Klamath River TMDL

On September 7, 2010 the State Water Resources Control Board adopted a Resolution approving amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region to establish: (1) Site Specific Dissolved Oxygen Objectives for the Klamath River; (2) an Action Plan for the Klamath River Total Maximum Daily Loads Addressing Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrient, and Microcystin Impairments in the Klamath River; and (3) an Implementation Plan for the Klamath and Lost River Basins. On December 28, 2010, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved the TMDLs for the Klamath River in California pursuant to CWA Section 303(d)(2). The TMDLs, Implementation Plan, and new Dissolved Oxygen Objectives are in effect.

The final Staff Report, Action and Implementation Plans, and adopted resolutions are provided below. 

Final Klamath River TMDL Action Plan and Basin Plan Amendment Language for the Klamath River Site Specific Objectives for Dissolved Oxygen – updated September 2010

• Action Plan for the Klamath River TMDLs Addressing Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrient, and Microcystin Impairments in the Klamath River in California and Lost River Implementation Plan

• Klamath River Site Specific Objectives for Dissolved Oxygen

USEPA Approval Letter

• USEPA Approval Letter dated December 28, 2010
• USEPA’s TMDL Checklist

State Water Resources Control Board Response to Public Comments

• DRAFT Comment Summary and Responses: Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrient, and Microcystin impairments in the Klamath River and Site Specific Water Quality Objectives for Dissolved Oxygen in the Klamath River

State and Regional Water Board Adopted Resolutions

State Water Board Resolution

• Resolution No. R1-2010-0043 - approving amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region to establish: (1) Site Specific Water Quality Objectives for the Klamath River; (2) an Action Plan for the Klamath River Total Maximum Daily Loads Addressing Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrient, and Microcystin Impairments in the Klamath River; and (3) an Implementation Plan for the Klamath and Lost River Basins.
  

Regional Water Board Resolutions

• Resolution No. R1-2010-0026 - Action Plan for the Klamath River Total Maximum Daily Loads addressing Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrient, and Microcystin Impairments in the Klamath River in California and the Lower Lost River Implementation Plan
  
  
• Resolution No. R1-2010-0025 - Site Specific Dissolved Oxygen Objectives for the Klamath River in California

If you are unable to download the documents please contact
Katharine Carter at 707-576-2290 or
kcarter@waterboards.ca.gov

Final Klamath River TMDL Staff Report – updated September 2010

• Title Page and Table of Contents
• List of Abbreviations
• Chapter 1. Introduction
• Chapter 2. Problem Statement
• Chapter 3. Analytic Approach
• Chapter 4. Pollutant Source Analysis
• Chapter 5. Allocations and Numeric Targets
• Chapter 6. Implementation Plan
• Chapter 7 Monitoring Program
• Chapter 8. Antidegradation Analysis
• Chapter 9. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Environmental Analysis
• Chapter 10. Economic Analysis
• Chapter 11. Public Participation
• Appendix 1 Proposed Site-Specific Dissolved Oxygen Objectives for the Klamath River in California
• Appendix 2 Nutrient Numeric Endpoint Analysis for the Klamath River, CA
• Appendix 3 Nutrient Dynamics in the Klamath
• Appendix 4 Effects of Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen/Total Dissolved Gas, Ammonia, and pH on Salmonids
• Appendix 5 Fish and Fishery Resources of the Klamath River Basin
• Appendix 6 Model Configuration and Results: Klamath River Model for TMDL Development
• Appendix 7 Modeling Scenarios: Klamath River Model for TMDL Development
• Appendix 8 Response to Peer Review Comments on Draft Klamath River TMDLs
• Appendix 9 Maps of the Klamath River Basin in California Showing the Locations of Known Thermal Refugia
• Appendix 10 Public Comments & Responses on the Staff Report, Appendices to the Staff Report, and Basin Plan Amendment Language  

Klamath/Lost River TMDL Implementation Memorandum of Agreement

The following Memorandum of Agreement was signed in June 2009.  Parties to this agreement are the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regions 9 and 10.

• Memorandum of Agreement Klamath River/Lost River TMDL Implementation June 2009

If you have questions about the MOA please contact Clayton Creager at (707) 576-2666 or CCreager@waterboards.ca.gov.

Water Quality Compliance Program for Agriculture is Under Development

Regional Board staff are developing a water quality compliance program for agriculture in the Klamath basin. The program will address nonpoint source discharges of waste associated with grazing and irrigated agriculture in the Klamath Basin and will fit into a regionwide framework for agriculture. Additional information can be found at the link below:

• Development of the Water Quality Compliance Program for Agricultural Lands in the Klamath Basin

If you have any questions about the development on this program, please contact
Ben Zabinsky at (707) 576-6750 or
bzabinsky@waterboards.ca.gov.

Klamath Hydrologic Settlement Agreement Monitoring Plan

On November 13, 2008, the United States, the states of California and Oregon, and PacifiCorp executed an Agreement in Principle (AIP) describing a framework for possible removal of several PacifiCorp's dams on the Klamath River. Interim Measure 12 of the AIP stipulated a water quality monitoring program, including on-going monitoring of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and associated toxins. Water quality monitoring conducted in 2009 was conducted under the plan: AIP Interim Measure 12: Water Quality Monitoring Activities, Monitoring Year 2009. The Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) signed on February 18, 2010, supersedes the AIP. Interim Measure 15 of KHSA states that PacifiCorp shall fund long-term baseline water quality monitoring to support dam removal, nutrient removal, and permitting studies, and also will fund blue-green algae (BGA) and BGA toxin monitoring as necessary to protect public health. The 2010 KHSA Monitoring Plan replaces the previous plan and is being used to guide monitoring for the current year. 

Additional  information about the KSHA is available at the link below:

• Water Quality Monitoring Activities, Monitoring Years 2009 and 2010

 The Klamath Basin Monitoring Website contains additional information and is available the link below:

• http://www.kbmp.net/