Fall 2007
A NEWSLETTER OF THE W AT E R E D U C AT I O N F O U N D AT I O N
Days at the Beach: What is the Quality
of Ocean Water in California?
BY RYAN MCCARTHY
A
n inflatable rubber dam, didn’t speed review of the Poche Commission about the plans.
ultraviolet light bulbs and Beach project designed to treat He says a $450,000 project – with
filtration tanks are planned water from a creek that runs into the colorful name WetCAT, for
as part of a $2.2 million project to the Pacific Ocean. Wetland Capture and Treatment –
improve water quality at a popular “We’ve been trying to get this in the nearby city of Laguna Niguel
Southern California beach regularly constructed since the original grant uses plants to remove pollutants
listed as among the most bacteria- of 2002,” said engineer Sonia and is a better and more natural
rich in the state. Nasser, project manager for Orange way to improve water quality.
“Perpetually problematic,” is how County. The Orange County Board “The engineering solution,”
a California environmental group of Supervisors awarded a contract in Gardner said of the planned project
has described Poche Beach in July to build the project after the at Poche Beach, “is sterilize it.
Orange County in the city of San California Coastal Commission Putting a pipe in the beach and
Clemente. approved it. dumping urban runoff is stupid.”
That description by Heal the Bay, Orange County resident Richard Overwatering by residents is the
and frequent postings at the beach Gardner, an engineer who also real problem behind ocean water
about elevated bacteria levels that serves as a director of a local water pollution, he added, because that
exceeded state standards, however, district, questioned the Coastal CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
In This Issue
Central Valley Ag Waiver
Program Spurs Praise,
Criticism and Questions ...... 3
Officials Aim to Limit Tahoe
Fire Impacts ....................... 9
Nonpoint Source News ...... 10
Urban Runoff News ............ 14
TMDL Roundup ................. 15
Editors
Rita Schmidt Sudman
T
Sue McClurg he story of California water in 2007 has had the ailing Sacramento-
San Joaquin Delta at its center – and necessarily so, since this hub
Writer
Ryan McCarthy
of our state’s water system and valuable ecosystem must be fixed.
But the most direct contact most residents of the Golden State have with
Editorial Assistance
water happens not in the Delta but at the beach. Millions go to play, swim
Robin Richie
and surf along the California coast and the quality of water at the state’s
Photos beaches is a critical, if sometimes overlooked, part of the water story.
Elisha Allan, University of
New Hampshire
This California Runoff Rundown looks at the issue of water quality along
California State Parks California beaches and reports that most California beaches had good
County of Orange Public Works water quality during dry weather in 2006-2007.
Gold Country Media In this issue, you also can read about matters related to the Irrigated
Golden State Images Lands Program in the Central Valley, an effort to address farming runoff
City of Lodi
on more than 7 million acres stretching from Bakersfield to near the
Design and Layout California-Oregon border.
Curt Leipold,
“We recognize the magnitude of the problem,” Tam M. Dudoc, chair of
Graphic Communications
the State Water Resources Control Board, said of the impact of agriculture
The Water Education Foundation thanks on water quality at a September 13 workshop in Clovis.
all the sources and experts who reviewed
this newsletter for balance and accuracy.
The environmental community has criticized the ag waiver/coalition
approach in the valley, but Ken Landau, assistant executive officer for
Water Education Foundation
the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, pointes out
717 K St., Suite 317
Sacramento, CA 95814 that hundreds of chemicals, thousands of water bodies, tens of thousands
(916) 444-6240 of growers and some 100,000 discharge points are involved.
Fax (916) 448-7699 Agriculture and Central Valley water quality is a complex issue – like
e-mail: feedback@watereducation.org so much else in the world of California water. N
Web page: www.watereducation.org
President
Michael Armstrong
Executive Director E-mail your story ideas to Ryan McCarthy,
Rita Schmidt Sudman
rmccarthy@watereducation.org
Grant Davis, The Bay Institute
Dennis Dickerson, Pima Association of Governments
The California Runoff Rundown is published
by the Water Education Foundation. The Steve Fagundes, State Water Resources Control Board
mission of the Water Education Foundation,
an impartial, non-profit organization, is to
create a better understanding of water issues
David Guy, Yosemite Association
and help resolve water resource problems
through educational programs. The Jake Mackenzie, City of Rohnert Park
California Runoff Rundown is published
through a grant from the State Water Summer Waters, County of San Diego
Resources Control Board with funding from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
under the Federal Nonpoint Source Sam Ziegler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Pollution Control Program (Clean Water Act
Section 319). Its contents do not represent
positions of the State Board or U.S. EPA, and
neither organization has endorsed the
contents.
2 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
Central Valley Ag Waiver
Central Valley Ag Waiver vide a way for discharges to comply
with the California Water Code.
Program Spurs Praise,
Program Spurs Praise, The Central Valley Board was the
first of the state’s nine regional
boards to adopt a waiver program,
Criticism and Questions
Criticism and Questions which has taken a coalition ap-
proach to runoff control. In 2006
it said the program is an interim
measure while the regional board
T
he State Water Resources Dudoc opened the meeting by
develops a long-term program to
Control Board (State Water stating that the ag waiver program
regulate irrigated agriculture.
