Welcome to the State of California

2000 Accomplishments and Priorities

State Water Resources Control Board
Regional Water Quality Control Boards

The mission of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is to preserve and enhance the quality of California’s water resources and ensure their proper allocation and efficient use for the benefit of present and future generations.

Water Rights

Water rights focus on the equitable allocation of water for urban, agricultural and environmental interests. Water rights activities and decisions are of paramount importance to all of California. SWRCB and Regional Board staffs have pursued efforts on several fronts during this period as follows:

Accomplishments during the Second Half of 2000

  1. Bay-Delta Program. In the final phase of Bay-Delta proceedings to implement the Bay-Delta Plan, the SWRCB is reviewing the responsibilities of some Sacramento River watershed water rights holders to meet flow requirements. The SWRCB accepted an agreement between Bear River water users and the Department of Water Resources regarding their respective responsibilities. Further hearings regarding responsibility of other Sacramento River watershed water rights holders will occur in 2001.

  2. Yuba River. The SWRCB released a draft decision that responds to a complaint regarding public trust and resource protection issues on the Yuba River. The draft decision proposes new flow requirements and fish screen requirements for the protection of aquatic resources.

  3. Imperial Irrigation District/San Diego County Water Authority. The SWRCB adopted a work plan in July 2000 on the proposed 200,000 acre-foot water transfer between Imperial and San Diego. A draft environmental document is expected to be released in March of 2001.

  4. Water Rights Workshop and Workgroups. To help streamline the process of applying for a water right or a water transfer, the SWRCB convened a workgroup on water transfers and held a workshop to gather information and review alternatives to expedite the water right process. Legislative and administrative changes will be proposed based on information and recommendations gathered at the workshops.

Priorities for the First Half of 2001

  1. Bay-Delta Program. The responsibilities of Sacramento River Basin water rights holders to meet Bay-Delta flow requirements will be considered in continuing Bay-Delta hearings. The Board will hold a workshop in early January 2001 to determine procedures and timing of these hearings

  2. Yuba River. The State Water Board will consider in February 2001, adoption of a draft decision setting new flow standards for the protection of aquatic resources.

  3. Delta Wetlands. The State Water Board will consider adoption of a draft decision that would authorize the flooding of two Delta islands, changing them into water storage facilities.

  4. Imperial Irrigation District (IID)/San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). The SWRCB will schedule a hearing on the proposed water transfer for early 2001, pending completion of a draft Environmental Impact Report from IID/SDCWA.

  5. Water Rights Workshop and Workgroups. The SWRCB will convene a workgroup to work in conjunction with a consultant to investigate the Board’s proper role in the permitting of appropriations from subterranean streams.

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Clean Beaches

Bacteria from storm water runoff, urban runoff, sewage spills and other unknown sources have caused periodic closures of many southern California beaches. While beach closures serve to protect public health, significant losses occur with respect to recreational, social and economic aspects of the region. With the objective of eliminating beach closures, SWRCB and Regional Board staffs have pursued efforts on several fronts during this period as follows (also see storm water permits below):

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000

  1. Statewide Efforts. The SWRCB, in cooperation with local agencies, developed a beach closure warnings database. Staff continue to lead the Beach Water Quality Workgroup (Workgroup), an ad hoc committee composed of groups responsible for the protection and reporting of beach water quality in Southern California. The Workgroup has developed a model monitoring program for bacteria in coastal waters. The model integrates monitoring by storm water agencies with that of sewage treatment plants and environmental health agencies. Additionally, the SWRCB is developing source investigation protocols for beaches where storm drains frequently contaminate beaches.

  2. Sanitary Sewer Overflow and Spill Management System. The SWRCB and Regional Boards have developed and are operating a new Sanitary Sewer Overflow and Spill Management System that provides the ability to regularly report on progress in reducing spills and identify agencies and geographic areas with chronic spill problems.

