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Russian River Watershed Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLS)
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) | Watershed Overview | Impairments | Pathogen | Sediment | Temperature | Mercury | Laguna de Santa Rosa TMDLs
To receive notices and information on the Russian River via e-mail, please go to the subscribe button above and then select “Russian River TMDL.”
Announcements
Notice of Boarding Hearing—New Date
The North Coast Water Board will conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of the Staff Report for the Action Plan for Pathogens in the Russian River Watershed and the proposed Action Plan for Pathogens in the Russian River Watershed. The public hearing that was previously noticed as scheduled for June 12th or 13th, 2025 has been changed to August 14th or 15th, 2025 at 9:00am in the North Coast Water Board Hearing Room, 5550 Skylane Blvd, Suite A, in Santa Rosa, California.
On March 24, 2025 the 45-day public review and comment period began for the draft Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed and Russian River Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (now Action Plan for Pathogens in the Russian River Watershed [Action Plan]) and draft Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load (now Staff Report for the Action Plan for Pathogens in the Russian River Watershed [Staff Report]). The public review and comment period closed on May 8, 2025. The Action Plan is an amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan). Upon the effective date of the Action Plan, the Policy on the Control of Water Quality with Respect to On-Site Waste Treatment and Disposal Practices Specific to the Russian River Watershed, Including the Laguna De Santa Rosa, located in Chapter 4 of the Basin Plan will be deleted. The original Public Notice, draft Staff Report, and draft Action Plan are available below:
The final Staff Report, proposed Action Plan, Response to Public Comments, and adopting Resolution documents will be available no later than July 31, 2025. These files will be available here and can also be viewed or copied by contacting or visiting the North Coast Water Board’s office, 5550 Skylane Blvd, Suite A, Santa Rosa, California weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Future Changes to the Item
Future opportunities for review and comment and public meetings related to this project will be provided via the project’s email subscription list. Any person desiring to receive future notices must subscribe to the e-mail distribution list at: North Coast Regional Water Board email subscription sign-up website (https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CAWRCB/subscriber/new?qsp=north_coast) and follow the steps listed below:
- Check the box for “Russian River - TMDL”,
- Fill in the required signup details, and
- Press the “Subscribe” button.
Contact Information for Russian River Pathogen TMDL
Please direct questions about these Basin Plan Amendments to Lisa Bernard, Senior Environmental Scientist, Planning Unit Supervisor at (707) 576-2677 or Lisa.Bernard@waterboards.ca.gov ; Charles Reed, Supervising Water Resource Engineer, Point Source and Groundwater Protection Division Chief at (707) 576-2752 or Charles.Reed@waterboards.ca.gov, or Nathan Jacobsen, Senior Staff Counsel at (916) 341-5181 or Nathan.Jacobsen@waterboards.ca.gov.
Russian River Watershed Overview
The Russian River drains a 1,485 square mile watershed in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, California. The two major dams in the watershed, create Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma. Major tributaries to the Russian River include Forsythe Creek, Big Sulphur Creek, Dry Creek, Austin Creek, and Laguna de Santa Rosa. The Laguna de Santa Rosa is the largest subwatershed draining to the Russian River and the largest urban center in the North Coast Region. Additional information specific to the Laguna de Santa Rosa can be found on the Laguna de Santa Rosa TMDLs webpage. This Russian River Watershed Map link opens to show the major towns, highways, and waterbodies within the Russian River Watershed boundaries.
Impairments
Many waterbodies in the Russian River watershed are listed under Clean Water Act Section 303(d) due to water quality impairments caused by several different pollutants. Examples of those listed, include the entire Russian River watershed which is impaired for sediment and temperature as well as pathogen, mercury, phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen impairments identified in waterbodies throughout the watershed. The full list of identified impairments can be viewed on the Integrated Report - 303(d) Webpage. Work underway to clean up Russian River 303(d) listed waterbodies includes the development and establishment of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs).