Board) is concerned about under discussion “is not an exemp-
Up to 75,000 owners or operators
progress made by the Central Valley tion from regulatory requirements
are involved in the more than 7
Regional Water Quality Control or from water quality objectives.”
million acres of irrigated lands in
Board’s (Central Valley Board) The waiver, she said, has proven to
the Central Valley, the Central
agricultural waiver program in- be a very important first step in an
Valley Board said, and the ag waiver
tended to address farm runoff on Irrigated Lands Program.
program covers about 5.5 million
more than 7 million acres of land What actions would be taken to
acres. Much of the remaining
in California’s Central Valley. address water quality violations was
acreage doesn’t drain to surface
At a joint State Board-Central one of 20 questions the State Water
waters and is not included in the
Valley Board Sept. 13 workshop in Board posed to the Central Valley
Irrigated Lands Program. Some
Clovis, State Board Chair Tam M. Board in the notice for the joint
irrigated lands that should be in
Dudoc closed the meeting by noting workshop.
the program have not been enrolled
that agricultural discharges will not State law regulates any discharger
and locating them is part of the
be eliminated immediately. But she of wastewater. According to the
enforcement effort by the Central
did call for measures to strengthen State Water Board, agricultural
Valley Board.
the monitoring and reporting discharges can transport pollutants
Karl Longley, chair of the Central
portions of the Irrigated Lands including pesticides, sediment,
Valley Board, said at the Clovis
Program. nutrients, salts, pathogens and
workshop that a lot of progress has
“What we’re assuring you is that heavy metals from fields into
been made in the four years since
we recognize the magnitude of the surface waters. The Central Valley
the program began in 2003.
problem,” she said to attendees at Board has adopted the Irrigated
the workshop. Lands Conditional Waiver to pro- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 3
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
“Cleanup of this water is going to
take a long, long time,” he said.
Ken Landau, assistant executive
officer for the Central Valley Board,
said there has been extensive
criticism of the program – including
comments that range from the
complaints of excessive monitoring
of agriculture to not enough moni-
toring. But after initial resistance to
the program, farmers are now
cooperating. “We have developed
an effective program to deal with
the problems,” he said, acknowledg-
ing that “agricultural discharges are
causing water quality problems.”
Identifying and correcting ag
water quality programs is difficult
and lengthy, he added. “We are not
dealing with a single case or even
dozens,” Landau said. The program
involves hundreds of chemicals,
thousands of water bodies, tens of traditional regulatory program Environmental groups at the
thousands of growers and some involving rice growers focused on Sept. 13 workshop asked that
100,000 discharge points. In many the prohibition of discharge. officials amend the ag waiver
cases, he said, more information is Al Vargas, an environmental program to incorporate ground-
needed to correct water quality scientist with the California Depart- water protection. Laurel Firestone,
problems. ment of Food and Agriculture, said representing a range of environ-
The Irrigated Lands Program requiring each grower to develop mental justice organizations, said
covers a region that runs from near plans for water quality makes little more than 40,000 people in the
Bakersfield where cotton is grown sense. “It defies logic to require valley are exposed to illegal con-
on the valley floor to wild rice every farmer to develop manage- taminants in water, mostly from
grown near the Oregon border. ment plans.” groundwater contaminated by
With 28,000 growers in the Central Representatives of grower coali- chemicals used in fertilizers.
Valley, Landau said the Central tions praised the effort and cited its Landau said officials recognized
Valley Board staff can’t deal one-on- success. Perry Klassen, board chair in 2003 with adoption of a new
one with farmers. of the East San Joaquin River Valley conditional ag waiver that irrigated
Bill Jennings of the Stockton- Water Coalition, said it’s absolutely agriculture can impact groundwater
based California Sportfishing wrong that growers are uninvolved and that the Central Valley would
Protection Alliance criticized the in the program. A total of 588 need to regulate discharges. But
Irrigated Lands Program because it growers in the last year changed surface water discharges were dealt
lacks enforcement and the Central practices of their farms to address with first because environmental
Valley Board “doesn’t know who’s water quality issues, he said. groups that had petitioned the
discharging what.” Environmental groups, including board for more stringent regulation
Agriculture is the largest polluter Clean Water Action and the Envi- of agriculture were almost exclu-
in the Central Valley, Jennings said. ronmental Justice Coalition for sively concerned about surface
“Farmers will continue to pollute Water, say agricultural drainage has water.
with impunity until courts assume contaminated groundwater aquifers “Frankly, taking up groundwater
oversight of the program. I’m not – forcing residents of some areas of would have greatly expanded the
sure this board can regulate agricul- the valley to buy bottled water. “We scope and effort of the program,”
ture.” have a runaway train,” said Debbie he said, “and neither the board nor
Jennings wants growers to pre- Davis of the Environmental Justice coalitions could have handled the
pare water quality management Coalition. “We need to know that at additional workload at the time.”
plans. He cited the success of a least we’re putting on the brakes.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
4 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
Days at the Beach
Malibu and dis- “You’re flushing
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
putes over how best “You’re flushing the watershed,”
sends more runoff into the Pacific to measure ocean the watershed and said Ryan Dwight,
and wastes precious water. The water contamina- a researcher for
Poche Beach project “is an engineer- tion, California gets it all goes to the the Coastal Water
ing solution to a behavioral issue,” mostly high grades Research Group,
he said. for its beaches. beach.” describing the
Poche Beach Project Manager Literally. The – Ryan Dwight, seasonal weather
Nasser disagreed. “We looked at a Santa Monica-based pattern, “and it
Coastal Water
lot of different alternatives. You environmental all goes to the
always have people who don’t like group Heal the Bay Research Group beach.”
