1. Middle Fork Project AQ 11 – Water Quality Technical Study Plan Report Overview
March 10, 2008

2. Study Objectives
Characterize physical, chemical, and bacterial water quality conditions in the bypass reaches and the peaking reach, comparison reaches, and Project reservoirs and diversion pools.
Compare water quality conditions to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB 1998) Basin Plan objectives and water quality objectives.

3. Water Quality Study Objectives and Related
Study Elements and Reports
Study Objective
Characterize physical, chemical, and bacterial water quality conditions in the bypass reaches and the peaking reach, comparison reaches, and Project reservoirs and diversion pools and compare to the CVRWQCB Basin Plan objectives and water quality standards.
Complete 2007 Water Quality Field Program
Conduct in-situ Field Measurement Sampling
Conduct General Water Quality Sampling
Conduct Coliform Sampling
Conduct Fish Tissue Analysis
Conduct Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling
Document 2007 Water Quality Sampling Results in this report
Consult with Aquatic TWG
Determine if Additional Water Quality Sampling is Needed
Determine if Additional Fish Tissue Analyses are Needed
Determine if Additional Water Quality Sampling is Needed to Address any Macroinvertebrate Issues
Develop Recommendations and Prepare Contingency Studies, if necessary
Complete 2008 Contingency Water Quality Field Program, if necessary
Document 2008 Water Quality Sampling Results in Water Quality Report (2009), if necessary

4. TSP Variances General Water Quality Sampling Fish Tissue Sampling
Middle Fork American River peaking reach sampling
Manganese sampling
Fecal Coliform Sampling
Fish Tissue Sampling
Fish tissue analysis – French Meadows Reservoir
Voluntary Enhancements
Leakage channels and weirs
Update of Basin Plan
Fish tissue sampling

5. Existing Water Quality Objectives
Water quality analytical results were compared to:
The Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin Plan Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan)
California Toxics Rule (CTR)
National Toxics Rule (NTR)
Fish tissue analysis results were compared to:
California’s Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) guidelines

6. Water Quality Results Rivers and Streams In-situ field measurements
General water quality parameters
Voluntary enhanced water quality sampling
Coliform sampling

7. Water Quality Monitoring Locations

8. River and Stream In-situ Field Measurement Results
All measurements met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except:
Dissolved oxygen
Duncan Creek above Middle Fork American River confluence in spring
Middle Fork American River above Duncan Creek confluence in spring
Middle Fork American River below Duncan Creek confluence in spring
*** These locations were not surveyed in the fall due to unsafe field conditions accessing the sampling locations.

9. River and Stream General Water Quality Parameter Results
All general parameters and dissolved metals analyzed and total mercury samples met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except:
Dissolved manganese
Middle Fork American River below French Meadows gaging station in fall

10. Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling
Below Hell Hole Reservoir
Below French Meadows Reservoir

11. Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling
Hell Hole Dam
All in-situ field measurements and general water quality parameters met listed objectives
French Meadows Dam
In-situ field measurements
pH and dissolved oxygen did not meet water quality objectives
General water quality parameters
Iron and manganese concentrations exceeded water quality objectives

12. Fecal Coliform Sampling Locations

13. River and Stream Coliform Sampling
All fecal coliform results in spring and fall met listed objectives, except:
North Fork Long Canyon Creek (RM3.0) in fall
Ralston Afterbay near the Ralston picnic area
Exceeded objectives on one day during 30-day, 5 sample sampling

14. Reservoir Water Quality Results
Reservoirs
In-situ field measurements
General water quality parameters

15. Reservoir In-situ Field Measurement Results
All measurements met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except:
Dissolved oxygen
Hell Hole Reservoir in fall
French Meadows Reservoir in spring and fall
Two locations in spring
One location in fall

16. Reservoir General Water Quality Parameter and Fecal Coliform Results
All general parameters and dissolved metals analyzed and total mercury samples met listed objectives or were within expected ranges.
All fecal coliform results in spring and fall met listed objectives.

17. Fish Tissue Collection and Analysis for Methyl Mercury
Sample Locations:
Hell Hole Reservoir
French Meadows Reservoir
Middle Fork Interbay
Ralston Afterbay
Middle Fork American River near Otter Creek confluence

18. Fish Tissue Analysis Results
Methyl mercury concentrations in at least 1 fish from each location exceeded the OEHHA screening value (0.08 mg/kg fish).
23 of 45 individual fish analyzed exceeded the screening value.
Highest concentrations were measured in fish from Hell Hole Reservoir, where largest fish were caught.

19. Fish Tissue Analysis Results