Draft California 2018 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 6 - Lahontan Region

Water Body Name: Fern Creek
Water Body ID: CAR6010004020180105033080
Water Body Type: River & Stream
 
DECISION ID
102673
Region 6     
Fern Creek
 
Pollutant: Indicator Bacteria
Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: New Decision
Revision Status Revised
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Staff Conclusion: This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA section 303(d) List under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.2 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

Three lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant, one that assesses for REC-1 with E.coli and two that assess for MUN that are based on the same data using different versions of the Basin Plan fecal coliform objective. Zero of six samples exceed the REC-1 E.coli objective, zero of six samples exceed the 10 percentile fecal coliform objective and zero of seven samples exceed the log-mean fecal coliform objective.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against placing this water segment-pollutant combination on the CWA section 303(d) List.

This conclusion is based on the staff findings that:
1. The data used satisfies the data quality requirements of section 6.1.4 of the Policy.
2. The data used satisfies the data quantity requirements of section 6.1.5 of the Policy.
3. Zero of six samples exceed the REC-1 E.coli objective, zero of six samples exceed the 10 percentile fecal coliform objective and zero of seven samples exceed the log-mean fecal coliform objective and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.2 of the Listing Policy.
4. Pursuant to section 3.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not met.
 
Regional Board Staff Decision Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list. The readily available data and information is insufficient to determine, with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy, the applicable beneficial use support rating.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 102673, Indicator Bacteria
Region 6     
Fern Creek
 
LOE ID: 100134
 
Pollutant: Escherichia coli (E. coli)
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Water Contact Recreation
 
Number of Samples: 6
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring data for Fern Creek to determine beneficial use support and the results are as follows: 0 of the 6 samples exceeded the Statistical Threshold Value (STV) water quality standard for E. coli. The STV is based on a 10% exceedance rate that is calculated monthly.
Data Reference: Water Quality Assessment Data for the 2018 solicitation cycle submitted through CEDEN for Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The bacteria water quality objective applicable to all waters, except Lake Tahoe, where the salinity is less than 10 parts per thousand (ppth) 95 percent or more of the time is a STATISTICAL THRESHOLD VALUE (STV) of 320 cfu/100 mL not to be exceeded more than 10 percent of the time (calculated monthly).
Objective/Criterion Reference: Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries Plan. Part 1: Trash Provisions; Part 2: Tribal Subsistence Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions; Part 3: Bacteria Provisions and Variance Policy
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site(s), station(s): RUS.10
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the days of 2012-09-26 and 2013-10-17 .
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SNARL - CESAME)
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 102673, Indicator Bacteria
Region 6     
Fern Creek
 
LOE ID: 129468
 
Pollutant: Fecal Coliform
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Municipal & Domestic Supply
 
Number of Samples: 6
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring data for Fern Creek to determine beneficial use support and the results are as follows: 0 of the 6 samples exceeded the water quality standard for Coliform, Fecal. The water quality standard is based on a 10% exceedance rate that is calculated monthly.
Data Reference: Water Quality Assessment Data for the 2018 solicitation cycle submitted through CEDEN for Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Waters shall not contain concentrations of coliform organisms attributable to anthropogenic sources, including human and livestock wastes. The fecal coliform concentration during any 30-day period shall not exceed a log mean of 20/100 ml, nor shall more than 10 percent of all samples collected during any 30-day period exceed 40/100 ml. (Lahontan Region Basin Plan)
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region (as amended)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site(s), station(s): RUS.10
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the days of 2012-09-26 and 2013-10-17 .
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SNARL - CESAME)
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 102673, Indicator Bacteria
Region 6     
Fern Creek
 
LOE ID: 129343
 
Pollutant: Fecal Coliform
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Municipal & Domestic Supply
 
Number of Samples: 7
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PATHOGEN MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring data for Fern Creek to determine beneficial use support and the results are as follows: 0 of the 7 samples exceeded the logmean water quality standard for Coliform, Fecal. This is a 30-day rolling logmean that is calculated daily.
Data Reference: Water Quality Assessment Data for the 2018 solicitation cycle submitted through CEDEN for Eastern Sierra Ambient Monitoring.
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Waters shall not contain concentrations of coliform organisms attributable to anthropogenic sources, including human and livestock wastes. The fecal coliform concentration during any 30-day period shall not exceed a log mean of 20/100 ml. (Lahontan Region Basin Plan)
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region (as amended)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site(s), station(s): RUS.10
Temporal Representation: The samples were collected between the days of 2012-09-26 and 2013-10-17 .
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Project Plan Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory Center for Eastern Sierra Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SNARL - CESAME)