the way you’re treating water. grades beaches Runoff from
Everybody says they want clean throughout the creeks, rivers and
water. But they want it their way,” state on the A to F scale. Problems stormdrains, Heal the Bay noted, is
she said. at Poche Beach in Orange County the largest source of pollution to
“I agree that over-irrigation by are more the exception than the California beaches and may contain
residents is probably the real prob- norm for ocean water quality in materials including pesticides,
lem behind ocean water pollution,” the state. petroleum hydrocarbons and
she continued. “But it takes time to “Most California beaches had animal waste.
change behavior and the public is good water quality, with 295 of 360 “For the first time, we’re starting
demanding immediate water quality locations receiving very good to to see progress in beach water
improvement.” excellent A and B grades for the year quality during the summer
Even as it faces ocean water during dry weather,” the group’s months,” said Mark Gold, executive
quality issues including harmful 2006-07 report states. director of Heal the Bay, “largely
algal blooms, septic tanks in the Grades for California beaches due to funding from the Clean
Hollywood beach community of drop during the rainy season. Why? Beaches Initiative (a state grant
Imperial Beach in San Diego County
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 5
“We have the most
program) and the efforts of local said, counties monitored
governments.” monitor water heavily monitored beaches in the
But water quality along quality in different world. California
California’s coast, especially in ways. “To best beaches in the is doing more
Southern California, has not im- protect public world. California is than any other
proved during wet weather, Gold health, Heal the Bay place to try to
said. “In fact, California has made recommends that doing more than clean up the
negligible progress towards reducing samples should be water.”
stormwater runoff pollution from collected directly any other place to The state needs
urban and agriculture areas. As a in front of flowing try to clean up the to, said Michael
result, many Southern California stormdrains and Beanan, a direc-
beaches look like landfills after every creeks.” Many water.” tor of the South
rain, stormdrain and creek runoff is counties, as Los Laguna Civic
– John Griffith,
often toxic to aquatic life, and over Angeles once did, Association in
half of the beaches receive poor collect samples 25 Southern California Coastal Orange County.
grades on our Beach Report Card.” yards from flowing Water Research Project California
Los Angeles County beaches drains. beaches don’t
received the lowest grades, Heal the That status for deserve even a D
Bay said. Why? One reason is that Los Angeles County – after it helped grade, he said, noting that beach
Los Angeles County was among the lead the way to more accurate report cards check bacteria but not
first in the state to change its water monitoring – also indicates the algae and other indicators of water
monitoring program “to collect complications that come with quality. “I’ve gone toe to toe with
samples directly in front of flowing California’s rigorous measurement Heal the Bay,” Beanan said of what
storm drains and creeks.” of ocean water quality. he sees
Such “point zero” monitoring is “We sample more than any place as deficiencies in standards that
the best way to minimize health else,” said John Griffith, marine lead to better grades than beaches
risks to swimmers, Heal the Bay said. microbiologist with the Southern deserve.
Despite a state law establishing California Coastal Water Research Gold said the State Water Re-
beach water quality standards, Gold Project. “We have the most heavily sources Control Board (State Water
Board) and the California Beach
Water Quality Work Group have
Constructed wetlands help filter endorsed the group’s grading
pollutants at Laguna Niguel Beach. system. The Beach Report Card
looks at fecal bacteria densities,
he noted, not trash or toxics.
The state has not faced the
problems of Hawaii, where in March
2006 the health department closed
Waikiki Beach after a major sewage
spill. The Stanford University
School of Medicine’s magazine
noted, “The microbe-contaminated
waters were blamed for several
illnesses and implicated in the
death of a man who became in-
fected by flesh-eating bacteria.”
Efforts to improve ocean water
quality in California include the
$2.2 million project at Poche Beach
and the nearby wetlands works in
Laguna Niguel.
Nancy Palmer, senior watershed
manager for Laguna Niguel, cau-
tions about comparing the two
projects in Orange County. “It’s
a different problem,” she said of
6 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
Laguna Niguel’s situation, “with
a different solution.”
A 1999 cleanup and abatement
order by the San Diego Regional
Water Quality Control Board (San
Diego Regional Board) after reported
high bacteria levels in runoff from a
storm drain outfall started Laguna
Niguel’s effort, she recalled. (Three
years later, monitoring demon-
strated that high fecal coliform
concentrations are not unusual for
storm drains, Palmer would note in
a presentation to the San Diego
Regional Board.)
After the 1999 abatement order,
Palmer began work on a response
by the city. The three treatment
wetlands project, a series of ponds
where reeds and other plants absorb
elements including nitrogen to
improve water quality, followed.
