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

Supporting Information

Regional Board 1 - North Coast Region

Water Body Name: Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Water Body ID: CAL1059102020020130221305
Water Body Type: Lake & Reservoir
 
DECISION ID
104405
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
Pollutant: Mercury
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 3.5 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.5 a single line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status. One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess mercury concentrations in fish fillets.

Zero of one samples exceed the objective for the WILD beneficial use.

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 mercury objective for COMM and this sample size is insufficient to determine the applicable beneficial use support rating. A minimum of 3 composite fish tissue samples per beneficial use assessed or one exceeding composite tissue sample aggregated from eight or more individual fish are needed to determine the final use support rating.
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, 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.
 
State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:
 
State Board Decision Recommendation:
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 104405, Mercury
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
LOE ID: 133188
 
Pollutant: Mercury
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Tissue
Matrix: Tissue
Fraction: Fish fillet
 
Beneficial Use: Wildlife Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 1
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Water Board staff assessed SWAMP Wildlife Contamination in Lakes and Resrv data for Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge to determine beneficial use support and the results are as follows: 0 of the 1 samples exceeded the water quality standard for Mercury. All fish collected between February and July of the same calendar year with a reported length of 50-150 mm were averaged into a single sample, independent or species of trophic level, for comparison with the objective. This LOE consists of a total of 18 fish, which were aggregated into 1 annual averages, consisting of 2 fish species (8 composite(s) of Tui Chub each composed of 1 fish per composite, 10 composite(s) of Blue Chub each composed of 1 fish per composite).
Data Reference: Water Quality Assessment Data for the 2018 solicitation cycle submitted through CEDEN for SWAMP Wildlife Contamination in Lakes and Resrv .
 
SWAMP Data: SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that are toxic to, or that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. (Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region)
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the North Coast Region
 
Evaluation Guideline: The Statewide Prey Fish Water Quality Objective for the protection of Wildlife Habitat comes from the Statewide Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California, and is 0.05 mg/Kg wet weight whole fish samples of any fish species between 50 to 150 mm in total length collected between February 1 and July 31. (SWRCB Resolution No. 2017-0027)
Guideline 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
 
Spatial Representation: Data was collected from 1 station(s) with the station code(s): 105TT0361.
Temporal Representation: Data for this line of evidence were collected between 2013-07-31 and 2013-07-31. When composited fish were collected over multiple days, the first day of fish collection was used as the sample date in the LOE, both for LOE writing, and for averaging period purposes.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Quality Assurance Program Plan and Standard Operating Procedures for SWAMP program
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Program Plans, Quality Assurance Project Plans, and Standard Operating Procedures for the SWAMP program
 
 
DECISION ID
78930
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: Do Not List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2016)
Revision Status Original
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.

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 78 samples from Tule Lake exceeded the evaluation guideline used to interpret the narrative temperature 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 Decision Recommendation: This region was not assessed this cycle. All decisions have been carried over from the previous cycle and remain the same.
 
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.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 78930, Temperature, water
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
LOE ID: 46830
 
Pollutant: Temperature, water
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 78
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Zero of seventy-eight (78) samples from Tule Lake exceeded the evaluation guideline. The sample values ranged from 6.4 degrees C to 26.9 degrees C.
Data Reference: Data for pesticides collected by the Tule Lake Pesticide program, Apr. 2007-Oct. 2007 and data for metals and nutrients by the Klamath Water Quality program, Mar. 2006-Dec. 2009
 
SWAMP Data: Non-SWAMP
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Water Quality Control Plan, North Coast Region (NCRWQCB 2011): 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. At no time or place shall the temperature of any COLD water be increased more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit (F) above natural receiving water temperature. Additionally, the "Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California" (Thermal Plan) objective for COLD applies as follows: elevated temperature waste discharges into cold interstate waters are prohibited.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the North Coast Region
 
Evaluation Guideline: The LC50 temperature threshold for suckers is 30.3 degrees C (NCRWBCB 2004).
Guideline Reference: Total daily maximum load analysis-water temperature and nutrients. Upper Lost River and Clear Lake Reservoir Watershed. Santa Rosa, CA: North Coast RWQCB
 
Spatial Representation: Grab samples were collected at varying depths (2-3 depths per date/location) in Tule Lake at three locations: Tule Lake @ Donuthole (TLDH), Tule Lake @ English Channel (TLEC), and Tule Lake @ North West Corner (TLNW).
Temporal Representation: Grab samples were collected between 4/30/2007 and 10/22/2007.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data included a Quality Assurance Project Plan titled 'Tule Lake Pesticide Monitoring 2007 Quality Assurance Project Plan'.
QAPP Information Reference(s): Quality Assurance Project Plan for Tule Lake Pesticide Monitoring 2007.
 
 
DECISION ID
70028
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
Pollutant: pH (high)
Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (being addressed by USEPA approved TMDL)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (being addressed by USEPA approved TMDL)(2016)
Revision Status Original
Sources: Internal Nutrient Cycling (primarily lakes) | Nonpoint Source
TMDL Name: Lower Lost River
TMDL Project Code: 99
Date TMDL Approved by USEPA: 12/30/2013
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Regional Board Conclusion: Regional Water Board conclusion: This pollutant was considered for placement on the section 303(d) List in a previous Integrated Report cycle. No new information was reviewed for this current Integrated Report cycle. Therefore, the previous conclusion remains unchanged, and is as follows:

303(d) listing decisions made prior to 2006 were not held in an assessment database. The Regional Boards will update this decision when new data and information become available and are assessed.

The "Lost River, California Total Maximum Daily Loads Nitrogen and Biochemical Oxygen Demand to Address Dissolved Oxygen and pH Impairments" was established by the USEPA on December 30, 2008.

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: This region was not assessed this cycle. All decisions have been carried over from the previous cycle and remain the same.
 
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.
 
 
Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 70028, pH (high)
Region 1     
Klamath River HU, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge
 
LOE ID: 3686
 
Pollutant: pH (high)
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Not Specified
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Preservation of Areas of Special Biological Significance
 
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: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: Unknown
Temporal Representation: Unknown
Environmental Conditions: Unknown
QAPP Information: Unknown
QAPP Information Reference(s):