Pathogens
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Russian River Pathogen TMDL
Approved Basin Plan Amendments | Regional Water Board Adoption | Elements of the Adopted Action Plan | What Can Area Residents Do? | Project Documents and Useful Links
Regional Water Board staff conducted studies to investigate the relationship between land cover types, microbial source tracking, and fecal indicator bacteria in the surface waters of the Russian River Watershed. In addition, fecal indicator bacteria results from samples collected in the Russian River Watershed show exceedance of Statewide Bacteria Objectives for both E. coli in freshwater and enterococci in saline water during both wet and dry weather periods in multiple HUC-12s in the Russian River Watershed. Similarly, exceedance of National Criteria for Enterococci in freshwater, coupled with other evidence of pollution, established several HUC-12s as impaired or polluted. Combined, these water quality studies indicate a widespread bacteria problem and other evidence of fecal waste discharge, which represent a potential threat to the health of the river ecosystem and the people who visit it. The Regional Water Board has developed the Russian River Pathogen TMDL to address the pathogen impairment and sources of fecal waste pollution in the Russian River Watershed.
Background Information for Revisions Between 2019 to 2021
In August 2019, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) adopted Resolution R1-2019-0038, to amend the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan) to include the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Action Plan (Action Plan). The Action Plan summarized the findings of the TMDL analyses conducted across the Russian River Watershed to address pathogen pollution and listings of the Russian River on the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list of impaired waters (303(d) list).
During the development of the North Coast Water Board’s Section 303(d) list in 2020, Regional Water Board staff reassessed fecal indicator bacteria and microbial source tracking data used in the TMDL and determined that changes to the Action Plan adopted in 2019 were warranted. The reassessment of fecal indicator bacteria and microbial source tracking data led to changes (adopted December 2, 2021) which ultimately added one HUC-12 subwatershed to the Advanced Protection Management Program (APMP) boundary within which the Action Plan prioritizes investigation of cesspools and failing or overloaded Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. The APMP is a key component of the Action Plan as the APMP formation and associated implementation actions are necessary to comply with the State Water Board’s Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Policy.
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Approved Basin Plan Amendments
2021 Approved Basin Plan Amendments
The Regional Water Board adopted the [Revised] Action Plan for the Russian River Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in December 2021. Until approved by the State Water Resources Control Board, Office of Administrative Law and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region, the Action Plan will not take effect under state or federal law. The following presents adoption dates and associated documents for each approval stage in the amendment process:
2019 Approved Basin Plan Amendments
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Elements of the Adopted Action Plan
Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS)
The Adopted TMDL Action Plan includes special provisions that apply to Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) within the Advanced Protection Management Program (APMP) boundary. A map outlining the APMP boundary can be found below. The map includes all parcels within the APMP boundary, whether they are developed, undeveloped, sewered, or unsewered. However, the special provisions only apply to OWTS within the APMP boundary. The APMP Boundary Parcel List is an Excel spreadsheet that is presented in portable document format (pdf). It is generated using tax assessor data for Mendocino County and Sonoma County and results in a list of Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) and the associated addresses. You can search the pdf using the Adobe Acrobat search (or find—Ctrl F) tool. You will need either the APN for the property of interest or the site address. If you use the APN, please note that Mendocino County APNs are represented in the spreadsheet as 7 or 8 digits and include no dashes. Sonoma County APNs are represented as 9 digit numbers with 2 dashes. Site addresses do NOT include a period following abbreviations for road, street, boulevard, or avenue. Keep your search as simple as possible; for example, if searching for the street address 5550 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, try typing in “5550 Skylane”. Parcels found on the APMP Boundary Parcel List are within the APMP Boundary. Only those parcels with OWTS that are within the APMP Boundary will be subject to special provisions.
The Interactive APMP Boundary Parcel Map can also be used to identify if a specific parcel or property is within the APMP. There is a search bar at the top, right hand corner of the map where you can type your address. The map should zoom you to the identified address. Parcels within the APMP are shaded by a thin transparent layer and highlighted with a yellow boundary.
