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

Supporting Information

Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name:	Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)
Water Body ID:	CAR5343001020150624053105
Water Body Type:	River & Stream


DECISION ID	85424	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

Pollutant:	Indicator Bacteria
Final Listing Decision:	List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision:	List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2016)
Revision Status	Original
Sources:	A Source Unknown
Expected TMDL Completion Date:	2027
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution:	Pollutant

Regional Board Conclusion:	This pollutant is being considered for placement on the CWA 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. Four lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Five of fourteen samples exceed the single sample evaluation guideline for Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Four of Eleven samples exceed the 30 day geometric mean evaluation guideline for E. coli. One of fourteen samples exceed the single sample water quality objective for fecal coliform and Four of Eleven samples exceed the 30 day geometric mean objective. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification in favor of placing this water segment-pollutant combination on the CWA section 303(d) List. 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. Five of fourteen samples exceed the single sample evaluation guideline for Escherichia coli (E. coli) This exceeds 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, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should be placed on the section 303(d) list because applicable water quality standards are exceeded and a pollutant contributes to or causes the problem.

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 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

77249

Pollutant:

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Three of 14 samples exceeded the STV evaluation guideline for E. coli.

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Waters shall not contain chemical constituents in concentrations that adversely affect beneficial uses. (Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region, Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins)

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

The statistical threshold value (STV) allowable density for E. coli in freshwater is 320 cfu/100mL. (USEPA. 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria)

Guideline Reference:

2012 USEPA Recreational Water Quality Criteria - Bacteria

Spatial Representation:

Samples were collected below Barn Meadow from a tributary stream to Niagara Creek (which is within the Long Valley/Eagle Meadow Range Allotment) at three sample locations. Due to a lack of flow, the original Barn Meadows site was used only until July 9, 2009. A new site (BM1) was selected downstream of the original site on July 9, 2009, and an additional site was added (BM2) July 16, 2009. The BM1 and BM2 samples were collected from two separate tributaries to Niagara Creek.

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

Grazing was first observed in the immediate Barn Meadow area on July 9, 2009. Cattle grazing continued in this allotment until October 15, 2009. The elevation range for these sample locations is 7,362 ft - 7,697 ft.

QAPP Information:

Samples were collected, processed, and analyzed in accordance with the methods described in ¿Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Project in the Santislaus National Forest - Quality Assurance Project Plan ¿ (Myers, 2010).

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

77264

Pollutant:

Fecal Coliform

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

One of 14 samples exceeded the single sample objective of 400/100 mL.

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

In waters designated for contact recreation (REC-1), the fecal coliform concentration based on a minimum of not less than five samples for any 30-day period shall not exceed a geometric mean of 200/100 ml, nor shall more than ten percent of the total number of samples taken during any 30-day period exceed 400/100 ml.

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

Guideline Reference:

Spatial Representation:

Samples were collected below Barn Meadow from a tributary stream to Niagara Creek (which is within the Long Valley/Eagle Meadow Range Allotment) at three sample locations. Due to lack of flow, the original Barn Meadows site was sampled only until July 9, 2009. A new site (BM1) was selected downstream of the original site on July 9, 2009, and an additional site was added (BM2) July 16, 2009. The BM1 and BM2 samples were collected from two separate tributaries to Niagara Creek.

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

77267

Pollutant:

Fecal Coliform

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Four of 11 calculated geomeans exceeded the objective for fecal coliform.

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

Guideline Reference:

Spatial Representation:

Samples were collected below Barn Meadow from a tributary stream to Niagara Creek (which is within the Long Valley/Eagle Meadow Range Allotment) at three sample locations. Due to a lack of flow, the original Barn Meadows site was sampled only until July 9, 2009. A new site (BM1) was selected downstream of the original site on July 9, 2009, and an additional site was added (BM2) July 16, 2009.

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

Grazing was first observed in the immediate Barn Meadow area on July 9, 2009. The elevation range for these sample locations is 7,362 ft - 7,697 ft.

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

96074

Pollutant:

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Five of 14 samples exceeded the SSM evaluation guideline for E. coli.

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

The single sample maxima (SSM) allowable density for E. coli in freshwater is 235 MPN/100mL.

Guideline Reference:

Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria - 1986. EPA440/5-84-002

Spatial Representation:

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

77243

Pollutant:

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Five of the 11 calculated geometric means exceeded the evaluation guideline for E. coli

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

The geometric mean of E. coli densities should not exceed 100cfu/100 ml (USEPA 2012).

Guideline Reference:

2012 USEPA Recreational Water Quality Criteria - Bacteria

Spatial Representation:

Samples were collected below Barn Meadow from a tributary stream to Niagara Creek (which is within the Long Valley/Eagle Meadow Range Allotment) at three sample locations. Due to a lack in flow, the original Barn Meadows site (BM) was sampled before July 9, 2009. A new site (BM1) was selected downstream of the original site on July 9, 2009, and an additional site was added (BM2) July 16, 2009.

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

Samples were collected after livestock arrival at both BM1 and BM2. Grazing was first observed in the immediate Barn Meadow area on July 9, 2009. Cattle grazing continued in this allotment until October 15, 2009. The elevation range for these sample locations is 7,362 ft - 7,697 ft.

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 85424, Indicator Bacteria	Region 5
Niagara Creek (Tuolumne County)

LOE ID:

96075

Pollutant:

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Water Contact Recreation

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Not Specified

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Four of the 11 calculated geometric means exceeded the evaluation guideline for E. coli

Data Reference:

Bacteria Contamination, Violations, and Field Data for Stanislaus, 2009-2010.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. 4th ed

Evaluation Guideline:

The geometric mean of E. coli densities should not exceed 126 MPN/100 ml.

Guideline Reference:

Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria - 1986. EPA440/5-84-002

Spatial Representation:

Samples were collected below Barn Meadow from a tributary stream to Niagara Creek (which is within the Long Valley/Eagle Meadow Range Allotment) at three sample locations. Due to a lack in flow, the original Barn Meadows site (BM) was sampled before July 9, 2009. A new site (BM1) was selected downstream of the original site on July 9, 2009, and an additional site was added (BM2) July 16, 2009.

Temporal Representation:

Samples were collected from June to August in 2009.

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Stanislaus National Forest by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center.