“If the water goes through the
system slowly enough,” Palmer said,
“it gives it time for the biological
process to work.” Storm channel to Poche Beach
At Poche Beach in San Clemente,
a creek runs into the ocean, she already at the bottom of the drain- Diamond said water quality
noted, while in Laguna Niguel, “I age area. “The only way to achieve efforts are paying off. “Many
had gravity, I had space and I had the desired bacteria reductions beaches in our region have been
time to let the biological processes under these conditions is through significantly improved over the last
work. We were able to capture technological sterilization,” Palmer 10 years,” she said. “It takes a long
‘nuisance’ urban runoff from gutters said of Poche. time to see the results of regula-
and storm drain pipes at higher Water quality at California tions.”
elevations and route it via a piping beaches, many observers say, is Improvements can be overlooked
system to flow through the three improving thanks to projects such by the public amid beach closures
treatment wetlands, and then after as those undertaken by Laguna that come as a result of improved
treatment flow back into the pipes Niguel and planned by San testing and the standards of the
or directly into the creek.” Clemente. The city of Dana Point in 1999 state law, suggests a Northern
More than two acres were used Orange County installed a treat- California official.
for the treatment wetlands. “Passage ment system in 2005 at Salt Creek “We do post beaches much more
through the treatment wetland Beach, a project similar to the one than we used to,” said Steve Peters,
takes two to five days from influent planned for Poche Beach. Officials water quality specialist for Santa
to effluent points,” Palmer added, say the effort improved water Cruz County who has surfed in
“in order to reduce the amount of quality at Salt Creek Beach and California for more than 40 years.
bacteria consistently.” adjoining Monarch Beach. The legislation requires measuring
Poche, by contrast, is a single Another major beach pollution three indicator bacteria – total
location at the extreme downstream problem is trash in the rivers that coliforms, fecal coliforms and
end of the drainage area – basically lead to the beach. The Los Angeles enterococci – weekly at high-use
in the pipe just upstream from the Regional Water Quality Control beaches.
discharge outfall to the ocean, Board has adopted a total maximum Rick Wilson, coastal management
Palmer continued. The volume of daily load (TMDL) for trash in area coordinator for the Surfrider Foun-
water means the Poche site does not waterways. “Trash carries with it dation in San Clemente, said the
have anywhere near enough space pollutants,” said Francine Diamond, lack of data before the new law
to use treatment wetlands. chair of the board. “They reach the complicates knowing how much
And the treatment point was beaches.” water quality has improved.
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 7
“What was the sewage district to To the south of Santa Barbara
water quality like
“Anything that discharge into County on Avalon, Catalina Island,
before that?” asked goes on the road is ocean waters. a 2001 study led by the University
Wilson. “No one The environ- of California, Irvine, found that
really knows. It going to go into mental group decaying sewage pipes in the down-
seems like the Heal the Ocean town next to Avalon Bay had leaked
more you test, the
the ocean without challenged the human waste into the shoreline
more problems treatment.” Goleta Sanitary water.
you find,” said District’s try for a In response the city lined its
Wilson, a chemical
– Rick Wilson new five-year downtown main sewer pipes and
engineer who has Surfrider Foundation waiver from the manholes and repaired and lined
a bachelor of requirements of lateral sewer pipes within the first
science degree in the federal Clean three blocks of the waterfront.
chemical engineering from Water Act (CWA) that require full While many see ocean water
Stanford University. “It’s good secondary treatment of sewage. Heal quality in California improving,
that we do as much testing as we the Ocean went with a camera to agreement is widespread that a
do,” added the representative for the ocean floor as part of its effort. better way to test it is needed.
Surfrider. The San Clemente organi- Jim Knowlton, who has filmed Surfrider Foundation representa-
zation has praised voter passage and edited shark documentaries for tive Wilson said the 24-hour gap
in 2006 of Proposition 84 and the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, between testing and results means
$90 million the measure provides shot an underwater video in 2002 the beach posting is always out of
for the Clean Beaches Program of the sewer outfall and what he date. “You find out today that you
to protect coastal waters from saw sent into the Pacific. “You could shouldn’t have gone in the water
pollution. see the chunks,” Knowlton said, yesterday,” he said.
Efforts to improve ocean water describing brown items the size of Added Wilson: the standards used
succeeded, suggests a study of eraserheads. in testing “need to be updated.”
surfzone water quality at Hunting- Kathleen Werner, technical The Southern California
ton Beach in Orange County. “On services supervisor for the Goleta beachfront community of Malibu,
average, total coliform concentra- Sanitary District, said that whatever best known as the home of Holly-
tions have decreased over the past Knowlton saw was not raw sewage. wood celebrities, faces an issue
43 years,” the 2002 report for the All wastewater is treated and the that’s not the stuff of movies. No
American Chemical Society states. district monitors conditions at the sewer system is in place and resi-
However, “point sources of shore- ocean.“Is it pure water? No. It’s dences must rely on septic tanks.
line contamination (stormdrains, not,” Werner said of the treated “To us it doesn’t make sense,”
river outlets and submarine outfalls) wastewater discharged by the Wilson said. “Septic tanks right
continue to cause transiently poor district. “It’s not snowmelt.” along the coast.”