  3. Huntington Beach Bacterial Investigations. The second phase of the investigations into the sources of bacteria in ocean waters at Huntington Beach was completed. The Santa Ana Regional Board obtained $200,000 from the SWRCB Cleanup and Abatement Account to help support additional work. In response to an Executive Officer order, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties submitted a report on the bacterial quality of the upper Santa Ana River.

Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Source Investigations of Storm Drains. SWRCB staff will continue to work with the Department of Health Services and the Beach Closure Workgroup to develop methods to conduct source investigations of storm drains for bacteriological standards. A report will be prepared for the State Legislature by March 31, 2001.

  2. Bacteria Objectives. The Los Angeles Regional Board plans to hold a public hearing to consider modification of the region’s bacteria objectives. The proposed change would make the region’s bacteria objectives consistent with U.S. EPA’s and with the beach closure requirements of AB 411.

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Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)

TMDL's provide a means of restoring the health of the state's 509 listed impaired surface waters. The TMDL process involves identifying and addressing all sources of a specific pollutant causing impairments of beneficial uses. Ultimately, each pollutant source is allocated a daily permissible discharge loading. Diverse interests in a watershed are involved in drafting and negotiating TMDLs. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Structure and Effectiveness of SWRCB's Water Quality Programs. In response to AB 982, staff prepared a report on the structure and effectiveness of the SWRCB's programs in relation to CWA Section 303(d) that deals with the listing of impaired water bodies and for development of Total Maximum Daily Loads. The report is due to the State Legislature by January 31, 2001.

  2. Navarro River Watershed. The North Coast Regional Board staff completed and forwarded to USEPA documents necessary for sediment and a temperature TMDL for the Navarro River. The documents were forwarded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its review.

  3. Lower South San Francisco Bay. Based on scientific data collected for a stakeholder group (dischargers, environmentalists, and others), the San Francisco Regional Board decided that site-specific objectives for copper and nickel would be appropriate for Lower South San Francisco Bay. Consequently, the Board-amended NPDES permits for wastewater treatment plants in Santa Clara County. The amendments stated the Board's intent to remove copper and nickel in the Lower South San Francisco Bay from the list of impaired water bodies, thus removing the need to develop a TMDL. Also, Board staff established a PCB TMDL stakeholder forum to help develop a PCB TMDL for all of San Francisco Bay by June 2002.

  4. San Lorenzo River, Morro Bay, Cholo Creek, Las Tablas Creek and San Luis Obispo Creek Watersheds. The Central Coast Regional Board forwarded six TMDL reports to USEPA for five water bodies. These TMDLs cover concerns related to nitrates, nutrients and metals. The San Lorenzo River nitrate TMDL was adopted as a Basin Plan Amendment.

  5. Heavenly Valley Creek and Indian Creek Reservoir. The Lahontan Regional Board issued draft Basin Plan amendments for TMDLs applicable to Heavenly Valley Creek and Indian Creek Reservoir

  6. New River and Alamo River. The Colorado River Basin Regional Board staff is in the final stages of developing and receiving peer review of TMDLs for the New River and the Alamo River.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Morro Bay and Chorro Creek. The Central Coast Regional Board will consider Basin Plan amendments for siltation and nutrients TMDLs in the Morro Bay watershed and a metals TMDL in the Chorro Creek watershed.

  2. Los Angeles River, Calleguas Creek and Ballona Creek. The Los Angeles Regional Board is scheduled to consider three TMDLs during the first half of 2001: (1) Trash/litter in the Los Angeles River; (2) Chlorides in Calleguas Creek; and (3) Trash/litter in Ballona Creek.

  3. Sacramento and Feather Rivers. The Sacramento River Watershed group is scheduled to complete a management strategy to reduce levels of diazinon entering the Sacramento and Feather Rivers. The Regional Board may incorporate elements of the strategy into load reduction programs that are under development.

  4. Chollas Creek & Rainbow Creek. The San Diego Regional Board will consider Basin Plan amendments to implement TMDLs for Chollas Creek and Rainbow Creek.

  5. New River and Alamo River. The Colorado River Basin Regional Board will consider for adoption a pathogen TMDL for the New River and a sedimentation/siltation TMDL for the Alamo River.

