| Water Body Name: | Eel River HU, North Fork HA, Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed |
| Water Body ID: | CAR1115003020090129010733 |
| Water Body Type: | River & Stream |
DECISION ID |
16173 |
Region 1 |
Eel River HU, North Fork HA, Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed |
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| Pollutant: | Sediment |
| Final Listing Decision: | Delist from 303(d) list (being addressed by USEPA approved TMDL) |
| Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: | New Decision |
| Revision Status | Revised |
| Reason for Delisting: | Applicable WQS attained; reason for recovery unspecified |
| TMDL Name: | Eel River, North Fork Sediment and Temperature TMDLs |
| TMDL Project Code: | 662 |
| Date TMDL Approved by USEPA: | 12/30/2002 |
| Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant |
| Regional Board Conclusion: | The entire North Fork Eel River Watershed was listed as sediment-impaired in 1994. The USEPA approved the "North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature" on December 30, 2002. For the 2008 303(d) List, the watershed was divided into Upper and Lower sections. The Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed is the area of the North Fork Eel River Watershed that drains to the North Fork Eel River north of the Six Rivers National Forest boundary with the River. The Lower Watershed is the area that drains into the North Fork Eel River south of the Six Rivers National Forest boundary with the River. The division was made in order to consider sediment data specific to individual areas of the watershed.
Sediment in the Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed is being considered for removal from the Section 303(d) List under Section 4.11 of the Listing Policy. Two lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification for removing this water segment-pollutant combination from the Section 303(d) List (i.e., sufficient justification to delist). This conclusion is based on the staff findings that: (1) The North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature found that sediment load allocations are being achieved on USFS land. Total sediment loads are less than 125% of the natural sediment delivery (the total maximum daily load), which is the estimate of the total amount of sediment that can be delivered to streams in the North Fork Eel River Watershed without exceeding applicable water quality standards. Therefore, the weight of evidence demonstrates that sediment-related water quality objectives are attained. (2) The data used satisfies the data quality requirements of Section 6.1.4 of the Policy. (3) The data used satisfies the data quantity requirements of Section 6.1.5 of the Policy. (4) Pursuant to Section 4.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are not attained. |
| Regional Board Decision Recommendation: | After review of the available data and information, North Coast RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be removed from the Section 303(d) List because applicable water quality standards for the pollutant are being attained. |
| 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: | 26727 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Sedimentation/Siltation | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Water | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 0 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | Not Specified | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | Unspecified—This LOE is a placeholder to support a 303(d) listing decision made prior to 2006. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Placeholder reference 2006 303(d) | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | |||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | |||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | |||||
| Temporal Representation: | |||||
| Environmental Conditions: | |||||
| QAPP Information: | QA Info Missing | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||
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| LOE ID: | 26734 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Sediment | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Adverse Biological Responses | ||||
| Matrix: | Sediment | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Aquatic Life Use: | Fish Migration | Fish Spawning | Preservation of Rare & Endangered Species | Warm Freshwater Habitat | Wildlife Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 1 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | Sediment analysis | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | For land managed by the U.S. Forest Service in the North Fork Eel River Watershed, the TMDL found that less than 125% of the natural sediment delivery is related to human activities, and load allocations are being achieved on USFS land. Specifically, the TMDL allows 20% of the total sediment delivery to be related to human activity, and only 10% of the sediment from landslides on USFS land is related to human activities and only 13% of sediment delivered to streams from USFS lands is related to human activities. These estimates are based on the TMDL's sediment source analysis which combined information from (1) the Northern Basin landslide analysis by Six Rivers National Forest (photo-based), (2) the Southern Basin landslide analysis by Pacific Watershed Associates (photo-based), and (3) the entire basin analysis of smaller sediment sources by Pacific Watershed Associates (field work-based). | ||||