• APMP Boundary Parcel Map - Watershed Overview (August 2019)
• APMP Boundary Parcel Map - Individual Subwatersheds (August 2019)
• APMP Boundary Parcel List (August 2019)
Full Screen view of APMP Russian River Map
Implementation Agreement Between the Regional Water Board and Counties
Implementation of the Pathogen TMDL in the Russian River Watershed will require close coordination and collaboration of the Regional Water Board with local agencies. To ensure such coordination and collaboration, staff of the Regional Water Board has entered into discussions with each of the counties within the Russian River Watershed, including Sonoma County and Mendocino County. The general purpose of these discussions has been to establish the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties with respect to TMDL implementation. As appropriate, the agreements have been codified in memorandums of understanding (MOU).
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What Can Area Residents Do?
Popular swimming beaches along the mainstem Russian River are monitored for bacteria every summer. When fecal indicator bacteria levels exceed recommended levels, warning signs are posted at the beach. Beach monitoring results are posted by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services.
- If you have a septic system, have it checked and cleaned. If it needs repair, fix it!
- When enjoying the river, use a portable toilet or other restroom facilities
- Make sure dirty diapers are put in a garbage can and not left on the ground
- Pick up pet waste
- If you keep livestock, clean up their waste - and make sure contaminated runoff does not reach your local creek or the river.
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Older Pathogen TMDL Project Documents and Useful Links
- Guide to Staff Report Revisions
- August 2017, Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load and draft TMDL Action Plan
The staff report and draft Action Plan for the Russian River Pathogen TMDL are available for public download and review. This 2017 report and draft Action Plan have been revised based on public comment received on the 2015 report and draft Action Plan, with significant changes to the Program of Implementation. Written comments on the 2017 public review materials are due to the Regional Water Board by 5:00 P.M. September 29, 2017. Additional details can be found in the Public Notice.
To align the Basin Plan with the establishment of the Program of Implementation, editorial changes to amend the Basin Plan’s Policy on the Control of Water Quality with Respect to On-Site Waste Treatment and Disposal Practices (Section 4) are also proposed. The proposed amendment is available for public download and review. Written comments on these materials are due to the Regional Water Board by 5:00 P.M. October 8, 2017. Additional details can be found in the Public Notice.
A workshop will be held at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Regional Water Board on August 17, 2017 at 5550 Skylane Blvd., Suite A, Santa Rosa. The meeting begins at 8:30 A.M. The agenda for this meeting is posted on this website.
A workshop will be held on September 20, 2017, at the Guerneville Veterans Memorial Hall, 16225 1st Street, Guerneville. At the workshop, Regional Water Board staff will present the draft Staff Report and draft TMDL Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed. Written and verbal public comments will be received at the workshop. The workshop will be held from 5:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Following review of written public comments and the development of a Response to Comments document, staff will update the draft staff report and draft TMDL Action Plan with a proposed Action Plan for the Regional Water Board’s consideration at a hearing during the December 13, 2017 Board meeting to be held in Santa Rosa. Notice of the agenda for the December 13, 2017 Board meeting can be received by signing up on the email subscription list and checking the box “Board Meeting Agenda”
Advance Protection Management Program for OWTS
The draft TMDL Action Plan provides information and requirements specific to owners of Onsite Waste Treatment Systems (OWTS) in the Russian River Watershed. Of particular importance is the definition of the geographic boundary of the Advanced Protection Management Program (APMP). The draft TMDL Action Plan defines the Russian River Watershed APMP boundary to include both:
- The area within 600 linear feet from the top of the bank in the horizontal (map) direction on either side of the entire Russian River mainstem and
- The area within 600 linear feet from the top of the bank in the horizontal (map) direction on either side of any mapped waterbody in sub-watersheds where parcel densities are greater than 50 parcels per square mile. Sub-watersheds, defined as Hydrologic Units Code 12 basin names, with parcel densities greater than 50 parcels per square mile include the following: Brooks Creek, Dutch Bill Creek, East Fork Russian River, Green Valley Creek, Lower Laguna de Santa Rosa, Lower Santa Rosa Creek, Mark West Creek, Porter Creek, Salt Hollow Creek, Upper Laguna de Santa Rosa, Upper Santa Rosa Creek, Ward Creek-Austin Creek, and Windsor Creek.
