)	Resolution adopts the 2011 Basin Plan Triennial Review.	06-08-2011	0	0

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

In Fiscal Year 20010-11, the Regional Water Boards adopted amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) though 14 separate resolutions. The tables above provides a summary of the amendments that were adopted by each region with information about what each set of amendments is intended to do. Nearly half (6) of the resolutions were to adopt TMDLs. Three of the resolutions adopted amendments to regulatory programs, and three resolutions primarily included updates to designated beneficial uses or water quality objectives. In one case, amendments were adopted to simply clarify and update the basin plan without making substantive regulatory changes. Each set of amendments includes numerous implementation tools that will be used to implement these regulatory changes, primarily with most involving one or more changes to permitting and monitoring programs.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Basin Plans are the Water Boards primary water quality planning documents. Basin Plans designate beneficial uses for waters of the state, water quality objectives designed to protect those uses, and establish implementation plans to achieve the water quality objectives. Basin Plans are living documents that are regularly updated to meet changing needs. They serve as the principal basis for waste discharge requirements (permits) issued and cleanup requirements established by the Water Boards, and also are used by outside agencies in their permitting and resource management activities. The Regional Water Boards review and revise their Basin Plans periodically to address new information and changes in policy.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Data Source: Basin Plan amendments tracking database. Period: July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011. Extracted: August 2011.
Unit of Measure: Number of Regional Water Board and State Water Board adoptions to address amendments to Regional Water Quality Control Plans (Basin Plans).
Data Definitions: Title: Regional Water Board resolution to make changes (amendments) to their Basin Plan. The title includes a link to the program page for that resolution. Description: A short narrative description of the purpose of the amendments. Adoption Date: The date that the Resolution was adopted by the Regional Water Board. The adoption date is not the effective date of the amendments. For most amendments an effective date has not yet been determined, as additional approvals by state and federal agencies are still pending. Objectives (count): The number of water quality objectives that were added, removed or changed as a result of the adopted amendments. Implementation (Count): The number of discrete actions required by adopted amendments.
References: Regional Water Quality Control Plans (Basin Plans)

( Page last updated: 9/23/11 )