California Code of Regulations › Title 23 - Waters › Division 4 - Regional Water Quality Control Boards › Chapter 1 - Water Quality Control Plans, Policies, and Guidelines › Article 8 - Santa Ana Region › Section 3978 - Summary of Regulatory Provisions-Basin Plan Amendment Revising the Total Dissolved Solids and Nitrate-Nitrogen Management Plan for the Santa Ana Region. Regional Board Resolution NO. R8-2004-0001

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
This Basin Plan amendment establishes revised boundaries
					 for groundwater management zones (formerly termed groundwater "subbasins")
					 throughout the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. For each of the
					 new management zones, this amendment identifies existing and potential
					 beneficial use designations, and total dissolved solids (TDS) and
					 nitrate-nitrogen water quality objectives based on historical water quality
					 ("antidegradation" objectives). For certain management zones, this amendment
					 establishes a second set of TDS and nitrate-nitrogen objectives. This second,
					 less stringent set of objectives is based on the finding that water quality
					 consistent with "maximum benefit to the people of the State" will be maintained
					 (the "maximum benefit" objectives), provided that specific water and wastewater
					 projects and programs are implemented. These project and program commitments
					 are delineated in the revised Implementation Plan in the Basin Plan amendment
					 (see below). The "maximum benefit" objectives apply unless the Regional Board
					 finds that the maximum benefit project and program commitments are not being
					 implemented and that the finding of maximum benefit cannot continue to be made.
					 In that case, the "antidegradation" objectives would apply. To address this
					 situation, the amendment specifies that mitigation for TDS and nitrate-nitrogen
					 discharges in excess of discharge limitations based on the antidegradation
					 objectives will be required. The amendment also revises the narrative water
					 quality objectives for chloride, TDS, hardness, sodium, and sulfate applicable
					 to groundwater.
The Basin Plan amendment establishes revised reach
					 boundaries and revised numeric TDS and nitrate-nitrogen water quality
					 objectives for the following surface water bodies: San Timoteo Creek, Chino
					 Creek and Temescal Creek. For San Timoteo Creek, Reach 1A, the groundwater
					 recharge designated use is deleted. No other changes to the beneficial use
					 designations for these surface waters are included in the amendment.
The amendment establishes the Prado Basin Management Zone
					 as a surface water feature. Beneficial uses and surface water quality
					 objectives already established for the major tributary streams in the Prado
					 Basin Management Zone apply for regulatory purposes.
This Basin Plan amendment incorporates revisions to the TDS
					 and Nitrogen Implementation Plan, including the following provisions: revised
					 wasteload allocations for Publicly Owned Treatment Works discharges of nitrogen
					 and TDS to the Santa Ana River and tributaries; revised findings regarding
					 nitrogen and TDS assimilative capacity in the new groundwater management zones;
					 findings regarding nitrogen loss coefficients and their implementation in waste
					 discharge requirements; special considerations for salt management of
					 subsurface disposal system discharges; and monitoring program
					 requirements.
For the agencies and dischargers that are implementing the
					 "maximum benefit" TDS and nitrate-nitrogen objectives, the amendment specifies
					 compliance dates for the implementation of certain projects and programs. The
					 amendment also includes requirements for implementing salt reduction programs
					 when management zone TDS and/or nitrate-nitrogen reach specified concentration
					 trigger points. Finally, with regard to the implementation of the "maximum
					 benefit" objectives, the amendment specifies that if the Regional Board
					 determines that the agencies/dischargers have not complied with the specified
					 requirements for implementation of projects/programs, the Regional Board, at a
					 duly noticed public meeting, would make the determination that the lowering of
					 water quality is not of "maximum benefit" to the people of the State and by
					 default, the TDS and nitrate-nitrogen historical "antidegradation" objectives
					 would apply. The Basin Plan amendment specifies that in this situation, the
					 Regional Board will require mitigation for TDS and nitrate-nitrogen discharges
					 in excess of waste discharge limitations based on the antidegradation
					 objectives.
1. New
					 section summarizing amendments to the Water Quality Plan for the Santa Ana
					 River Basin filed 12-23-2004; amendments adopted by Santa Ana Regional Water
					 Quality Control Board Resolution No. R8-2004-0001 1-22-2004; revised by
					 Executive Officer Memo 7-12-2004; approved by State Water Resources Control
					 Board Resolution No. 2004-0060 9-30-2004; approved by OAL pursuant to
					 Government Code section
					 11353 and
					 operative 12-23-2004 (Register 2004, No. 52).