| Water Body Name: | Hot Springs Canyon Creek |
| Water Body ID: | CAR6303004219980804133340 |
| Water Body Type: | River & Stream |
DECISION ID |
74203 |
Region 6 |
Hot Springs Canyon Creek |
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| Pollutant: | Sedimentation/Siltation |
| Final Listing Decision: | Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list) |
| Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: | Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2016) |
| Revision Status | Original |
| Reason for Delisting: | Applicable WQS attained; reason for recovery unspecified |
| Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant |
| Regional Board Staff Conclusion: | Regional Board Conclusion:
This pollutant was considered for removal from the section 303(d) list in a previous assessment cycle. No new information was reviewed for this current assessment cycle. Therefore, the previous conclusion remains unchanged, and is as follows: This water body-pollutant combination is being considered for delisting under Section 4.11 of the listing policy. The original listing was based on a qualitative survey of stream and riparian conditions (information) from one station, rather than on water quality data for sediment. Listing for such information would not be required under the current Listing Policy unless data were also available. No sediment data are currently available. Grazing management practices, including reduction of livestock numbers, have been implemented since the listing. A Rangeland Health Assessment and a visual inspection (with photographs) do not indicate impairment. The assessment and inspection are scientifically defensible and reproducible. The weight of evidence indicates that the water quality objective is being attained. |
| Regional Board Staff Decision Recommendation: | This region was not assessed this cycle. All decisions have been carried over from the previous cycle and remain the same. |
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| LOE ID: | 5733 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Sedimentation/Siltation | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Narrative Description Data | ||||
| Matrix: | -N/A | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 0 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Lahontan RWQCB staff and USBLM staff evaluated conditions at Hot Springs Canyon Creek in May 2007.
Compliance with the objectives was assessed through stream bank and riparian surveys, field inspection, and review of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management grazing program and grazing intensity. According to USBLM staff, grazing management practices were updated and implemented beginning in 1993. These practices and decreasing numbers of livestock have resulted in improvements to the watershed over a 20 year period. The 2007 inspection did not show significant bank trampling or current impacts on vegetation. Areas with stream incision may be due to natural conditions (highly erodible volcanic soils) and/or to past grazing practices. There is heavy vegetative cover currently present along the stream channel and banks in the incised areas. The USBLM's 2000 Rangeland Health Assessment for this watershed concluded that "there are no significant environmental impacts from current use and the allotments meet Rangeland Health Standards." The assessment also concluded tht livestock use in the Hot Springs Canyon allotment is generally highly dispersed iwth light use, and that riparian vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the geothermal springs istypically at or near 100 percent. The reference includes photographs. |
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| Data Reference: | 2007. Fact Sheet for Hot Springs Canyon Creek De-List | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | The applicable water quality objectives are:
(1) Sediment- The suspended sediment load and suspended sediment discharge rate of surface waters shall not be altered in such a manner as to cause nuisance or adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. (2) Settleable materials- Waters shall not contain susbstances in concentrations that result in deposition of material that cause nuisance or that adversely affects the water for beneficial uses. |
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| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region (as amended) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | Lahontan RWQCB staff conducted a visual assessment of approximately 1 mile of the creek. The USBLM assessed the entire 2.9 mile stream segment.t | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Initial listing was based on USBLM surveys conducted in 1988. The USBLM conducted a rangeland health assessment in June 2000. A visual assessment of the creek was conducted by RWQCB and :USBLM staff in May 2007. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | Hot Springs Canyon Creek is an intermittent stream that flows from the Bodie Hills to Bridgeport Valley in Mono County. The stream was listed in 1988 based on stream and riparian zone surveys at one station, not on quantitative sediment data. | ||||
| QAPP Information: | Quality Assurance information is described in the USBLM Bishop Resource Management Plan (RMP) and the Central California Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management. | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||