| Data Reference: | North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | Per the Basin Plan (North Coast RWQCB 2007): 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 beneficial uses. | ||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) - North Coast Region (Region 1) | ||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | Per the North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature (USEPA 2002): The TMDL is set equal to the loading capacity of the North Fork Eel River. It is the estimate of the total amount of sediment, from both natural and human-caused sources, that can be delivered to streams in the North Fork Eel River watershed without exceeding applicable water quality standards. The TMDL is set equal to 125% of natural sediment delivery. TMDL = Loading Capacity = 125% x 830 tons/sq. mi/yr = 1,038 tons/sq. mi/yr. | ||||
| Guideline Reference: | North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX | ||||
| Spatial Representation: | The landslide analysis by Six Rivers National Forest studied the area north of the Six Rivers National Forest boundary (at Wilburn Ranch). This includes USFS lands and nearby private lands. The landslide analysis by Pacific Watershed Associates studied the area south of the USFS boundary. This includes mainly private lands with some lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The small sediment source analysis by Pacific Watershed Associates studied the entire North Fork Eel River Watershed by measuring features on 43 randomly chosen locations and then extrapolating to the entire watershed. | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | The landslide analysis by Six Rivers National Forest mapped and quantified visible features from photos taken in 1944, 1960, 1975, 1990, and 1998. The small sources analysis by Pacific Watershed Associates estimated sediment yield for the period of 1960 to 2000. | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | There are no known environmental conditions (e.g., seasonality, land use practices, fire events, storms, etc.) that are related to these data. | ||||
| QAPP Information: | The sediment source analysis used to estimate sediment delivery in the North Fork Eel River Watershed is found in the TMDL (USEPA 2002). | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX | ||||
DECISION ID |
16177 |
Region 1 |
Eel River HU, North Fork HA, Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed |
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| Pollutant: | Temperature, water |
| Final Listing Decision: | Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (being addressed with USEPA approved TMDL) |
| Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: | New Decision |
| Revision Status | Revised |
| Sources: | Habitat Modification | Nonpoint Source | Removal of Riparian Vegetation | Streambank Modification/Destabilization |
| TMDL Name: | Eel River, North Fork Sediment and Temperature TMDLs |
| TMDL Project Code: | 662 |
| Date TMDL Approved by USEPA: | 12/30/2002 |
| Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: | Pollutant |
| Regional Board Conclusion: | The entire North Fork Eel River Watershed was listed as temperature-impaired in 1994. The USEPA approved the "North Fork Eel River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature" on December 30, 2002. For the 2008 303(d) List, the watershed was divided into Upper and Lower sections. The Upper North Fork Eel River Watershed is the area of the North Fork Eel River Watershed that drains to the North Fork Eel River north of the Six Rivers National Forest boundary with the River. The Lower Watershed is the area that drains into the North Fork Eel River south of the Six Rivers National Forest boundary with the River. The division was made in order to consider sediment data specific to individual areas of the watershed. The temperature data described in LOE 26728 (which is a copy of LOE 3664 that was developed in 2006) was applied to the entire North Fork Eel River Watershed in 2006 and remains applicable to both sections of the watershed for the 2008 303(d) List.
This pollutant is being considered for listing under Section 2.2 of the Listing Policy. Under this section of the Policy, a minimum of one line of evidence is needed to assess listing status. The North Fork River Total Maximum Daily Loads for Sediment and Temperature were established by US EPA on December 30, 2002. Based on the readily available information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification in favor of placing this water segment-pollutant combination in the Water Quality Limited Segments Being Addressed portion of the Section 303(d) List. |
| Regional Board Decision Recommendation: | No new data were assessed for 2008. The decision has not changed except to explain the division of the North Fork Eel River Watershed into two waterbodies. |
| 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: | 26728 | ||||
| Pollutant: | Temperature, water | ||||
| LOE Subgroup: | Pollutant-Water | ||||
| Matrix: | Not Specified | ||||
| Fraction: | None | ||||
| Beneficial Use: | Cold Freshwater Habitat | ||||
| Number of Samples: | 0 | ||||
| Number of Exceedances: | 0 | ||||
| Data and Information Type: | Not Specified | ||||
| Data Used to Assess Water Quality: | This LOE is a placeholder to support a 303(d) listing decision made prior to 2006. | ||||
| Data Reference: | Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d) | ||||
| SWAMP Data: | Non-SWAMP | ||||
| Water Quality Objective/Criterion: | |||||
| Objective/Criterion Reference: | |||||
| Evaluation Guideline: | |||||
| Guideline Reference: | |||||
| Spatial Representation: | Unknown | ||||
| Temporal Representation: | Unknown | ||||
| Environmental Conditions: | Unknown | ||||
| QAPP Information: | Unknown | ||||
| QAPP Information Reference(s): | |||||