Big Bear Lake Mercury Resource extraction 2007 PCBs Unknown 2019 Noxious Aquatic Plants Construction/Land Development and Unknown Nonpoint Source 2007 Nutrients Construction/Land Development and Snow Skiing Activities 2007 Water Body Pollutant (s) TMDL Project Status Big Bear Lake Noxious aquatic plants Nutrients Nutrient TMDL for Dry Hydrological Conditions for Big Bear Lake Implementation Phase Shay Creek, Shay Meadows, and Baldwin Lake are relatively undeveloped areas that contain natural resources highly valued by stakeholders. Shay Creek and Baldwin Lake have threatened and endangered plant species as well as the endangered, unarmored three-spine stickleback fish and a unique wetlands system. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game are interested in restoring the quality of these waters. Grout, Knickerbocker, Summit, and Rathbone (Rathbun) Creeks, tributaries to Big Bear Lake, are listed as impaired, as shown in Table 5.5-3.
Water Body Pollutant/ Stressor Potential Sources Proposed TMDL Completion Chino Creek-Reach 1 and Mill Creek (Prado Area) Nutrients Agriculture, dairies 2019 Mill Creek (Prado Area) TSS Dairies 2019 Prado Park Lake Nutrients Nonpoint source 2019 SAR Reach 3 Lead Source Unknown 2021 Copper Source Unknown 2021 Chino Creek Reach 2 pH Source Unknown 2021 Cucamonga Creek – Valley Reach Cadmium Source Unknown 2021 Copper Source Unknown 2021 Lead Source Unknown 2021 Zinc Source Unknown 2021 Cucamonga Creek – Mountain Reach pH Source Unknown 2021 Chino Creek Reach 1B COD Source Unknown 2021 Nutrients Agriculture 2019 Temescal Creek Reach 1 pH Source Unknown 2021 Temescal Creek, Reach 6 Indicator Bacteria Source Unknown 2021 Table 5.5-7 TMDL Projects-Santa Ana River Watershed, Reach 3 Impaired Water Pollutant(s) TMDL Project Status
OWOW 1.0 Challenge OWOW 1.0 Status of Addressing Challenge OWOW 2.0 Suggested Implementation Activities Salt balance not achieved in watershed Regional efforts for reducing salt impacts in runoff Establish mitigation plans for recycled water projects Ensure long-term viability of existing brine lines Expand existing brine lines Financial incentives for desalination studies & facilities Encourage regulators to recognize exporting certain brines & constituents as regulatory relief/offsets for wastewater permitting requirements Support elimination of water softeners Address long-term need for increased brine disposal capacity IEUA’s water softener program has removed over 600 salt-based softeners in the Chino Basin since 2008 Water softener ordinances preventing the future installation of softeners have been passed in the cities of Montclair, Upland, and Fontana Throughout the Inland Empire, public agencies have joined the “No Drugs Down the Drain” program, installing drop off boxes in public locations and participating in the National Drug Day Mitigation plans are required by Regional Board for recycled water projects where appropriate Mitigation plans approved for recycled water use by IEUA and EMWD SAWPA working on plans to ensure viability of and expansion of Inland Empire Brine Line Work toward adoption of the Delta Plan in order to promote reliability of imported water supplies for use in the watershed. Consider brine concentration alternatives to reduce discharges to brine line and/or zero discharge projects. Increase outreach, promotion, and awareness of National Drug Day and “No Drugs Down the Drain” programs by posting prominently on websites, etc. Implement salt and nutrient management plans consistent with the statewide Recycled Water Policy Identify regional strategies to support salinity control for imported water sources
OWOW 1.0 Challenge OWOW 1.0 Recommendations Status of Addressing Challenge OWOW 2.0 Suggested Activities Public agencies must comply with new regulations without ability to increase revenues Federal & state funds for infrastructure banks Amend Proposition 218 Prepare strategies to address legal decisions adverse to public agencies setting/increasing fees for improvements Increase effectiveness of new regulations by encouraging ID of goals & implementation plans for those regulations Build public support for funds to address challenging water supply needs Public agencies continue to struggle to keep up with rising costs. Work toward implementation of from OWOW 1.0 Emerging constituents detected at low levels without understanding of human health and toxicological effects Standard lab methods not available for emerging contaminants Outreach to agencies & Regional Board on status of studies & research Evaluate joint opportunities to conduct studies Encourage development of human health & ecological risk levels for specific compounds Develop list of appropriate surrogates & indicators of water quality for monitoring constituents Develop monitoring plan for water bodies & facilities and test for appropriate set of constituents Support creation of Blue Ribbon Commission to recommend monitoring of emerging contaminants in recycled water Collaborate on public information outreach Create collaborative efforts to develop new analytical methods Regulators & dischargers coordinate with CDPH to ensure analytical methods developed & approved Promote collection facilities and programs for unused pharmaceuticals and distribute smaller amounts to State Blue Ribbon Commission completed report on monitoring of emerging constituents. Emerging Constituents (EC) Program Task Force completed two years of monitoring in watershed. EC Task Force created a Water Quality Program Public Relations Work Group to collaborate on outreach. Standard methodology is under development. Continue to support work of the Emerging Constituents Work Group. Work with CA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and CA Department of Public Health on development of Public Health Goals and water quality standards