The draft TMDL Action Plan describes the requirements that may be applicable to any parcel that is wholly or partially within the APMP boundary, pending a decision of the Regional Water Board. To evaluate whether a given property is wholly or partially within the APMP boundary, an interactive mapping tool has been developed. The interactive mapping tool allows an interested party to search for a given parcel using an address or APN. Click the link below to access the interactive map. A disclaimer indicates that the interactive map is for informational purposes, only.
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August 2015, The Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Indicator Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load, and draft Action Plan
The draft staff report and draft Action Plan (Basin Plan Amendment language) are available for public download and review. Written comments are due to the Regional Water Board by 5:00pm October 8, 2015. Additional details can be found in the Public Notice.
Staff-led Public Workshops will be held the third week in September 2015 at the following locations. Additional details can be found in the Notice.
Workshop 1
Monte Rio Middle School
20700 Foothill Dr, Monte Rio, CA
Tuesday September 22, 2015 - 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Workshop 2
University of California Cooperative Extension - Mendocino County
890 N. Bush St. Ukiah, CA
Wednesday September 23, 2015 - 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Workshop 3
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
5550 Skylane Blvd. Suite A, Santa Rosa, CA
Thursday September 24, 2015 - 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Public Comments on the 2015 Staff Report and Draft Action Plan
2015 Staff Report and Draft Action Plan
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Peer Review Draft Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Indicator Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load, January 16, 2015
A Peer Review Draft Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Indicator Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load, January 16, 2015 (Peer Review Draft Staff Report) was prepared for external scientific peer review related to the assessment and control of pathogen indicator bacteria discharges in the Russian River Watershed. After a selection process for candidate peer reviewers, the State Water Resources Control Board identified two reviewers approved to conduct the scientific peer review:
Patricia A. Holden
Professor
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
University of California, Santa Barbara
Nicholas J. Ashbolt
Professor
School of Public Health
University of Alberta, Edmonton
The Peer Review Draft Staff Report was the primary scientific document submitted for peer review.
Additional monitoring reports and technical memoranda were secondary documents, which support the Peer Review Draft Staff Report, and were also made available for review (see Other Project Documents below). Reviewers were asked to determine whether each of the identified findings and conclusions that constitute the scientific portions of the Peer Review Draft Staff Report are “based upon sound scientific knowledge, methods, and practices”.
Comments received from each Scientific Peer Reviewer are presented below:
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CEQA Scoping Meeting
The Regional Water Board held a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) public scoping meeting concerning the development of the Russian River Watershed Pathogen Indicator Bacteria TMDL on January 30, 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to gather input on possible environmental impacts of the Russian River TMDL. The comment period closed on Wednesday February 18, 2015 at 5 PM.
