Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List and 305(b) Integrated Report 2008 Report and List Update Process and Schedule Bruce Gwynne Environmental Scientist North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board February 7, 2007

Table of Contents 305(b) Assessment Report Integrated Report 303(d) list What happens when a waterbody is placed on the 303(d) list 303(d) List Changes (d)/305(b) update process

What is the 305(b) Assessment Report? Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act requires states to assess and report on the condition of waters and their beneficial uses Required every two years, in April of even numbered years, as a submission to USEPA for biennial report to Congress Identifies what is known about state waters, and where information gaps exist Includes 303(d) list of impaired waters

What is the Integrated Report? Assessment of State waters into five categories Category 1: All designated uses are supported, no use is threatened; Category 2: Available data and/or information indicate that some, but not all of the designated uses are supported; Category 3: There is insufficient available data and/or information to make a use support determination;

What is the Integrated Report? (continued) Category 4: Available data and/or information indicate that at least one designated use is not being supported or is threatened, but a TMDL is not needed; Category 5: Available data and/or information indicate that at least one designated use is not being supported or is threatened, and a TMDL is needed. rt/2006irg-report.pdf

What is the 303(d) list? Waters identified as category 4 or category 5 under 305(b) assessment are candidates for 303(d) listing Section 303(d) of Clean Water Act requires States to identify impaired waterbodies

What is the 303(d) list? (continued) “Impaired” means water quality objectives are not being met, or beneficial uses are not being supported The pollutant or stressor causing impairment must be identified

What is included on the 303(d) list? Name of impaired waterbody Pollutant or stressor causing impairment Source of pollutant/stressor Priority and schedule for developing pollution control plan

What happens when a waterbody is placed on the 303(d) list? Trigger development of a pollution control plan, called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) TMDL serves as means to attain and maintain water quality standards

How often is the list updated? The 303(d) list is typically updated every two years in conjunction with 305(b) Report on Water Quality The list was last updated in 2006

303(d) List Changes- De-listings WaterbodyPollutant Salmon RiverNutrients Lost River HATemperature Upper Lost River HSANutrients Guerneville HAS (Russian River)Turbidity

WaterbodyPollutant Noyo RiverTemperature Albion RiverTemperature Pudding CreekTemperature Laguna de Santa RosaMercury Claire Engle (Trinity) LakeMercury Trinity River, East ForkMercury Klamath Glen HSASediment/siltation Humboldt BayDioxin Bodega HarborExotic Species/crabs Pocket Canyon Creek (Russian River)pH Big Sulphur Creek (Russian River)Conductivity 303(d) List Changes- New listings

(d)/305(b) Update

Regional Board lead Integrated report Standardized guidance from SWRCB (d)/305(b) update process

Public Notice of statewide 90-day public solicitation of water quality information distributed by SWRCB – December 2006 Staff reviews, compiles and summarizes public solicitation and in-house information – Spring (d)/305(b) update process (continued)

Staff presents draft recommended list to Board and receives Board input – Summer 2007 Staff presents recommended list as resolution of the Board – Fall 2007 Staff forwards Board recommendation to SWRCB – Fall (d)/305(b) update process (continued)

QUESTIONS?