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Groundwater Protection and Cleanups

Approximately 40 percent of the state's drinking water comes from groundwater resources. These resources are threatened by a legacy of problems associated with past practices of handling materials and wastes. The most prevalent problems include leaking underground storage tanks containing fuel or solvents and the disposal of spent chemicals. Containment and cleanup of groundwater contaminants, improvements in waste and material handling practices, the use of graphical information systems and deploying the best science available are all components of the state's groundwater protection program. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000

1. MTBE and Underground Tanks.

  • Underground Storage Tank (UST) Data Systems. The SWRCB has incorporated more than 20,000 operating underground storage tank facilities into the GeoTracker Internet-based database. The pre-existing GeoTracker database includes leaking tank sites.

  • Vulnerability Maps. The SWRCB prepared and published on its Internet site MTBE vulnerability maps. These maps provide critical information to prioritize MTBE cleanup. For example, in November 2000, the San Francisco Regional Board requested technical reports from 50 gasoline service stations, requiring that they conduct one-time sampling of groundwater for MTBE, due to their proximity to existing wells and to local hydrogeologic conditions.

  • City of Santa Monica, Arcadia Wellfield. An aquifer remediation system is nearly complete. The treated water from the Arcadia Wellfield will be routed to Santa Monica treatment plant for blending with other water. This will return the Arcadia Wellfied to use as a domestic water supply for the City of Santa Monica.

  • South Lake Tahoe. The Lahontan Regional Board continued to pursue corrective actions at the Beacon gas station in Meyers. The Regional Board installed 40 monitoring wells that have identified the extent of the contamination. The onsite cleanup system is being scaled back as groundwater levels of MTBE improve.

  • Underground Storage Tank Regulations. The SWRCB held a public hearing on proposed regulations that would require enhanced leak detection systems for single-walled tanks that are within 1000 feet of a public water supply well. As proposed, tank owners would have 18 months to meet new requirements.

  • Morro Bay. Shell Oil Company has begun cleanup of an MTBE plume that threatens City of Morro Bay standby water supply wells. This problem was found by sampling at various locations throughout the City’s wastewater collection system.

  • Cambria. Cleanup has started on an MTBE plume that threatens two of Cambria's standby water supply wells. The Central Coast Regional Board has also issued an enforcement order requiring Chevron to develop an alternative water supply for Cambria during the cleanup.

2. Other Groundwater Cleanups.

  • Unocal Avila Beach. The Central Coast Regional Board certified Unocal’s cleanup of petroleum spills beneath Avila Beach. Unocal completed the cleanup ahead of schedule and surpassed the standards set by the Board in its 1998 cleanup order. In November, the Regional Board disbursed nearly $1 million to fund water quality improvement projects in the Avila Beach area. The funds are part of the state’s share of a settlement reached between affected parties and Unocal for its petroleum spills in Avila Beach.

  • Santa Rosa PCE Cleanup. The SWRCB provided the North Coast Regional Board $356,000 to provide alternative water supplies, determine the responsible parties and conduct monitoring in response to tetrachloroethene (PCE) contamination in Santa Rosa. PCE is an industrial solvent used for cleaning and degreasing and is generally associated with dry cleaning operations.

  • Napa River Flood Control Project. In October, the San Francisco Regional Board issued site cleanup requirements for five petroleum-contaminated sites near the Napa River. Cleanup of these sites is urgently needed prior to channel widening, which is an integral part of the innovative Napa River flood control project.

  • San Gabriel Valley Cleanup Program. The Los Angeles Regional Board issued seven Cleanup and Abatement Orders in December 2000 for the Baldwin Park Operable Unit. Staff inspections for volatile organic hydrocarbon sources in the Alhambra Operable Unit have identified 16 suspected hexavalent chromium sites.

