Draft California 2026 Integrated Report (303(d) List/305(b) Report)

Supporting Information

Regional Board 9 - San Diego Region

Water Body Name:	Cold Stream (San Diego County)
Water Body ID:	CAR9093500020090204020154
Water Body Type:	River & Stream


DECISION ID	75282	Region 9
Cold Stream (San Diego County)

Pollutant:	Benthic Community Effects
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:	Pollution

Regional Board Conclusion:	Benthic Community Effects is being considered for placement on the section 303(d) list under sections 3.9 and 3.2 of the Listing Policy. Under section 3.9, an additional line of evidence associating the Benthic Community Effects with a water or sediment concentration of pollutants is necessary to assess listing status. One line of evidence is available in the administrative record to assess this indicator. 3 of 6 samples exceeded the water quality objective. Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against placing Benthic Community Effects in this water segment 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. 3 of 6 samples exceeded the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) value of "poor" water quality for this area 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 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 75282, Benthic Community Effects	Region 9
Cold Stream (San Diego County)

LOE ID:

26851

Pollutant:

Benthic Community Effects

LOE Subgroup:

Adverse Biological Responses

Matrix:

Water

Fraction:

None

Beneficial Use:

Warm Freshwater Habitat

Number of Samples:

Number of Exceedances:

Data and Information Type:

Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys

Data Used to Assess Water Quality:

Six samples of IBI data were taken on May 2001 to 2007 at one sampling site. Out of the total number of samples, three samples exceeded the IBI impairment threshold.

Data Reference:

Fish and Game IBI Data

Southern California Postfire Study. Index of Biotic Integrity. 2007

SWAMP Data:

Non-SWAMP

Water Quality Objective/Criterion:

From the San Diego Basin Plan the objective is: 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. Compliance with this objective will be determined by use of indicator organisms, analyses of species diversity, population density, growth anomalies, bioassays of appropriate duration, or other appropriate methods as specified by the Regional Board.

Objective/Criterion Reference:

Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin

Evaluation Guideline:

The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) is an analytical tool that can be used to assess the biological and physical condition of streams and rivers within a zero to one hundred scoring range: Very Poor 0-19, Poor 20-39, Fair 40-59, Good 60- 79, Very Good 80-100. The IBI score of 39 was set as an impairment threshold because it is a statistical criterion of two standard deviations below the mean reference site score which defines the boundary between 'fair' and 'poor' IBI creek conditions. (Ode, p. 9)

Guideline Reference:

A Quantitative Tool for Assessing the Integrity of Southern Coastal California Streams. Environmental Management. Volume 35, number 1 (2005): pp. 1-13

Spatial Representation:

The sample was collected at one site: 909CCCSPx on Cold Stream.

Temporal Representation:

Sampling occurred during six events from May 2001 to 2007.

Environmental Conditions:

QAPP Information:

Quality Control for collection and identification was conducted in accordance with the Quality Assurance Project Plan for the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure and the State of California, California Monitoring an Assessment Program: "CMAP", Quality Assurance Project Plan.

QAPP Information Reference(s):

State of California, California Monitoring and Assessment Program: "CMAP".

QAPP Information Reference(s):

Quality Assurance Project Plan for the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure

QAPP Information Reference(s):

The San Diego Stream Team Quality Assurance Project Plan