| Water Body Name: | Redwood Creek (Marin County) |
| Water Body ID: | CAR2013001320080714110732 |
| Water Body Type: | River & Stream |
DECISION ID |
7746 |
Region 2 |
Redwood Creek (Marin County) |
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| Pollutant: | Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments | Oxygen, Dissolved | Temperature, water |
| 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 Conclusion: | This water body is being considered for listing 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 water body. Based on the readily available data for this water body, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against placing this water segment-pollutant combination on the section 303(d) list in the Water Quality Limited Segments category. 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. Dissolved oxygen and temperature measurements exceeded the Basin Plan objectives for waters designated as cold water habitat at 1 of 12 continuous deployments and this does not exceed the allowable frequency listed in Table 3.2 of the Listing Policy. In addition, the macroinvertebrate data indicated excellent to good water quality conditions. 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 Decision Recommendation: | After review of the available data and information, Water Board staff concludes that this water body supports the beneficial use of aquatic life and meets applicable water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and temperature. Therefore, the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list. |
| State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation: | |
| State Board Decision Recommendation: | After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board. |
| USEPA Action (if applicable): | |
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| LOE ID: | 5854 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Population/Community Degradation | ||||
| Matrix: | Not Specified | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 4 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled from four sites in the Redwood Creek watershed in April 2005 by the SWAMP program. Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage metrics were similar to values observed at reference sites in perennial creeks and indicated excellent to good conditions. Taxa richness score ranged from 32 to 36 and % sensitive EPT were 30 to 33. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that are lethal to or that produce significant alterations in population or community ecology or receiving water biota. In addition, the health and life history characteristics of aquatic organisms in waters affected by controllable water quality factors shall not differ significantly from those for the same waters in areas unaffected by controllable water quality factors. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) - San Francisco Bay Region (Region 2) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage metric scores that are within the range of scores for minimally disturbed reference sites indicate no substantial alterations in community ecology. Taxa richness values at reference sites sampled by the SWAMP program between 2001 and 2003 ranged from 28 to 59. Reference conditions determined for perennial streams such as Redwood Creek, usually exhibit taxa richness > 38 and % sensitive EPT > 44. A perennial stream could be described as in - excellent condition - if there is no difference between the metrics measured at the site and those established for reference sites. A perennial stream will be described as in - good condition - if the site metrics indicate minor loss of bio-integrity but still a good structure and function, and sensitive species are present in abundance. | ||||
| Guideline Reference: | Water Quality Monitoring and Bioassessment in Nine San Francisco Bay Region Watersheds: Walker Creek, Lagunitas Creek, San Leandro Creek, Wildcat Creek/San Pablo Creek, Suisun Creek, Arroyo Las Positas, Pescadero Creek/Butano Creek, San Gregorio Creek, and Stevens Creek/Permanente Creek. Oakland, CA: Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board | ||||
| Spatial Representation: | Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled from four sites. Three of these sites were located on the mainstem of Redwood Creek, with the remaining site located on Green Gulch - a small tributary. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | All four sites were sampled for benthic macroinvertebrates in April 2005. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB 2002). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
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| LOE ID: | 5752 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Temperature, water | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Water | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 12 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 1 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Comprehensive water quality assessment was conducted at the Redwood Creek watershed as part of SWAMP assessment in 2005. Continuous field monitoring at 15 minute increments of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and specific conductance was conducted to determine temporal variability in basic water quality at four locations.
The estimated 7-day mean temperatures ranged from 12.08°C to 15.47 °C and varied with season and location. The 14.8 °C criterion for coho salmon was exceeded in 1 out of 12 continuous temperature deployments during the dry summer season at the downstream reach of the creek. The 17 °C criterion for steelhead was never exceeded. |
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| Data Reference: | Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | Temperature objectives for enclosed bays and estuaries are specified in the "Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays of California" including any revisions to the plan. In addition, the following temperature objectives apply to surface waters: The natural receiving water temperature of intrastate waters shall not be altered unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Regional Water Board that such alteration in temperature does not adversely affect beneficial uses.
The temperature of any cold or warm freshwater habitat shall not be increased by more than 5°F (2.8°C) above natural receiving water temperature. |
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| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) - San Francisco Bay Region (Region 2) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | Sullivan et al. (2000) reviewed a wide range of studies incorporating information from laboratory-based research, field observations, and risk assessment approaches and developed criteria for assessing temperature risk to aquatic life. The 7-day mean temperature (maximum value of the 7-day moving average of the daily mean temperature) of 14.8°C was established as the upper threshold criterion for coho salmon and 17.0°C for steelhead trout. The risk assessment approach used by Sullivan et al. (2000) suggests that temperatures exceeding the above thresholds will cause 10% reduction in average growth compared to optimal conditions. | ||||
| Guideline Reference: | An Analysis of the Effects of Temperature on Salmonids of the Pacific Northwest with Implications for Selecting Temperature Criteria | ||||
| Spatial Representation: | Temperature was measured at four sites. Three of these sites were located on the mainstem of Redwood Creek, with the remaining site located on Green Gulch - a small tributary. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Concurrent continuous measurements were conducted at both monitoring locations. Temperature was recorded at 15 minute intervals over 6 to 12 days during late spring (May 2005), summer dry season (August 2005), and winter wet season (January/February 2006). | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB 2002). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
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| LOE ID: | 5755 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Oxygen, Dissolved | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Water | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 12 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 1 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Comprehensive water quality assessment was conducted at the Redwood Creek watershed as part of SWAMP assessment in 2005. Continuous field monitoring of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and specific conductance was conducted to determine temporal variability in basic water quality at four locations. The 7 day average minimum concentrations of dissolved oxygen were between 6.74 and 9.81 mg/L during dry season, 9.03 -10.72 during spring season, and 10.38 11.8 during winter wet season.
