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

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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:

  1. Check the box for “Russian River - TMDL”,
  2. Fill in the required signup details, and
  3. 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

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.

  (Page last updated 6/11/25->)

 
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