*Water Quality Working Group*

**[Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP)]{.underline}**

# Subcommittee

# 

# Special Stormwater Runoff Monitoring Meeting Summary

## Monday June 26, 2000 

[In Attendance (21 -- 13 affiliations):]{.underline}

Sonya Aguilera, UNR/NDOT Intern Troy Alexander, EDOT Kim Carr, CTC
Clayton Chappell, EDOT Keith Dennett, UNR/Civil Eng Dick Dier, CALTRANS
Robert Erlich, Lahontan RWQCB Alan Heyvaert, UCD-TRG Michael Hogan,
IERS/UCD Nora Hogan, CALTRANS Teresa Jones, NDOT Steve Kooyman, City SLT
Sean Penders, CALTRANS Lou Regenmorter, CMD (CALTRANS HQ)

John Reuter, UCD-TRG Tim Rowe, USGS

Armand Ruby, Larry Walker Assoc./CALTRANS Jenny Scanland, NDSL-NTRT Lars
Spurkland, UNR/NDOT Intern Rita Whitney, TRPA Brian Wilkinson, CTC

1**[) Introduction]{.underline} -- Rita Whitney** -

This special LTIMP stormwater runoff monitoring meeting was called to
order and introductions were made. The sign up sheet was sent around
with instructions for those not on the LTIMP mailing list to include
email addresses if they wish to be added.

The purpose of this special meeting was to gather those individuals and
agencies that either have current or proposed stormwater runoff
monitoring in the basin, in particular for water quality. A round robin
of current activities was solicited and is bulleted below.

**2) [TRPA Grant Proposals]{.underline} -- Rita Whitney, TRPA**

TRPA has two grants funded to investigate the effectiveness of natural
and constructed wetlands to treat urban runoff. One grant is from US
EPA, for \$250,000 on the CA-side - "**Evaluation of wetland Removal
Efficiency in Treating Urban Storm-water**" on Trout/Angora Creeks. The
second from Nevada State Lands License Plate funds, for \$100,000 on the
NV-side -- "**Maximizing Wetland Restoration Project Benefits**" on
Third/Rosewood Creeks in Incline Village. They want to tie in monitoring
sites with other projects in the areas and this is open for discussion,
as nothing is solidly set as of now. Site selection for these grants
will occur starting in September. Provide any comments on these two
grants directly to Rita.

**[3) Evaluation of highway storm-water runoff project - Sampling
Constituents and Protocols -]{.underline}** There was discussion of the
list of sampling constituents put together in a proposal by UCD-TRG, DRI
and USGS. This was attempt to standardized basin wide stormwater runoff
monitoring and was provided to Amir Soltani at NDOT at the LTIMP meeting
last month. The three groups were still waiting for a reply/feedback
from NDOT.

Additional standardization for monitoring/sampling protocols and
procedures is also needed. It was suggested there be a general basic
monitoring protocol and then do special additions for each specific
project. Would need funding to put this general protocol together.

There was particular concern for general guidelines for those
installing/using automatic samplers. Samplers need proper set up,
support and follow up or you will get poor data. Concern with many auto
samplers currently being purchased is that not enough money is being
budgeted for the needed level of support. Samplers need to be calibrated
-- to make sure sample taken represents the entire stream. USGS requires
QA stream cross-section composite samples to correlate to the samples
from the samplers through various flow regimes. This will verify if
samplers are collecting representative samples. Samplers need to be
managed/maintained and make sure everyone is on the same page with
sample collection, handling, and analysis. Troy noted that stage was not
always the best trigger for auto-sampling, because of spring runoff
diurnal peaking or when the flow is in a general declining curve.
Turbidity is probably a better trigger. He also noted that lots of field
observations are needed to back up the sampler and to make sense of what
might have happened.

Guideline and Protocols was suggested as the LTIMP subcommittee meeting
agenda for the August 2, 2000 meeting. Caltrans has a sampling manual,
"Guidance Manual: Stormwater Monitoring Protocols (revised)" --
CTSW-RT-00-005. This was prepared by Larry Walker Associates and is
dated May 2000. This could be adapted to the Lake Tahoe Basin. Those who
requested copies will receive them by mail from Caltrans. Armand Ruby,
Larry Walker Associates, also will provide copies of a BMP performance
report "Final Report -- Investigation of structural control measures for
new development" prepared for Sacramento Stormwater Management Program,
dated November 1999. UCD also has a 7 page monitoring guideline.

**4) [Monitoring Data Base Map/GIS Layer]{.underline} -- Rita Whitney
-** Information is also being requested by the monitoring database
subgroup to update the TRPA GIS layers. This data layer was produced by
the USGS in conjunction with the creation of the Tahoe Environmental
Geographic Information System (TEGIS) for TRPA and included sites up to
1990. The original monitoring layer will be retained as a historical
reference, with an updated layer populated with information on current
monitoring. The actual data will be referenced to the agency contact
where the data can be obtained. It was the intent of the database
subcommittee to begin the update with the Upper Truckee River watershed,
although any information collected will be input eventually.