  • San Fernando Valley Cleanup Program. The Los Angeles Regional Board participated in numerous public meetings and conducted a workshop on hexavalent chromium contamination in November. The Regional Board is investigating more than 160 suspected hexavalent chromium sites.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. MTBE - Statewide. The SWRCB, Regional Boards, and local agencies will prioritize MTBE release sites within the framework proposed in the draft Guidelines for the Investigation and Cleanup of MTBE.

  2. LUST Regulations. The SWRCB will consider adoption of regulations requiring enhanced leak detection for USTs with a single-walled component located within 1,000 feet of a public water supply well.

  3. UST Field-Based Research Project. Through a SWRCB contract with the University of California, Davis 180 facilities with upgraded underground storage tanks will be tested in six areas of the state. A report on the effectiveness these systems will be prepared.

  4. Cleanups for Napa River Flood Control Project. The San Francisco Regional Board expects to issue final site cleanup requirements in early 2001 for five sites near the Napa River that are contaminated with petroleum.

  5. South Lake Tahoe. The Lahontan Regional Board will establish final cleanup standards for Meyers Beacon gas station site. This site is being cleaned under Board supervision.

  6. MTBE Sampling at Operating Stations. San Francisco Regional Board staff will make recommendations based on the results of a groundwater sampling at about 50 operating gasoline service stations.

  7. MTBE in Anaheim Wells. Santa Ana Regional Board staff, Arco, Texaco and Unocal will begin an investigation to determine the sources of MTBE detected in Southern California Water Company wells. Two of three wells have been shut down from MTBE contamination, and low levels of the contaminant have also been detected in the remaining well. The three oil companies have operated gasoline stations upgradient of these wells.

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Water Quality Control Plans

Water Quality Control Plans provide the blueprint or general plan for achieving water quality goals and objectives for the state’s waters. These Plans are the basis for the permitting of discharges to the state’s waters. Typically, Plans define the waters and their respective beneficial uses to be protected, allowable pollutant levels and measures to achieve goals. These plans have been developed by each Regional Water Board at the regional level (major watersheds) and by the SWRCB at the statewide level for waters and issues common to more than one region. All Water Quality Control Plans are subject to SWRCB approval. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Amendments of the California Ocean Plan. The California Ocean Plan is the master plan document that establishes statewide policy for the protection of these coastal waters. The SWRCB adopted five proposed amendments to the California Ocean Plan in November 2000. The most significant amendments dealt with acute toxicity, biological pollutants of public health concern, and a method of determining compliance with water quality objectives.

  2. Inland Surface Waters/Enclosed Bays and Estuaries Implementation Policy. Staff has initiated work to support the adopted policy. Draft guidance on mixing zones was prepared and is currently under peer review. A contract to develop procedures for the preparation of site-specific objectives was executed.

  3. San Joaquin River. The San Joaquin River has been identified as one of the poorest quality rivers in the United States, due primarily to salinity. The Central Valley Regional Board held three Basin Plan amendment workshops to develop objectives and a plan to control salt in the river.

  4. Santa Ana River Basin. The Santa Ana Regional Board held two public workshops to review the results of a $4 million study of water quality objectives and groundwater basin boundaries. Basin Plan amendments will follow.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Inland Surface Waters/Enclosed Bays and Estuaries Implementation Policy. The SWRCB will execute a contract in Spring 2001 to assess the standards used for waters that are largely comprised of flows from effluent discharges. Workshops will be held in Spring 2001 to seek public comment regarding these water bodies.

  2. Thermal Plan. Staff will complete the review and update of the Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California (Thermal Plan). This plan is of significant relevance to power generating facilities.

  3. Los Angeles Basin Plan. The Los Angeles Regional Board will hold a public hearing to consider modification of Basin Plan bacteria objectives to achieve consistency with USEPA and statewide beach closure criteria.

  4. Central Valley Basin Plan: pH and Turbidity. The Central Valley Regional Board will consider a Basin Plan amendment to address pH and turbidity standards. This issue is of critical importance for situations where discharges comprise most of the flows in a water body.