water quality.” But the district is not polluting But the prospect of Los Angeles
Not everyone is sure water the Pacific by the discharge from County building a sewer system, a
quality is improving. its mile-long offshore pipe, she said. project seen as spurring growth, led
The quality of water at California “There was no indication that the the community to incorporate in
beaches is not known, said Ed treatment process was adversely 1991. The septic systems remains in
McGowan, who has served on the affecting the ocean waters.” place – as do questions about their
board of directors of the Citizens The sanitary district filed a role in ocean water pollution. In
Planning Association & Foundation lawsuit against the State Water March, a Los Angeles County panel
of Santa Barbara County. Without Board after the board upheld the won approval to test the waters to
dramatic problems, he added, ocean Central Coast Regional Water determine whether Malibu septic
water is not a key concern of the Quality Control Board (Central tanks are polluting the Pacific.
public. Coast Regional Board) decision Nearly 200 miles to the north
“As long as people aren’t just denying a new five-year extension along the California coast, another
dropping dead,” he said, “it’s not of Goleta’s 301h waiver under CWA community faces the issue of septic
perceived as a problem.” McGowan provisions. tanks and water quality.
said measurements of ocean water The 2004 settlement of the case Quarter-acre lots are more com-
don’t tell us enough to know the includes a requirement that the mon in Los Osos, the San Luis
possible risks. district upgrade its facilities by 2014 Obispo County town three miles
Santa Barbara County is home to to allow full secondary treatment of from the beach, than the exclusive
a long battle over the permit for a all sewage discharge, Werner said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
8 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
highest amount of sediment to the
lake.
“The effects of ash and sediment
delivered to Lake Tahoe from the
Angora Fire, while not chronic, will
nonetheless be a cumulative effect
in a situation in which there is
substantial concern over a treasured
resource to the state of California
and Nevada,” the report states.
“There is a high probability that
post-fire flows from the first runoff-
producing rain events will see a
high concentration of ash dis-
Officials Aim to Limit charged from the burn area a long
distance downstream to the Upper
Truckee River and Truckee Marsh.”
Tahoe Fire Impacts Increased sedimentation that
could affect cold water fish habitat
is expected in all of the burn area
T
he Angora Fire that burned said. “[But] there will be increased sub-watersheds, the report adds.
near South Lake Tahoe over sediment and nutrient delivery to Strategies to mitigate water
the summer will not impact the lake.” quality threats include providing
the entire famed alpine lake, but it The fire near South Lake Tahoe immediate cover on severely burned
does raise concerns over the cumu- that started June 24 destroyed 242 hillsides to help prevent increased
lative effect on Lake Tahoe, the U.S. residences and 67 commercial sediment delivery by retaining as
Forest Service says. structures. A total of 3,100 acres much of the materials as possible on
“It’s only about 5 percent of the were burned. the land, according to the report.
entire watershed that was affected The burned area report com- Seeding by hand is planned on
by the fire,” Stephanie Heller, pleted by the Forest Service states 14 lots covering 25 acres to reduce
hydrologist with the Forest Service that the Upper Truckee River, the erosion and prevent the introduc-
said of the June 24-July 2 fire. main conduit for Angora Creek to tion or spread of invasive plants on
“Impacts won’t be lakewide,” Heller reach Lake Tahoe, contributes the land with high soil burn severity. N
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 9
and Delta-Mendota Water Authority
to implement the Grassland Bypass
Project. The project consolidates
subsurface drainage flows on a
regional basis and uses a portion of
the San Luis Drain to convey the
flows around wildlife habitat areas.
Drainage recycling systems mix
subsurface drainage water with
irrigation supplies under strict
limits, according to a 2007 report.
Grasslands Area farmers have
made significant improvements in
water quality since waste discharge
requirements were set in 1998, Gail
Cismowski, the Central Valley
Board environmental scientist, said
at the Sept. 13 meeting – adding
that the staff supports considering
the request for a time extension.
Joe McGahan, drainage coordina-
tor for the Grassland Area farmers,
said 40,000 acre-feet of water were
Central Valley Selenium discharged from the Grasslands area
in 1995 containing 12,000 pounds of
selenium and 230,000 tons of salt.
Control Program Seen By 2006 the selenium load was
reduced to 3,800 pounds and salt
as Success was cut nearly in half, he said.
McGahan said Grasslands Area
farmers have asked for a delay in the
selenium goals to further refine the
F
armers in the Grasslands area age projects that would enable them technology used in the drainage
of the San Joaquin Valley are to eliminate discharges from the effort. Selenium performance goals
asking for a decade-long project area entirely.” and water quality objectives for the
extension to delay the 2010 sele- The Grasslands area consists of San Joaquin River have been met, he
nium goals established in the basin 105,000 acres of farmland, wildlife said, and selenium is not impacting
plan for the Central Valley. refuges and duck clubs on the west the waterway.