Note the specific data fields listed below. Questions or comments on
these should be directed to Rita Whitney at TRPA or Mary Small at CTC.

+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > DATABASE FIELDS  | > FIELDS DEFINITION    | > EXAMPLES             |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > LTIMP \#         | > Unique assigned by?  | > WQ075001             |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > SOURCE OR        | > Unique site id given | > USGS site is stream  |
| > REFERENCE \#     | > by the collection    | > order #, USFS        |
|                    | > agency               | > station #, project   |
|                    |                        | > id, etc.             |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > PROJECT NAME     | > If associated w/     | > Angora               |
|                    | > project              |                        |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > SPONSOR          | > Responsible for      | > El Dorado County     |
|                    | > installation         |                        |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > CONTACT NAME     | > Persons for data     | > Troy Alexander       |
|                    | > distribution         |                        |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > CATEGORY         | > Type of monitoring   | > Physical (Q, DO,     |
|                    |                        | > stream x-sections,   |
|                    |                        | > etc.)                |
|                    |                        | >                      |
|                    |                        | > Chemical (nutrients, |
|                    |                        | > organics, etc.)      |
|                    |                        | >                      |
|                    |                        | > Biological           |
|                    |                        | > (bacteria, macro.    |
|                    |                        | > reveg.)              |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > PARAMETERS       | > Data collected       | > Turbidity, suspended |
|                    |                        | > sediment             |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > LOCATION         | > Location of site, in | > Whatever you have    |
|                    | > lat/long (decimal    |                        |
|                    | > degrees); UTM 11;    |                        |
|                    | > GPS in meters;       |                        |
|                    | > street map?          |                        |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| START DATE         |                        | > July 1998            |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > END DATE         |                        | > October 2000         |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
| > WATERSHED        | > Name, not \#         | > Upper Truckee        |
+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+

**5) [Lake Tahoe Weather data report]{.underline} -- John Reuter,
UCD-TRG -** TRG is involved with the collection of a Basin weather data
information, putting in a database and publishing a report soon. This
was complied from a variety of sources as part of the research connected
to the clarity model. Several other projects have also recently
installed weather stations, namely at Sierra House School for Trout
Creek, Al Tahoe, and Lake Valley Fire Dept. and soon to be installed at
the Whittell Estate by UNR. There is also the extensive network
installed by NDOT. USGS also has a network of plastic rain gages at just
about all of their 32 tributary monitoring sites. These gages are read
every visit and noted on field inspection sheets and entered in the USGS
ADAPS database. When this report is published, LTIMP members will be
mailed copies.

6**)** **[Watershed Scale Erosion Control Planning]{.underline} - John
Reuter**, **UCD-TRG** John handed out and explained his 205j Grant on
Watershed Scale Erosion Control Planning proposal. This will be going
back to look over what was done on projects. He asked for LTIMP
subcommittee review and comments of the tasks. The public participation
task requires formation of a TAC and John would like members of LTIMP
join this TAC. Please let John know if you are interested in this.

**[7) Stormwater Monitoring Projects - Round Robin
Discussion:]{.underline}**

**a) [TRPA]{.underline}:** Currently, TRPA is collecting turbidity
measurements off shore in Lake Tahoe and have been since 1991. TRPA is
also cooperator of the Lake Tahoe Monitoring project with USGS, which is
explained under USGS. TRPA has two grant proposals in the works, as
mentioned above.

**b) [UCD-TRG]{.underline}:** UCD-TRG currently has artificial
wetlands-stormwater runoff sampling proposals in with the CTC and Placer
County for various projects around the basin. This includes Tahoe City
and Ski Run in South Lake Tahoe. This extensive monitoring/sampling will
focus on 5-6 runoff treatment facilities (sand traps, DI's etc.) and how
effective these structures are in terms of particle size, loading etc.
Equipment will be installed soon.

**c)** **[CALTRANS]{.underline}:** Caltrans is starting an extensive
stormwater runoff monitoring effort statewide, with most of the effort
in the LA basin. In the Lake Tahoe Basin they will install automatic
samplers at three sites for highway runoff. There will be 1) a high
elevation site on Hwy 50 - Echo Summit, 2) a rural lake level site - Hwy
50 -- Meyers/Airport area, and 3) a Hwy 50 urban site, probably Wildwood
or an Upper Truckee site. They will be sampling at road sites (i.e.
drop-inlets) for solids, metals, and nutrients with auto-samplers using
flow weighted composites samples. These sites will be long term and they
will be looking low to high elevation differences on a seasonal basis --
summer thunderstorms, fall rain events, and snow melt. Site selections
will be focused to avoid possible Migden Bill fines. The urban site may
be a problem, partly due to groundwater standing in DI's. They are
looking for local assistance for selection of this lower-urban site.
Another problem here is dealing with runoff from only Caltrans
facilities and not a mixture of various unknown sources. The will also
be annual sampling for road sand and deicing materials.