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Nonpoint Source Control

Statewide assessments of water quality conditions show that nonpoint sources of pollution have the greatest effect on the state's water quality. Unlike point sources of pollution, which are typically controlled through treatment facilities and authorized by permits, nonpoint sources are diffuse and not readily controlled by conventional means. Diffuse activities such as the cultivation or development of land contribute to concerns about pollutants in runoff. Controlling nonpoint sources requires the use of preventative plans and practices by those directly involved and those overseeing such activities. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. California’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. In July 2000, California became the first state to satisfy the nonpoint source pollution control requirements of the federal Clean Water Act and the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990. The SWRCB and California Coastal Commission received approval of the Plan for California’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program from the USEPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Additionally, meetings were held by the Interagency Coordinating Committee (member State agencies) to develop each agency’s first five-year implementation plan.

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Enforcement

Enforcement is the backstop of regulatory programs; violations must be corrected. Effective enforcement fosters compliance as the norm and holds accountable those who violate. To reinforce these outcomes the SWRCB and Regional Boards have embarked on initiatives to more fully implement fair, firm and consistent enforcement of water quality and water rights laws and regulations. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Iron Mountain Mine. The Central Valley Regional Board long-term settlement reached at the nation’s largest toxic metal pollution site. The Central Valley Regional Board participated in lengthy settlement negotiations with U.S.EPA, DTSC and Aventis Crop Sciences, USA, Inc. to assure unending treatment of acid mine drainage containing toxic heavy metals from the inactive Iron Mountain Mine site. The mine was ranked as one of the worst in the U.S. More than 2,000 pounds of copper, zinc and cadmium were discharged each day into the Sacramento River resulting in numerous fish kills and loss of valuable spawning habitat for salmon, trout and steelhead. Over the last 17 years, several remedies have been used at the site, culminating in the construction of a large acid neutralization treatment plant. The settlement assures continued treatment of the toxic discharge for the next 30 years and established a $500+ million fund to assure continued operation. The upper Sacramento River is listed as impaired for copper, zinc and cadmium and may be de-listed as a result of this settlement.

  2. City of Folsom Sewage Spill. Last winter 700,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from a City of Folsom pump station into the American River. The Central Valley Regional Board imposed a $700,000 fine issued against the city, which has been paid. Studies on the long-term capacity of the sewer collection system are in progress.

  3. Molycorp. The Lahontan Regional Board issued a series of four cleanup and Abatement orders to Molycorp to assist in cleanup of contaminated groundwater from mining wastes in San Bernardino County.

  4. City of San Diego Sewage Spill. The San Diego Regional Board assessed a $3.47 million penalty against the City of San Diego for a 34 million gallon sewage spill to Adobe Falls Creek.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. PG&E Diablo Canyon. The Central Coast Regional Board will finalize its settlement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company regarding cooling water at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The settlement is in the $16 million to $26 million range, with the centerpiece being conservation of over 2000 acres of coastal lands, protecting 5.7 miles of coastal marine habitats as appropriate for these areas. The Central Coast Regional Board will initiate monthly monitoring of 30 coastal lagoons and estuaries.

  2. Enforcement Policy. The SWRCB will consider adoption of a draft enforcement policy for the state. This policy would set priorities for enforcement actions and recommend procedures for calculating penalties.

  3. Crystal Cove. CalTrans and the Department of Parks and Recreation will submit proposals to eliminate discharges of waste to the Irvine Coast Area of Special Biological Significance at Crystal Cove. The proposals are required by a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) adopted by the Santa Ana Regional Board. The order also names The Irvine Company, which is required to eliminate discharges of waste by November 2001.

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Water Quality and Storm Permits

With the recent adoption of federal rules and state policies to establish numeric standards for toxics in surface waters, Regional Boards are now developing and adopting discharge permits that reflect these new standards. Another significant change in permit activities involves the federal storm water permit program; situations required to be under permit are being expanded to smaller populations and activities. Examples of the most significant permit activities during this period are highlighted below:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan (SUSMP). The State Board sustained, with minor modifications, an appeal of the Los Angeles Regional Board's SUSMP requirements. Design standards in the SUSMP for specified new developments will help ensure that storm water runoff is treated to the maximum extent practicable.