As a result of the request, the side of the San Joaquin Valley. David Cory, representing the
Central Valley Regional Water Return flows from this area are high Firebaugh Water Canal District in
Quality Board (Central Valley in salt and selenium. Selenium is an Fresno County, said the program has
Board) reviewed the basin plan. The essential trace mineral for people been very effective at removing
water quality control plan for the and animals that can become toxic selenium and salt, but that further
San Joaquin and Sacramento river- at high doses. Drainage in the 1980s concentration of drain water is
basins includes a selenium objective from the Westlands Water District sought.
for Mud Slough. Discharge of resulted in high selenium levels at Professor Peggy O’Day of the
agricultural subsurface drainage Kesterson Reservoir in Merced School of Natural Sciences at the
water is prohibited after Oct. 1, County, a problem linked to water- University of California, Merced,
2010 unless the water quality fowl deformities that ultimately said, “The practical goal is to get
objectives for selenium are met, closed the reservoir. Irrigation agricultural discharges down in salt
according to a staff report prepared drainage water was provided to the and selenium so when the runoff
for the Board’s Sept. 13 meeting. reservoir through the partially goes into the San Joaquin (River) it’s
”The dischargers have made completed San Luis Drain. not impacting the quality of the
significant progress towards this In 1996, Grassland Area farmers river.”
goal,” the report states, “but have formed a regional drainage entity Selenium in the Central Valley is
been unable to complete the drain- under the umbrella of the San Luis from sediment in the soil – not from
10 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
NPS News
industry or a pollution source – and Supporters of what has been in documents filed this year as part
agricultural practices can wash the termed an “out-of-valley solution” of the settlement.
mineral into runoff, she said. cite the success of a brine line in the Enhancements to marshes and
Karl Longley, chair of the Central Santa Ana area of Southern Califor- drainage in the vernal pool preserve
Valley Board, said the selenium nia that transports salt-rich waste- will increase the time water stays
control program is commendable water to the ocean. in the site and the absorption of
but said a second issue – the build up Soapy Mulholland, a member of nutrients, the Central Valley Board
of salt in the region – must be the Central Valley Board, said that said.
resolved to sustain agriculture over while the best efforts possible have The treatment plant discharged
time. been undertaken to address sele- treated wastewater to a tributary of
“If this is going to be a viable nium and salt problems, the issue Orchard Creek, which eventually
economy for the next century, remains unsolved. “It’s a horrible runs into the Sacramento River.
obviously there have to be other problem,” Mulholland said. “We Problems at the plant led to re-
solutions,” he said. don’t know what to do with it.” N ported coliform levels in the waste-
water effluent exceeding Total
Coliform Effluent Limitations.
Although numerous such viola-
tions took place, public health was
probably not compromised, the
Central Valley Board stated.
After ultraviolet systems couldn’t
treat the effluent, the plant operator
began using chlorine for disinfec-
tion, which led to possible effluent
chlorine residual violations. These
violations were not reported to the
Central Valley Board until after the
staff found the potential chlorine
residual violations when inspecting
coliform violations. According to
the Central Valley Board, it took
many months to resolve the prob-
lems with the casino’s treatment
plant. N
Water Quality
Casino Penalty Will Fund Conferences
Vernal Pool Work
T
wo headline issues will be
featured at two upcoming
water quality conferences.
A
Northern California casino Casino, located in Rocklin 30 miles Reconciling food safety and
will pay $300,000 in penal- north of Sacramento, will go toward environmental protection will be
ties for problems with its improving water quality at a vernal discussed at a Nov. 7-9 conference
wastewater treatment plant after the pool preserve near the city of sponsored by the Central Coast
mechanical failure of advanced Lincoln. The other $150,000 will go Agricultural Water Quality Coali-
technology failed and existing into the State Water Board’s cleanup tion. The 2007 National Confer-
ultraviolet systems couldn’t treat and abatement account. ence on Agriculture & the
effluent with increased turbidity The casino and preserve are Environment in Monterey also
concentrations. within the same Lower Sacramento will focus on data, methodology,
Half of the State Water Resources River Watershed, the Central Valley trends and advancements in water
Control Board (State Water Board) Regional Water Quality Control quality monitoring; agricultural and
penalty paid by Thunder Valley Board (Central Valley Board) noted environmental innovations; and
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 11
NPS News
Days at the Beach
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 There’s certainly nothing suggesting
exploring the nexus between Los Osos septics are contaminating
beachfront properties of Malibu. ocean water throughout San Luis
agricultural and environmental
But Los Osos shares the same lack Obispo County.”
sustainability. For more informa-
of a sewer system as the more As the Central Coast and South-
tion, visit http://
glamorous community to the ern California deal with septic
www.agwaterquality.org/2007con-
south. tanks, Malibu resident Ed Niles said
ference
Dean Wendt, a marine biolo- trash along the four-lane, 26 miles
Successful watershed-based
gist who has a PhD. from Harvard of Pacific Coast Highway through
approaches to nonpoint source
University and works with the the community is an overlooked
pollution will be the focus of a
San Luis Obispo Science and problem for ocean water quality.
Spring 2008 conference. The 2008
Ecosystem Alliance, said the The roadway can be thick with
California Nonpoint Source
Central Coast Regional Water litter, particularly after holidays like
Conference – Integrated Water-
Quality Board “has shown the the Fourth of July, Niles said. “All of
shed Management: Reducing
septic systems have contaminated it goes directly to the Malibu la-
NPS Pollution will be held at the
the groundwater” in the Los Osos goon,” he said.
Mission Valley Marriott in San
area located next to Morro Bay.
Diego May 5-7.
The Central Coast Regional
According to the State Water
Board in 2007 stated that dis-
Resources Control Board (State
charges from septic systems
Water Board) web site: “This confer-
“have degraded groundwater
ence will be aimed at showcasing
quality and threaten public
how sustainability and an inte-
health.”
