California Code of Regulations › Title 23 - Waters › Division 4 - Regional Water Quality Control Boards › Chapter 1 - Water Quality Control Plans, Policies, and Guidelines › Article 3 - Central Coast Region › Section 3929.9 - Total Maximum Daily Loads for Fecal Indicator Bacteria in the Santa Maria River Watershed and Domestic Animal Waste Discharge Prohibition

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast
					 Region (Central Coast Water Board) adopted Resolution No. R3-2012-0002 on March
					 15, 2012, amending the
Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coast
					 Region
(Basin Plan). The State Water Resources Control Board approved
					 the amendment under Resolution No. 2012-0055 on October 16, 2012.
Resolution No. R3-2012-0002 establishes Total Maximum Daily
					 Loads (TMDLs) and an Implementation Plan for the Santa Maria River Watershed
					 for Fecal Indicator Bacteria. The TMDL addresses impairment of the Santa Maria
					 River Watershed (including Alamo Creek, Blosser Channel, Bradley Canyon Creek,
					 Bradley Channel, Cuyama River, La Brea Creek, Little Oso Flaco Creek, Main
					 Street Canal, Nipomo Creek, Orcutt Creek, Oso Flaco Creek, Oso Flaco Lake,
					 Santa Maria River Estuary, and the Santa Maria River) due to elevated levels of
					 fecal indicator bacteria. Resolution R3-2012-0002 also adds the Santa Maria
					 River Watershed, including the Oso Flaco subwatershed, to the Domestic Animal
					 Waste Discharge Prohibition established by the Central Coast Water Board in
					 March 2009.
Current fecal indicator bacteria concentrations in Santa
					 Maria River Watershed waters are impairing the water contact beneficial use
					 (REC-1). Additionally, fecal indicator bacteria concentrations are impairing
					 the shellfishing (SHELL) beneficial use in the Santa Maria River Estuary. The
					 TMDL establishes a numeric target for fecal coliform consistent with current
					 Basin Plan objectives protecting the REC-1 beneficial use and a numeric target
					 for total coliform consistent with current Basin Plan objectives protecting the
					 SHELL beneficial use for the Santa Maria River Estuary. The TMDL also
					 establishes a numeric target for
E. coli
consistent with USEPA
					 recommended criteria. Responsibility for achieving the numeric target falls
					 upon several entities as described in the Attachment to Resolution R3-2012-0002
					 in Table IX P-1. An implicit margin of safety is utilized in the TMDL to
					 account for uncertainties. The Central Coast Water Board is relying on existing
					 regulatory authority (waste discharge permits and Phase II Small Municipal
					 Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program's National Pollutant Discharge
					 Elimination System (NPDES) permit) and a discharge prohibition to ensure
					 implementation actions are carried out by the implementing parties.
An implementation target of 15 years is established for
					 achieving the TMDL. The Central Coast Water Board will track progress towards
					 achieving the TMDL through review of implementation actions and monitoring.
					 Water Board staff will conduct triennial reviews of implementation actions and
					 monitoring results dependent upon staff availability and priorities.
					 Responsible parties will continue monitoring and reporting for at least three
					 years, at which time the Central Coast Water Board will determine the need for
					 continuing or otherwise modifying the monitoring requirements. Responsible
					 parties may also demonstrate that although water quality objectives are not
					 being achieved in receiving waters, controllable sources of pathogens are not
					 contributing to the exceedances. If this is the case, the Central Coast Water
					 Board may re-evaluate the numeric targets and allocations.
1. New
					 section summarizing amendments to basin plan filed 2-21-2013; amendment
					 approved by State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2012-0055 on
					 10-16-2012; amendment approved by OAL pursuant to Government Code section
					 11353 on
					 2-21-2013 (Register 2013, No. 8).