  2. Duke Energy. The Central Coast Regional Board issued a discharge permit to Duke Energy for its existing and proposed power plants in Moss Landing. This is the first power plant upgrade in the state permitted under an agreement between Cal/EPA and the California Energy Commission. As part of the project, the Regional Board required $7 million worth of mitigation in Elkhorn Slough.

  3. Sacramento Regional NPDES Permit. The Central Valley Regional Board adopted a revised discharge permit for the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, the largest municipal wastewater discharger in the Central Valley. Re-issuance of the permit involves a number of new and controversial issues which are of regional and statewide significance, including: definition of mixing zones; acute toxicity within the mixing zone; protection of benthic organisms; discharges of pollutants into water quality-limited segments; and thermal effects on aquatic life.

  4. Statewide Biosolids Waste Discharge Requirements. The SWRCB adopted the Statewide Biosolids Waste Discharge Requirements and certified its associated final Environmental Impact Report on August 17, 2000. SWRCB staff is developing training.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. NPDES Storm Water Program (Phase II). SWRCB staff will draft and release for review a proposed policy to implement Phase II of the NPDES Storm Water Program. Phase II will affect municipal separate storm sewer systems serving a population of less than 100,000 persons, State and federal facilities in areas subject to municipal storm water permits, and construction activities resulting in a land disturbance of between one and five acres.

  2. General Construction Activities Storm Water Permit. SWRCB staff will propose revisions of the statewide construction activities permit to address discharges to water bodies impaired by sediment, turbidity, or siltation.

  3. Stockton Permit Renewal. The City of Stockton discharges treated wastewater into the San Joaquin River, which is impaired for dissolved oxygen, unknown toxicity, mercury, and a variety of pesticides. With upstream diversions, the river seasonally experiences flow reversals. Renewal of this permit involves a variety of complex issues including the required level of disinfection. The Central Valley Regional Board has been working with the City and state Department of Health Services on a multi-year study of the health effects of the discharge. The permit is scheduled for Board consideration by June 2001.

  4. Municipal Storm Water Permits. The Regional Boards will consider adopting municipal storm water permits for Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Clara and San Diego counties and their incorporated cities. These new permits are likely to be complex and controversial due to the significance of storm water pollution issues in the region.

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Financial Assistance

About 70 percent of the SWRCB's annual budget is comprised of funds that are passed on to others in the form of financial assistance. These funds provide grants for cleanups of leaking underground fuel tanks, loans and grants for wastewater treatment facilities, water recycling projects, nonpoint source projects, watershed projects and other authorized projects. The most significant activities during this period are highlighted below:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund Regulations. As directed by recent legislation and State Board decisions, the UST Cleanup Fund revised program regulations to clarify and simplify regulatory language.

  2. State Revolving Fund (SRF). On July 20, 2000, the SWRCB authorized staff to sell $200 million in revenue bonds. Additionally, staff presented to the Board a strategy for funding of SRF expanded-use projects (water quality problems from pollution sources other than sewage treatment plants).

  3. Proposition 13. The State’s voters passed this omnibus water protection ballot initiative overwhelmingly in March 2000. The Act provides funds for a multitude of water quality and protection plans and program. To help disperse the funds, the SWRCB has (1) released Requests for Proposals for the competitive portion of the funds contained in the State’s annual budget for three water quality protection programs; (2) conducted three workshops to assist applicants in applying for grants; (3) developed contracts with agencies that are to receive funds for specific projects listed in the Act; and (4) established a priority list to distribute $60 million in small community grant assistance for wastewater treatment plant construction. Contracts with the City of Redding and the San Diego County Water Authority have been executed.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Proposition 13. For projects qualifying for fiscal year 2000 funding, SWRCB, Regional Board and California Coastal Commission staff will review, prioritize and rank these proposals. The final selection of the projects will occur at a SWRCB meeting. With stakeholder input, a Request for Proposals will be developed to address funding anticipated in the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2001/02 for the Watershed, Nonpoint Source, and Coastal Nonpoint Source Programs. The Request for Proposals will be released by June 2001. SWRCB staff will continue to develop contracts with agencies for projects specified in Proposition 13 to receive funding. An emphasis will be to concentrate on contracts from the Southern California Integrated Watershed Program and the Lake Elsinore and San Jacinto Watershed Program.