Shallow groundwater seeps in
some areas of Morro Bay are
accessible for sampling and
indicate that fecal coliform
bacteria greatly exceed standards,
the state agency noted. “DNA
testing indicates the largest
source of the bacteria is humans,”
the report stated.
“The impact on Morro Bay
and the ocean is less well-docu-
mented,” Wendt said. “No one
can answer what the septic
systems are contributing to the
Bay.”
Dan Berman, program director
for the Morro Bay National
Estuary Program, said connecting
ocean water problems and septics
is not simple. “It’s not an easy Surfrider representative Wilson
thing to establish these links in agrees the highway litter adds to
grated holistic watershed perspec- any scientifically conclusive pollution. “Anything that goes on
tive can be incorporated into non- way.” the road,” he said, “is going to go
point source problems solving steps, Anecdotal evidence, along into the ocean without treatment.”
through local regional and global with DNA technology used Dan Freeman, Caltrans deputy
efforts.” several years in a study showed district director for maintenance in
The State Water Board, Regional a mix of sources, including Los Angeles and Ventura counties,
Water Quality Control Boards, humans, cattle and horses, in said the state agency works with
California Coastal Commission and Morro Bay. Malibu, which is responsible for
U.S. EPA Region 9 are sponsors of the “All of it, “Berman said, street sweeping of the Pacific Coast
conference. For more information “suggests that septics in Los Osos Highway within the municipal
visit, http://www.waterboards.ca. are contributing at least on a very limits. Caltrans takes care of the
gov/nps/conference2008.html N local scale to bacterial pollution. trash, Freeman said.
12 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
“We have a concern about any-
Bolsa Chica State Beach, aka “Tin Can Beach,”
thing that gets into that system,” he
taken in 1960
said of litter that can reach storm
drains that go into the ocean.
Caltrans spokeswoman Jeanne
Bonfilio, said of the historic high-
way that parallels the Pacific, “It’s a
highway that means a lot. It’s
beautiful.
“We’re trying hard through our
partnership to keep it that way.”
The Orange County city of Dana
Point, in its own effort to target
trash within the municipal streets,
switched in 2002 from broom
sweepers – often inefficient at
capturing small particles, the city
said – to vacuum sweepers that
remove much more material and
pollutants.
The city is also “exploring
Mother Nature’s potential contribu-
tion to impaired water quality in
the form of bird wastes,” according
to a February municipal report.
“At low tide, seagulls and other
birds feed upon exposed marine
life,” the document notes. “These
birds also travel to the landfill in nutrients are linked to the increased 2002 study of urban runoff and
San Juan Capistrano for their food. growth of algae in the ocean, coastal water quality in Orange
The one thing that is certain is that known as algal blooms. Algae in the County that found runoff dis-
birds will return to the beach and form of phytoplankton are a vital charged by the Los Angeles, San
leave a large amount of untreated part of the ocean’s food web but can Gabriela and Santa Ana rivers
bacteria. increase to a potentially toxic represent a primary source of
“Bird waste has a very high bloom when nutrient levels and coastal water pollution.
bacteria count – and its impact on water temperatures rise. Dwight worked as well on a 2005
coastal water quality and human The Center for Sponsored Coastal case study of illnesses from beach
health has yet to be quantified,” the Ocean Research in Maryland noted use in Orange County that noted
city said. A project is underway to that a massive algae bloom along decades ago domestic sewage
collect bird droppings at Baby Beach the California coast in April led to discharged along coastlines was the
at Dana Point Harbor in Orange hundreds of seabird and marine primary sources of beach water
County to see if removal of the mammal deaths from San Luis pollution in the United States.
droppings results in a drop of Obispo to Los Angeles. Upgrading of sanitation facilities to
bacteria counts in beach water. Marine biologist Wendt in San comply with federal law has led to a
While birds and trash are tar- Luis Obispo said the blooms are part new focus on untreated urban
geted, Wilson of the Surfrider of a natural cycle but that the runoff, the study said.
Foundation said conditions at questions for scientists are 1) The potential problem of virus
California beaches have generally whether they’re now more frequent concentrations in beach water is
improved. A beach in northern and 2) more severe. under study, Heal the Bay notes in
Orange County was known as “Tin “It’s the same kind of situation in its most recent Beach Report Card.
Can Beach” when he started surfing climate change,” Wendt said. The amount of indicator bacteria
in the 1960s, he recalled. “The trash Tracking algal blooms over time is present in the surfzone is now the
was pretty horrendous.” the way to answer the questions, he best indication of whether a beach
Along with septics and highway said. is safe for recreation contact, the
litter, harmful algal blooms are an Coastal Water Research Group group said.
issue for ocean water quality. Excess researcher Dwight participated in a CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 13
Students Serve as
“Storm Drain Detectives”
BY RYAN MCCARTHY
T
he “Storm Drain Detectives” the list of issues for most youths,
in the Northern California said Barry Larson, a recently retired Ceriodaphnia dubia
city of Lodi got their start chemistry teacher at Tokay High
after problems at the city’s water School. “After they get started, they
treatment plant resulted in a fine see there’s something to this,”
assessed by the Central Valley Larson said of the response of
Regional Water Quality Control students. “This is a really good
Board. introduction to real world environ-
Up to half of the payments for mental issues.”
