Final California 2020 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 5 - Central Valley Region

Water Body Name:	Agatha Canal (Merced County)
Water Body ID:	CAR5412000020090110150509
Water Body Type:	River & Stream


DECISION ID	125726	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

Pollutant:	Selenium
Final Listing Decision:	Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (being addressed with USEPA approved TMDL)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision:	Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (being addressed with USEPA approved TMDL)(2018)
Revision Status	Revised
Sources:	A Source Unknown
TMDL Name:	Grasslands Marshes Selenium TMDL
TMDL Project Code:	1209
Date TMDL Approved by USEPA:	05/01/2000
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution:	Pollutant

Regional Board Conclusion:	Readily available data for this water body have not been used to determine standards attainment. No decision has been made regarding beneficial use support due to a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. A decision regarding the beneficial use support of this water body will be made during a future Integrated Report cycle if it is determined that this water body is classified as a Water of the United States under the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. Original listing information: The April 19, 2010 State Water Board staff report for the 2010 Integrated Report found that an incorrect water quality objective was mistakenly used to evaluate the water quality data for selenium and make a Do Not List decision. State Water Board staff re-evaluated the available data and the line of evidence and recommendation has been revised. Based on the result of data re-evaluation, State Water Board staff recommend to List Agatha Canal for selenium. Based on comments received on the April 19, 2010 State Water Board staff report for the 2010 Integrated Report, State Water Board staff recommended to move this this water body from the 303(d) list Category 5 to the "Being Addressed Category" for selenium because this listing is covered under the Selenium TMDL for Grasslands Marshes. On August 4, 2010 the State Water Board approved the staff listing recommendation to place this water body on the 303(d) list (being addressed by a USEPA approved TMDL) for selenium.

Regional Board Decision Recommendation:	After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the listing status for this water body-pollutant combination should not change this cycle because of a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:	Original listing information: The April 19, 2010 State Water Board staff report for the 2010 Integrated Report found that an incorrect water quality objective was mistakenly used to evaluate the water quality data for selenium and make a Do Not List decision. State Water Board staff re-evaluated the available data and the line of evidence and recommendation has been revised. Based on the result of data re-evaluation, State Water Board staff recommend to List Agatha Canal for selenium. Based on comments received on the April 19, 2010 State Water Board staff report for the 2010 Integrated Report, State Water Board staff recommended to move this this water body from the 303(d) list Category 5 to the "Being Addressed Category" for selenium because this listing is covered under the Selenium TMDL for Grasslands Marshes. On August 4, 2010 the State Water Board approved the staff listing recommendation to place this water body on the 303(d) list (being addressed by a USEPA approved TMDL) for selenium.

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 125726, Selenium	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

20954

Pollutant:

Selenium

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

Total

Beneficial Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Aquatic Life Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Number of Samples:

131

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Nineteen of the 131 monthly means exceeded the evaluation objective for Selenium. There were 10 out of 526 exceedances of the instantaneous maximum.

Data Reference:

San Joaquin River SWAMP Monitoring Data - Grassland Bypass

SWAMP Data:

SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Selenium levels for Salt Slough and constructed and re-constructed water supply channels in the Grassland watershed should not exceed 2 ug/L (monthly mean) or 20 ug/L (instantaneous Maximum).

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 at Agatha Canal @ Mallard Road.

Temporal Representation:

The samples were collected from October 27, 1995 to October 25, 2007.

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

Monitoring was conducted in accordance with the State Water Resources Control Board's Quality Assurance Program Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 125726, Selenium	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

59623

Pollutant:

Selenium

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

Total

Beneficial Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Aquatic Life Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

1 of 24 monthly mean sample results exceed the criterion for Selenium.

Data Reference:

RWB5S Grasslands Bypass FY0708 FY0809

SWAMP Data:

SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Selenium levels for Salt Slough and constructed and re-constructed water supply channels in the Grassland watershed should not exceed 2 ug/L (monthly mean) or 20 ug/L (instantaneous Maximum).

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

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Code of Federal Regulations 40 part 131.38 Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California. 7/1/2011 Edition

Evaluation Guideline:

Guideline Reference:

Spatial Representation:

Data for this line of evidence for Agatha Canal (Merced County) was collected at one monitoring site [ Agatha Canal @ Mallard Road - 541MER506]

Temporal Representation:

Data was collected over the time period 7/3/2007-6/30/2009.

Environmental Conditions:

Staff is not aware of any special conditions that might affect interpretation of the data.

QAPP Information:

The SWAMP QAPP (2008) was followed.

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program Quality Assurance Program Plan

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 125726, Selenium	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

215567

Pollutant:

Selenium

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

Total

Beneficial Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Number of Samples:

159

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Water Board staff assessed Grasslands Bypass Project data for Agatha Canal (Merced County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 0 of 159 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for Selenium.