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Surface Water Cleanups

The state’s surface waters are threatened by a legacy of problems associated with past practices of handling materials and wastes. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period:

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000
  1. Penn Mine. The Central Valley Regional Board, in partnership with the East Bay Municipal Utilities District, completed reclamation activities at Penn Mine in Calaveras County. The work involved capping mine waste and restoration of the area to near pre-mining conditions.

  2. Leviathan Mine. The Lahontan Regional Board, under an agreement with USEPA, treated over six million gallons of acid mine drainage, improved the treatment system, revegetated approximately five acres and continued ongoing site maintenance and water quality monitoring. This treatment effort will eliminate the chance of pond overflows in Spring 2001.

  3. San Diego Bay Toxic Hot Spots. In November the San Diego Regional Board submitted cleanup plans for four moderate-priority toxic hot spots in San Diego Bay.

  4. Flooding of Dairy Areas. The Executive Officer of the Santa Ana Regional Board directed Riverside and San Bernardino counties to develop plans to manage runoff that affects the Chino-Corona dairy preserve. Currently, runoff from upstream municipalities routinely floods dairies during storms due to inadequate flood control infrastructure. This leads to serious downstream water contamination problems from dairy wastewater. In response to this directive, the counties have initiated design of flood control improvement projects, which will be partially supported by Proposition 13 funding.

  5. Mercury Collection. During August and September 2000, SWRCB staff, in partnership with U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management staff, began a mercury recycling pilot project in Nevada, Placer, and Sierra Counties. The effort was aimed at recovering mercury from recreational gold miners. To date, 270 pounds of mercury have been recovered and follow-up efforts are underway.

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Monitoring and Assessment

Monitoring and assessment of waters provides vital information for determining the health of waters, trends in water quality conditions, the need for follow-up investigations and the basis for prescribing waste discharge limitations in permits. The following highlights the most significant activities during this period.

Accomplishments During the Second Half of 2000 
  1. Ambient Surface Water Quality Program. In response to AB 982, staff prepared a report proposing a comprehensive ambient surface water quality-monitoring program.

  2. Coastal Water Quality Monitoring. In response to AB 1429, staff prepared a report on coastal water quality monitoring.

  3. Water Quality Assessment (WQA) Report. Pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act Section 305(b), staff has submitted to USEPA California's WQA Report for the year 2000. The WQA describes the condition of waters of the State.
Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. The North Coast Regional Control Board is starting the new Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program. Permanent monitoring stations will be established as well as rotating intensive basin surveys. Data will be used in watershed assessments and defining problem areas and documenting water quality.

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Other Priorities for the First Half of 2001
  1. Operator Certification Program. The wastewater industry has undergone dramatic changes in technology and management techniques in recent years. The SWRCB will review the current program to determine if changes are necessary to meet the needs of the regulated community. The SWRCB will organize a workgroup of interested parties to review the current Program and make recommendations for any changes to existing laws and regulations.

  2. SWRCB/RWQCB Strategic Plan. The State and Regional Water Boards have begun strategic planning. Cal/EPA's recently released Strategic Vision provides the Boards with guidance. An initial meeting was held in October 2000 at which the Boards' executive management team approved the plan's framework and project milestones. Since then, a series of data gathering interviews have been held with both internal and external partners and stakeholders throughout the state. Participants have shared their long-term and short-term vision for the Boards, identified future challenges and opportunities, and provided ideas for outcomes by which the Boards can measure their future success in protecting California's waters.

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Back to Report of Accomplishments & Priorities

Last updated: November 20, 2003
California Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Publications/
General Public Contact, cepacomm@calepa.ca.gov (916) 323-2514