the 2000 penalty could go into an Results of testing include findings
educational program, said Frank that water samples taken from the
Beeler, the city’s wastewater super- Mokelumne River after a major
intendent. The result? A cadre of storm showed the water was not
Tokay High School students – the toxic to the adult Ceriodaphnia
Storm Drain Detectives – who test dubia, known as the “water flea.”
the Mokelumne River running The organism is a small crustacean
through Lodi. The program is that is sensitive to pesticides, heavy turbidity, electrical conductivity and
praised for allowing teens an up- metals, and other toxic substances. pH for how acidic the water is.
close look at water issues. The six monthly water tests to According to the city of Lodi,
Stormwater and what goes into monitor stormdrain runoff measure removal of river vegetation can
municipal drains can rate low on dissolved oxygen, water temperature, change water temperature as can
soil erosion, stormwater runoff and
changes to river flow. Bank erosion,
Students monitoring the Mokelumne River
excessive algal growth, and changes
in the river’s flow increases turbidity
while runoff from city streets and
farms can significantly increase
nitrate levels.
John Teravskis, with the environ-
mental consulting firm WGR
Southwest, which has been involved
with the Storm Drain Detectives
program, credits city watershed
education coordinator Kathy Grant
for much of its success. “She has a
passion for the Mokelumne River
and water quality,” Teravskis said of
the river that runs through Lodi.
Grant, who describes herself as a
“stormwater geek,” said the water
quality measurements the students
take are demanding. “It’s kind of
like driving a Ferrari,” she said.
“You’ve got to be really careful.” N
14 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN FALL 2007
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
He added that the Central Valley
Board’s goal is to look at alternatives
to how groundwater discharges are
regulated.
Environmental groups have Los Angeles (Region 4)
criticized the Central Valley pro- Regional Board approved August 9 a TMDL for trash in the
gram as “makeshift” and lacking Los Angeles River Watershed.
enforcement but Pamela Creedon, Contact Ginachi Amah 213/576-6685; link to staff report at:
executive officer for the Central http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/html/bpaRes/bpa.html
Valley Board, said the undertaking
is achieving its goals. “This is a good Regional Board approved June 7 TMDLs for trash in Legg Lake,
starting point,” she said, describing Lake Elizabeth, Munz Lake, Lake Hughes, Machado Lake,
the program as the first concen- the Santa Clara River, the Ventura River Estuary,
trated effort in the United States to Calleguas Creek, Revolon Slough, Dominguez Channel
deal with agricultural runoff. and Beardsley Wash.
Jennings, however, is critical of Contact Eric Wu 213/576-6683; link to staff report at:
the program – saying it allows http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/html/bpaRes/bpa.html
coalitions of farmers to oversee
implementation of waiver condi- Colorado River Basin (Region 7)
tions. Regional Board approved May 16 a TMDL for bacteria indicators
“These legally fictitious coalitions in the Coachella Valley Stormwater Chanel.
have no enforcement authority and Contact Ivory Stark 760/776-8933; link to staff report at:
cannot require an individual dis- http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/coloradoriver/tmdl/TMDL_Status.htm
charger to take any specific action,”
the Sportfishing Alliance said in an Santa Ana (Region 8)
August statement. “The Regional The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on May 16 approved a TMDL
Board doesn’t know who is actually for bacterial indicators in the Middle Santa Ana River.
discharging, where the discharges Contact Hope Smythe 951/782-4493; link to staff report at:
are occurring, the constituents http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/html/tmdls.html
being discharged, the volume and
concentration of discharged pollut-
ants, whether management mea-
sures have been implemented or “We have a lot more sediment Liz Kanter, a spokeswoman for
whether implemented measures are issues,” he said. “We haven’t seen the Board told The California Runoff
effective.” any improvement whatsoever.” Rundown that officials understood
The group challenged the ag John Hewitt, attorney for the the ag waiver program “wouldn’t be
waiver program in a petition to the California Farm Bureau Federation, a quick fix.” “It was intended to be
State Water Board last year; the said the legal action by the environ- a long-range program,” she said. N
program was upheld. The mental groups is “not anything
Sportfishing Alliance and Baykeeper more than another attempt to
of San Francisco filed a lawsuit in undermine the progress agricultural
Sacramento County Superior Court groups are making.” Days at the Beach
earlier this year against the Central “There’s an incredible awareness
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Valley Regional Board over the ag of water quality obligations and
waiver program. potential impacts,” he said. Unlike bacterial indicators, no
Attorney Michael Lozeau, who The Central Valley Board ac- available data links health risks
represents the environmental knowledged that not all the water involved with virus concentrations
groups, said no hearing date has quality problems are being fully and swimming, Heal the Bay said.
been set yet for the lawsuit filed in addressed “due to a variety of An epidemiology study began this
Sacramento County Superior Court. technical and resource issues,” and summer to try to identify viral
He told The California Runoff Run- that the focus has been on effec- pathogens at Doheny State Park.
down that despite the coalition tively using the resources at hand Surfrider Beach is planned to be
effort to improve water quality “the by prioritizing quality issues so that tested in 2008. The study is ex-
data all indicate the problem is just “high priority and critical issues are pected to be completed within
as bad if not worse.” being addressed first.” three years. N
FALL 2007 THE CALIFORNIA RUNOFF RUNDOWN 15
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