Minimum dissolved oxygen levels fell below the objective of 7 mg/L only once during the dry season in August 2005. The below objective concentrations were detected in Green Gulch, one out of 4 monitoring points in the Redwood Creek watershed, located just upstream from the confluence with Redwood Creek. During that period minimum values of DO ranged from 4.74 to 7.95 mg/L. |
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| Data Reference: | Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | The numeric water quality objective for dissolved oxygen is 7.0 mg/L minimum for waters designated as cold water habitat. The median dissolved oxygen concentration for any three consecutive months shall not be less than 80 percent of the dissolved oxygen content at saturation. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) - San Francisco Bay Region (Region 2) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | Dissolved oxygen was measured at four sites. Three of these sites were located on the mainstem of Redwood Creek, with the remaining site located on Green Gulch -a small tributary. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | At all monitoring locations the SWAMP Program performed concurrent continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen at 15 minute intervals lasting 6 to 12 days. The measurements were conducted during late spring (May 2005), summer dry season (August 2005), and winter wet season (February 2006). | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | All samples were collected and analyzed using procedures comparable with the SWAMP Quality Assurance Management Plan (SWRCB 2002). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
DECISION ID |
17818 |
Region 2 |
Redwood Creek (Marin County) |
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| Pollutant: | Escherichia coli (E. coli) |
| 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 Conclusion: | This pollutant is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under section 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under this section a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.
One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. None of the samples exceed the water quality 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 section 303(d) list in the Water Quality Limited Segments category. 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 one sample exceeded the water quality objective, but this sample size is insufficient to determine with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy if standards are not met. A minimum of five samples is needed for application of table 3.2. 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 Decision Recommendation: | After review of the available data and information, Water Board staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list because it cannot be determined if applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded. |
| State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation: | |
| State Board Decision Recommendation: | After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board. |
| USEPA Action (if applicable): | |
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| LOE ID: | 28288 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Escherichia coli (E. coli) | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Water | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Water Contact Recreation | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 1 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PATHOGEN MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Samples were collected as part of SWAMP sampling in the summer of 2004 at 7-day intervals and the geometric mean of the samples calculated over a five week interval. The geometric mean was 120MPN/100ML and less than the standard 126MPN/100ML. *Note- MPN is most probable number. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | U.S. EPA water quality criteria for water contact recreation based on the frequency of use a particular area receives - 1986: the E. coli criterion is not to exceed 126 organisms/100 mL. The value is expressed as a 7-day geometric mean based on five or more samples per 30day period; designated beach (max) 235 MPN/100 mL. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria - 1986. EPA440/5-84-002 | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | Samples were taken at one monitoring location (RDW010) in Redwood Creek. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Five samples were collected on 7/20/04, 7/27/07, 8/3/04, 8/10/04 and 8/17/04. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | The QA/QC procedure was comparable with SWAMP'S Quality Assurance Management Plan of 2002. | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
DECISION ID |
17518 |
Region 2 |
Redwood Creek (Marin County) |
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| Pollutant: | pH |
| 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 Conclusion: | This pollutant is being considered for placement on the 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.
One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. None of the samples exceed the water quality 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 section 303(d) list in the Water Quality Limited Segments category. 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. None of the twelve samples exceeded the water quality objective (Basin Plan) 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 Decision Recommendation: | After review of the available data and information, Water Board staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded. |
| State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation: | |
| State Board Decision Recommendation: | After review of this Regional Board decision, SWRCB staff recommend the decision be approved by the State Board. |
| USEPA Action (if applicable): | |
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| LOE ID: | 28233 | ||||
| Pollutant: | pH | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Water | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 12 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Water quality assessment was conducted at the Redwood Creek watershed as part of SWAMP study in 2004-2005. Continuous field monitoring of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance to determine temporal variability in basic water quality at one or two locations on Redwood Creek. Continuous monitoring sondes were deployed 12 times at 4 monitoring locations during wet, spring and dry seasons. The pH ranged from 6.9 to 8.0 and varied with season. The pH did not exceed the allowable thresholds. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Data collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Years 4 and 5 Assessment | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | The pH shall not be depressed below 6.5 nor raised above 8.5. This encompasses the pH range usually found in waters within the basin. Controllable water quality factors shall not cause changes greater than 0.5 units in normal ambient pH levels. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) - San Francisco Bay Region (Region 2) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | Samples were taken from RDW040, RDW060, RDW100 & RDW120 monitoring locations. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Samples were taken from RDW040, RDW060, RDW100 & RDW120 monitoring locations during spring (May 2005), dry (August 2005), and wet (January - February 2006) seasons. Measurements were conducted at 15-minute increments for approximately 1 to 2 weeks. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | The QA/QC procedure was comparable with SWAMP'S Quality Assurance Management Plan of 2002. | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||