Caltrans also noted the need of a map of all as-built devices and
culverts in urban areas. There is a lack of adequate and complete drain
flow maps for urban areas. This was identified as a hindrance to project
work, especially from the highway departments. The basic problem is that
road upgrades and retrofits are being done and not being added to maps.
For example Caltrans has a culvert map of the area, but not the tie-ins.

**d) [City of South Lake Tahoe]{.underline}:** City is putting together
the final monitoring plan for the Trout Creek Restoration project. The
project is in full swing with obtaining baseline data this year and next
summer letting water in the new channel and obtaining samples there.
Troy Alexander has installed, for the City, an automatic sampler at the
Trout Creek at Martin Ave site. It is located on the right upstream wing
wall of the bridge, opposite the USGS gage. This is tied in with stage,
turbidity, water temperature and specific conductance meters. He
presented a recent data set. The City will also start a long awaited
2-year project with UCD-TRG to sample the Ski Run-Wildwood Projects for
wetland efficiency. Also sampling at an Al Tahoe/Bijou Creek dry basin;
a collection box at the Beecher/Lodi project; Stateline groundwater
sampling and future project include the Upper Truckee River
bridge-to-bridge project.

**e) [CTC: ]{.underline}** No current monitoring activities, but this
year they added money to fund water quality monitoring and water level
monitoring.

**f) [Lahontan RWQCB]{.underline}:** Lahontan did not receive requested
funding for additional monitoring in the 2000/2001-budget year and will
follow up with a request for 2001/2002. This will be for non-project
monitoring. The sampling done at present is primarily based on
compliance and complaints from citizens.

**f)** **[NDOT]{.underline}**: NDOT is currently working with UNR on the
monitoring for new and soon to be constructed sites along SR 28 from
Spooner to Incline Village. Amir and NDOT are interested in short-term
project related monitoring and wants quick answers. They will then apply
these short-term answers to future work on US 50.

**g) [Nevada Division of State Lands]{.underline}** -- No current
monitoring, but NDSL-Nevada Tahoe Resource Team oversees the Nevada
Tahoe Bond Act and also the NV License Plate fund. NTRT has a bill in to
change the NV Bond Act to allow funding for monitoring and be able to
fund projects with private citizens, as both are currently not allowed.
NV license plate is currently handing out \$200,000 in grants, like the
TRPA Third and Rosewood Creek efforts in Incline Village. The NV Bond
Act will soon decide how to hand out the last \$2 million of the
original \$20 million.

**h) [El Dorado County DOT]{.underline}:** EDOT has been monitoring
storm runoff to a meadow with the Angora Restoration project since 1997.
Funding was \$130,000 of which \$35,000 was for Sigma samplers. They
were installed on 2 inlets and upper/mid/lower sites in meadow for
collecting summer storm events. Usually they only obtained 4-5 smaller
storm events, which never made it all the way to the lowest meadow
sampler. Plans are to continue for several more seasons with expansion
into spring runoff and obtain groundwater samples. Weather station will
be installed at fire station. The Pioneer Trail III/Cattleman's basin
project will have this year to monitor, as construction was postponed
and will begin next summer. Pre-project groundwater and existing 30"
storm drain monitoring will start this fall as a possible cooperative
study with USGS. EDOT is also doing analysis of the cinders used for
road sanding.

**i)** **[USGS]{.underline}:** USGS currently provides the majority of
the Lake Tahoe tributary sampling data through a network of 34 sampling
sites. The network includes 20 continuous streamflow gages, 3 of which
are Data Collection Platforms (DCP's) that provide real-time flow data.
The stream network has been operated under LTIMP guidelines since 1987.
The goal is to provide long-term database of nutrient, sediment, and
flow data in the Basin. Emphasis of this cooperative study with TRPA is
to collect samples at all hours of the day and on weekends - during
spring snow-melt runoff, summer thunderstorm events, rain-on-snow
events, fall rain events, and during low-flow baseline conditions. USGS
also operates a 34-site groundwater network, which collects nutrient
data from 1990-92 and 1995-present. Included in the program is an Upper
Truckee River watershed focus study, which includes; an expanded
groundwater network, 12 continuous water temperature monitors, 71-site
seepage run (low-flow) network, and a 2-site intense surface
water/ground water interaction study network on Trout Creek.

**j)**. **[USFS]{.underline}:** Not present -- but they are know to have
been monitoring Heavenly Valley Ski Resort for a number of years; the
Meyers landfill and Saxon Creek area; various sampling for grazing
activities, public heath at USFS beaches and campgrounds; and periodic
monitoring of erosion control or special projects.

**k) [Other known storm water runoff projects]{.underline}**: Foster --
Roundhill and JWA -- Stateline and Kahle Drive.

Prepared by Rita Whitney, TRPA and Tim Rowe, USGS - 7/17/00