OWOW 1.0 Challenge OWOW 1.0 Recommendations Status of Addressing Challenge OWOW 2.0 Suggested Implementation Activities Solving 1 problem may cause new one, i.e. infiltrating runoff improves surface water but may cause problem Increase communication, planning & cooperation among stakeholders Collect data on infiltration BMPs at selected sites to evaluate potential impacts to groundwater quality Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District’s (RCFCWCD) LID Testing and Demonstration Facility will collect water quality data on LID BMP performance County of Orange is implementing Glassell Yard Campus Stormwater LID Retrofit Project Business Industries of America completed study evaluating cost effectiveness of variety of LID BMPs Continue evaluation of LID BMPs to document performance and water quality benefits. Promote and increase the profile of BMP examples within communities (e.g. RCFCWCD campus) Changing public behavior is difficult Develop, pilot, & evaluate effectiveness of strategies to change public behavior. Foster watershed sustainability by encouraging behavior aimed at reducing runoff & preventing pollution Increase public perception of value of water. No Drugs Down the Drain website – Continue efforts to educate public on water quality issues in the watershed. Expand efforts to change public behavior. Planning for complex growth impacts difficult in rapidly urbanizing areas. Potential water quality impacts hard to ID. Educate local officials so water quality concerns become core issues. Conduct studies to identify water quality challenges in rapidly developing areas. Approaches used in Stormwater MS4 permits continue to be evaluated Managing growth impacts continues to be difficult Implement recommendations from OWOW 1.0 Work with Regional Board in development of next Stormwater MS4 permit
OWOW 1.0 Challenge OWOW 1.0 Recommendations Status of Addressing Challenge OWOW 2.0 Suggested Implementation Activities Urbanization and have seriously reduced groundwater recharge leading to water quality impairments and reduced water supplies Promote Low Impact Development principles Recognize in regulatory & funding frameworks that using design & retrofit technology to minimize runoff & increase infiltration is beneficial for water quality & TMDL goals. Chino Basin stakeholders preparing the Recharge Master Plan Update for the basin to monitor MS4 compliance and quantify benefits to basin. Continue to work toward recognition in regulatory and funding frameworks that using design and retrofit technology to minimize runoff and increase infiltration is beneficial for water quality and TMDL goals.
Challenges Recommendations Fracking for oil or gas development, if conducted within the watershed, could cause groundwater contamination Support development of statewide regulations that protect water quality New statewide regulations setting biological objectives for surface water are being developed and will be compliance challenge for wastewater agencies Participate in rule making process to support development of policies and regulations that are effective and efficient and do not place an undue burden on dischargers New statewide regulations setting nutrient objectives for surface water are being developed that will be compliance challenge for wastewater agencies Participate in rule making process to support development of policies and regulations that are effective and efficient and do not place an undue burden on dischargers Surface water quality monitoring is not coordinated within the watershed leading to duplicative sampling in some areas and inadequate sampling in others. In some cases this may lead to 303(d) listings that do not reflect real impairments. Assess surface water quality monitoring in watershed. Work on plan to improve coordination and development of regional approach to monitoring. Use monitoring developed by MSAR Watershed Pathogen TMDL Task Force, SWQSTF, SCCWRP’s Regional Bioassessment program, and SWAMP as models. A small number of small water systems may be in operation within the watershed that do not have resources for monitoring and proper operations and maintenance, which may result in drinking water provided to customers that are in violation of drinking water standards. (25 people or more, or 15 or more connections is a public water system in CA; State Small Water Systems are at least connections but less than 15 and are regulated by county health departments) Work with CDPH and county health departments to identify small system water providers, if any, which need assistance with providing safe drinking water. Develop plan to address any small system water providers that need assistance. Sediment deposition in some areas creates water quality impairments, reduces aquatic habitat, and reduces water conservation storage. Reduced sediment flow downstream of dams causes armoring of river/creek beds resulting in reduction in percolation Support USACE/OCWD Prado Basin Sediment Management Demonstration Project Support efforts of Newport Bay Stakeholders to reduce sediment load into Upper Newport Bay