The presentation and handouts from the public scoping meeting are available below:
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Other Project Documents
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Technical Reports
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Quality Assurance Project Plans
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Technical Memoranda
- GIS Model Development for Assessing Risk from Septic Systems (Forestcue,F., August 2012)
- Selection of Sample Sites for Septic System Impact Study (Butkus, S., October 2012)
- Evaluation of FIB Sampling Variability (Butkus, S., January 2013)
- Assessment of FIB Concentrations and Land Cover (Butkus, S., January 2013)
- Trend Analysis of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Concentrations Measured in the Russian River Watershed (Butkus, S., July 2013)
- Evaluation of Fecal Coliform Bacteria Concentrations Measured in the Russian River Watershed (Butkus, S., July 2013))
- Evaluation of the Averaging Period for Application of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Water Quality Criteria (Butkus, S., July 2013)
- Seasonality of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Loads (Butkus, S., September 2013)
- Evaluation of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Types (Butkus S., October 2013)
- Fecal Indicator Bacteria Concentration Reductions Needed to Meet Water Quality Criteria (Butkus, S., November 2013)
- Evidence of Water Contact Recreation Impairment in the Russian River Watershed (Butkus, S., June 2014)
- E. Coli Bacteria Concentration Reductions Needed to Meet Water Quality Criteria for Different Land Cover Areas (Butkus, S., June 2014)
- Summary and review of report titled "Russian River Human Impact Study - Phylochip Microbial Community Analysis" (Butkus, S., June 2014)
- Survivability of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Ambient Surface Waters (Butkus, S., August 2014)
- Effect of Russian River Dry Season Stream Flow Management on E. coli Bacteria Concentrations (Butkus, S., November 2014)
- Assessment of SHELL beneficial use in the Russian River Watershed (Butkus, S., January 2015)
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Presentation
- 2009 PhyloChip Presentation to Regional Water Board staff by E. Dubinsky et al.
- November 3, 2011 Board Presentation.
- January 27, 2011 Board Presentation.
- August 23, 2012 Board Presentation.
- August 22, 2013 Board Presentation
- March 13, 2014 Board Presentation
- August 28, 2014 Public Presentation on Implementation Plan Development
- August 28, 2014 Public Presentations on Implementation Plan Development Poster
- January 30, 2015 CEQA Scoping Meeting
- September 22, 2015 Public Workshop (Monte Rio)
- September 23, 2015 Public Workshop (Ukiah)
- September 24, 2015 Public Workshop (Santa Rosa)
- November 19, 2015 Board Presentation
- November 17, 2016 Presentation to the Fitch Mountain Association
- August 17, 2017 Board Presentation
Sediment
As part of our efforts to control sediment waste discharges and restore sediment impaired water bodies like the Russian River, the Regional Water Board adopted the Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Policy Statement for Sediment Impaired Receiving Waters in the North Coast Region, which is also known as the Sediment TMDL Implementation Policy, on November 29, 2004. The Sediment TMDL Implementation Policy states that Regional Water Board staff shall control sediment pollution by using existing permitting and enforcement tools. Specific sediment control measures that Regional Water Board staff are taking or plan to take in the Russian River watershed are described in the Regional Water Board Staff Work Plan to Control Excess Sediment in Sediment-Impaired Watersheds.
Temperature
On March 13, 2014, the Regional Water Board adopted Resolution No. R1-2014-0006 amending Chapter 4 of the Basin Plan to incorporate a region-wide Temperature Implementation Policy which describes the approach to implementing the interstate water quality objective for temperature. The Policy identifies the regulatory mechanisms staff employ to ensure achievement of the water quality objective for temperature, it describes the significance of stream shade as a factor determining stream temperatures, and it directs staff to address temperature concerns through existing authorities and processes.
Mercury
Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma in the Russian River have been listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act for mercury pollution measured in fish tissue. Mercury, also called quicksilver, is a heavy metal and potent neurotoxin that is harmful to humans and wildlife. Mercury builds up in the bodies of fish and also in people who eat contaminated fish. Possible mercury sources include mercury and gold mines, soil erosion due to human activities such as logging and road construction, and airborne sources from North America and Asia.
The Statewide Mercury Control Program for Reservoirs | California State Water Quality Control Board. for at least 75 lakes and reservoirs is under development. Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino are part of the statewide effort.
Laguna de Santa Rosa, the largest tributary to the Russian River, has also been placed on the Section 303(d) for mercury pollution measured in fish tissue. The development of the Laguna de Santa Rosa TMDL for mercury contamination is not yet scheduled.
