CURRENT WATER QUALITY ISSUES Gerard Thibeault California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region May 8, 2008

ASCE Stormwater Committee Meeting Notice “Synopsis: Water quality policies and requirements are constantly changing based on TMDLs and Basin Plan requirements.” “Constantly changing” vs. “painfully slow” Last TMDL 2007 Basin Plan revision 2004

WATER QUALITY ISSUES Re-issuance of MS4 Permits General Construction Permit Stormwater Quality Standards Task Force Once-through cooling Hydraulic Control of Chino Basin Recycled Water Policy Emerging Contaminants

State Policies Recycled Water Policy –Important drought-related policy –Very similar to Santa Ana Region policies –Requires other regions to develop salt-management plans Once-through Cooling Policy –Enormous significance for power generation in state –Statewide consistency

Water Quality Issues Hydraulic Control of Chino Basin Groundwater –Reverse GW gradient across lower basin –Supply wells for Chino Basin desalters –Stop migration of dairy and ag contaminated GW to Orange Co. –Encourages SAR to migrate into Chino Basin

Water Quality Issues Emerging Contaminants –Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, endocrine disruptors –Documented effects on marine habitat –Groundwater results –Groundwater and surface water monitoring task force

MS4 Permit Re-issuance Area-wide permits for Orange County, San Bernardino County and Riverside County Expired during 2007 First drafts completed or nearing completion First workshops early 2009 Adoption in 2009

MS4 Permit Re-issuance Seeking SoCal consistency –Meetings with Los Angeles, San Diego and Colorado River Regions and with U.S. EPA –Topics Effective impermeable area Municipal action levels Hydromod or HCOC Inclusion of TMDL requirements LID

MS4 Permit Re-issuance Prefer unified SoCal MS4 permit, but not likely for this round Expect permits to be regionally focused, but essentially similar –Exception may be use of Municipal Action Levels (MALs)

MS4 Permit Re-issuance LID/Green Infrastructure –Build upon current permit site design requirements –New Require Evaluation of ordinances to eliminate barriers to LID implementation Emphasize on site design components, structural source control, and treatment BMPs being operational before occupancy Long-term O&M tracking

MS4 Re-issuance HCOC –Existing – per site basis –New – link to jurisdictional, sub- watershed and watershed approach –Jurisdictional and watershed plans to protect vulnerable streams –Preserve existing unarmored streams –S.B. Co. project underway

Hydromodification Mapping and Documentation for Santa Ana River Watershed Area in San Bernardino County Progress Update Hydromodification Mapping and Documentation for Santa Ana River Watershed Area in San Bernardino County RBF Consulting Alton Parkway Irvine, CA John McCarthy, PE, CFM Steve Bein, PE

Hydromodification Mapping and Documentation for the Santa Ana River Watershed vPurpose u Develop a comprehensive map of the Permit area within San Bernardino County to assist the Co-Permittees and project proponents to determine whether a project will flow to a hydrologically sensitive area. vScreening Tool for Co-Permittees,applicants, & Regional Board

Four Phase Project Approach vPhase 1 - Completed u Practical Working Definitions u Develop Work Plan vPhase 2 - Completed u Base Data Collection u GIS Feature Creation & HCOC Map Preparation

HCOC Project Data Input: Aligned Drainage Courses Material Dimensions Ownership Reach Limits

MS4 Permit Re-issuance Other matters to be addressed: –Cross-media (air pollution) –TMDL Implementation Not discretionary –Performance standards –Contaminated GW rising into MS4

MS4 Permit Re-issuance Next Steps: –Collaboration with 3 counties and co-permittees –Collaboration with environmental groups and other interested parties –Drive for consensus Process used in O.C. last round –Workshops –Hearings for consideration of adoption

Statewide General Construction Permit Expired in 2004 March 18 th – Preliminary draft New proposals –Tech based Numeric Action Levels pH and turbidity –Tech based Numeric Effluent Lim NEL for pH and turbidity (1000 NTU) –Specifies more min BMP reqmts.

Statewide General Construction Permit New proposals (cont’d.) –Risk-based permitting – 4 levels 3 lower levels in general permit 4 th level must have individual WDRs –Soil characteristics monit. and rept. –Effluent monit. & rept. – pH & turb. Compliance with NELs & NALs –Receiving water monit. & rept. Risk levels 2 & 3

Statewide General Construction Permit New proposals (cont’d.) –New development and re- development SW performance stds. –Rain event action plan (48 hrs in advance) –Site photographic self-monit. & rept. –Annual reporting (> 3 months) –Cert./Training reqmts for key staff

Stormwater Quality Standards Task Force Addressing issue of bacterial standards for body-contact recreation (REC-1) –Fecal coliform vs. e coli Stormwater channels presumed REC-1, unless re-designated by Use-Attainability Analysis (UAA) UAA difficult to achieve, given CA definitions for REC-1 & REC -2

The Goal

Current Definition of REC-1 “Water Contact Recreation (REC1) waters are used for recreational activities involving body contact with water where ingestion of water is reasonably possible. These uses may include, but are not limited to, swimming, wading, water-skiing, skin and scuba diving, surfing, whitewater activities, fishing, and use of natural hot springs.”

Current Definition of REC-2 “ Non-contact Recreation (REC2) waters are used for recreational activities involving proximity to water, but not normally involving body contact with water where ingestion of water would be reasonably possible. These uses may include, but are not limited to: picnicking, sunbathing, hiking, beachcombing, camping, tidepool and marine life study, hunting, sightseeing and aesthetic enjoyment in conjunction with the above activities.”

Contact or Non-Contact Recreation?

Reasonably Possible?

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