Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogens
A public workshop on the Russian River Pathogen TMDL staff report and draft TMDL Action Plan will be held before the Regional Water Board at its regularly scheduled meeting
Total Maximum Daily Load is the level of pathogens in the river on any given day. Limits are set by the state and county in order to ensure the health and vitality of the Russian River for both humans and wildlife. Pathogens are bacteria, germs, chemicals, you name it…anything that does not belong in a healthy river. Malfunctioning septic systems along the river bank have been an issue for decades. Whenever the state says people have to fix their wastewater systems, people complain that they can't afford to fix them. There comes a time whn the health of the river is more important than whether someone has the money to fix their system. That goes for any substance that leaks or leaches into the river. It must be stopped or the river suffers. If the river suffers, both people and economy along the river suffer, and all wildlife both in the water, and who use the water, suffer.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WORKSHOP, AND PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT TMDL ACTION PLAN FOR THE RUSSIAN RIVER WATERSHED PATHOGEN TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD AND PROHIBITION OF THE DISCHARGE OF FECAL WASTE MATERIALS AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLAN FOR THE NORTH COAST REGION AND NOTICE OF FILING UNDER CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 23, § 3779 FOR DRAFT SUBSTITUTE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT (SED)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region (Regional Water Board) is proposing to amend the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan) to establish a Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load and Program of Implementation for the Russian River Watershed (TMDL Action Plan).
I. Pathogen TMDL Staff Report
Staff have drafted the Staff Report for the Action Plan for the Russian River Watershed Pathogen TMDL, which describes the watershed setting, the applicable regulatory framework, and desired watershed conditions. It further documents pathogen pollution and impairments in the Russian River and its tributaries, identifies potential sources of pathogens, and estimates the pathogen loading capacity of the system based on the draft statewide bacteria objectives forE. colinow out for public review. The draft Staff Report provides the scientific basis and technical conclusions of the Pathogen TMDL and includes a concentration-based TMDL for the fecal indicator bacteriaE. coli. The draft Staff Report also describes a Program of Implementation and a monitoring, and adaptive management framework to attain bacterial water quality standards in the Russian River Watershed.
II. Program of Implementation
The Program of Implementation is a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory implementation actions that will achieve the TMDL and meet the bacterial water quality standards in the Russian River Watershed. In the Program of Implementation, the implementing parties are assigned specific implementation actions and time schedules in which to complete the actions. The implementation components include:
Compliance with Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) or waiver of WDRs: Ensure compliance with applicable point source regulatory programs to reduce bacteria loads from existing and new sources through effective oversight and enforcement;
Compliance with New Implementation Actions: Develop and implement new or enhanced best management practices for nonpoint sources, such as onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) and manure from non-dairy livestock, to reduce bacteria loads from existing and new sources; and
Public Outreach: Coordinate with local agencies to implement a Joint Protocol to address water quality impacts from nonpoint sources of pathogens that pose unique challenges to regulatory control, such as homeless and farmworker encampments and recreational water users. The Joint Protocol will serve as an umbrella in support of beneficial use enhancement, prevention of nuisance, and a trajectory of watershed recovery.
III. TMDL Action Plan
The draft TMDL Action Plan, once finalized and adopted, will be incorporated into the Basin Plan as an amendment. The draft TMDL Action Plan contains the technical components of the Pathogen TMDL and the draft Program of Implementation. The Program of Implementation includes a proposed Advanced Protection Management Program (APMP) boundary, within whichOnsite Waste Treatment System (OWTS) owners will have certain responsibilities to confirm the proper functioning of OWTS. The draft Action Plan also includes a prohibition of the discharge of fecal waste materials that cause or contribute to an exceedance of bacteria water quality objectives except as authorized by waste discharge requirements or action of the Regional Water Board or State Water Board.