Data Reference:

Field, Habitat, Toxicity, Water data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

The selenium criterion continuous concentration (expressed as a 4-day average) to protect aquatic life in freshwater is 5 ug/L (California Toxics Rule, 2000).

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Standards 2000. Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California: Rules and regulations. Federal Register Vol. 65, No. 97. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Protection Agency

Evaluation Guideline:

Guideline Reference:

Spatial Representation:

The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (541MER506)

Temporal Representation:

The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-09-07 and 2013-09-23

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 2006. Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grasslands Bypass Project., U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 2015. Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grassland Bypass Project.

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grasslands Bypass Project

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grassland Bypass Project


DECISION ID	125725	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

Pollutant:	Boron
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:	Readily available data for this water body have not been used to determine standards attainment. No decision has been made regarding beneficial use support due to a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. A decision regarding the beneficial use support of this water body will be made during a future Integrated Report cycle if it is determined that this water body is classified as a Water of the United States under the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

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 because of a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:

State Board Decision Recommendation:

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 125725, Boron	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

215566

Pollutant:

Boron

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

Total

Beneficial Use:

Agricultural Supply

Number of Samples:

141

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Water Board staff assessed Grasslands Bypass Project data for Agatha Canal (Merced County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 23 of 141 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for Boron.

Data Reference:

Field, Habitat, Toxicity, Water data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

Waters shall not contain chemical constituents in concentrations that adversely affect beneficial uses.

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins; Fifth Edition. Revised May 2018 (with approved amendments)

Evaluation Guideline:

Water Quality for Agriculture, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1985, contains criteria protective of various agricultural uses of water, including irrigation of various types of crops and stock watering. At or below the limits presented in the Water Quality Goals tables, agricultural uses of water should not be limited. These criteria were used to translate narrative water quality objectives for chemical constituents that prohibit chemicals in concentrations that would impair agricultural uses of water. The criteria for boron is 700 ug/L (0.7 mg/L).

Guideline Reference:

Water Quality for Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 29, Rev 1, Rome (1985)

Spatial Representation:

The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (541MER506)

Temporal Representation:

The samples were collected between the dates of 2010-09-13 and 2013-09-23

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grasslands Bypass Project

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grassland Bypass Project


DECISION ID	131256	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

Pollutant:	Specific Conductivity
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:	Readily available data for this water body have not been used to determine standards attainment. No decision has been made regarding beneficial use support due to a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. A decision regarding the beneficial use support of this water body will be made during a future Integrated Report cycle if it is determined that this water body is classified as a Water of the United States under the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

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 because of a lack of clarity in the status of this water body under the Clean Water Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

State Board Review of Regional Board Conclusion and Recommendation:

State Board Decision Recommendation:

Line of Evidence (LOE) for Decision ID 131256, Specific Conductivity	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

231333

Pollutant:

Specific Conductivity

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

Total

Beneficial Use:

Municipal & Domestic Supply

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Water Board staff assessed Grasslands Bypass Project data for Agatha Canal (Merced County) to determine beneficial use support and results are as follows: 15 of 91 samples exceeded the water quality threshold for SpecificConductivity.

Data Reference:

Field, Habitat, Toxicity, Water data for the 2020/2022 integrated report in Region 5.

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

The California Secondary MCL that is incorporated by reference in the Water Quality Control Plan, Central Valley Region Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin for specific conductance is 900 uS/cm.

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Evaluation Guideline:

Guideline Reference:

Spatial Representation:

The samples were collected at 1 monitoring site (541MER506)

Temporal Representation:

The samples were collected between the dates of 2011-07-11 and 2013-06-24

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grasslands Bypass Project

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Compliance Monitoring Program for the Operation of the Grassland Bypass Project


DECISION ID	75686	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

Pollutant:	pH
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:	2021
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution:	Pollutant

Regional 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: One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Seven of 28 samples exceed the water quality objective for pH. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification in favor of continuing to place 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. Seven of 28 samples exceed the pH objective found in the Basin Plan and 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:	This is a decision previously approved by the State Water Resources Control Board and the USEPA. No new data were assessed by the Regional Board for the current cycle. The decision has not changed.

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 75686, pH	Region 5
Agatha Canal (Merced County)

LOE ID:

20963

Pollutant:

LOE Subgroup:

Pollutant-Water

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Aquatic Life Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL MONITORING

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

7 of the 28 samples collected by the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program exceeded the evaluation objective for pH.

Data Reference:

San Joaquin River SWAMP Monitoring Data - Grassland Bypass

SWAMP Data:

SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

pH levels should not be lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.5 (Basin Plan Objective)

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 at Agatha Canal @ Mallard Road.

Temporal Representation:

The samples were collected from Oct 27 1995 to Feb 18 1997

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

Monitoring was conducted in accordance with the State Water Resources Control Board's Quality Assurance Program Plan for the State of California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.

QAPP Information Reference(s):