Freshwater Creek TMDL

The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have listed the Freshwater Creek watershed under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) as a sediment impaired waterbody. A program has been developed to recover 303(d) List waterbodies via the establishment of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). At this time, the Regional Water Board staff is in the process of establishing a TMDL for sediment in the Freshwater Creek watershed. The goal of the TMDL program is to restore and maintain the sediment impaired beneficial uses of water of Freshwater Creek and its tributaries. Staff will develop the technical TMDL, the implementation, and monitoring plans together.

Staff has been working with the landowners in the watershed to compile existing information about watershed conditions as well as working with the primary landowners to conduct studies to fill information gaps. As part of that process, the Regional Board contracted with the Redwood Community Action Agency to conduct interviews of watershed residents.

As documents associated with the development of the Freshwater Creek TMDL become available, they will be posted at this location. Additionally, staff will conduct public meetings to provide an overview of the documents and provide an opportunity for the public to comment and have their questions, concerns, and suggestions considered prior to the whole document going out for public review.

Freshwater Documents

• Freshwater Creek TMDL Area - (12/13/2007 - 181 Kb pdf map)
• Slope Stability Modeling and Landslide Hazard in Freshwater Creek and Ryan Slough
  Humboldt County, California (July 2008 - pdf)

FRESHWATER CREEK TMDL SEDIMENT SOURCE ASSESSMENT

• PHASE I Report PDF - August 2006 - 18 Mb
• PHASE I Report ZIP - August 2006 - 7 Mb

• Freshwater Creek TMDL Electronic Newsletter (2007)
  
• Freshwater Creek TMDL Electronic Newsletter (2006)
  
• STAFF REPORT
  for Proposed Regional Water Board Actions in the North Fork Elk River, Bear Creek, Freshwater Creek, Jordan Creek and Stitz Creek Watersheds
  (9/9/2000 - 161 Kb pdf)
• Final Report
  on Sediment Impairment and Effects on Beneficial Uses of the Elk River and Stitz, Bear, Jordan and Freshwater Creeks
  (12/27/2002 - 1.6 Mb pdf)
• Phase II of the Final Report
  on Sediment Impairment and Effects on Beneficial Uses of the Elk River and Stitz, Bear, Jordan and Freshwater Creeks is now available
  (8/12/2003 - 1 Mb pdf)
• Elk River and Freshwater Creek TMDL Resident Interviews
  ( Fall 2003 - 3.2 mb pdf)
• Newsletter #1
  (84 Kb pdf)
• Newsletter #2
  (89 Kb pdf)
• Freshwater Creek Watershed Sediment TMDL Short Survey
  (75 Kb pdf)