Draft 2008 California 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report

Supporting Information

Regional Board 4 - Los Angeles Region

Water Body Name: Los Cerritos Channel
Water Body ID: CAT4051501020000229140756
Water Body Type: Wetland, Tidal
 
DECISION ID
7450
 
Pollutant: Ammonia
Final Listing Decision: Do Not Delist from 303(d) list (TMDL required list)
Last Listing Cycle's Final Listing Decision: List on 303(d) list (TMDL required list)(2006)
Revision Status Revised
Sources: Nonpoint Source | Point Source
Expected TMDL Completion Date: 2015
Impairment from Pollutant or Pollution: Pollutant
 
Weight of Evidence: This pollutant is being considered for removal from the section 303(d) list under section 4.1 of the Listing Policy. Under section 4.1 a one line of evidence is necessary to assess listing status.

Two lines of evidence are available in the administrative record to assess this pollutant. Line of evidence 3922 is a placeholder line of evidence and the information contained in the line of evidence will not be considered in this decision. Zero of the samples exceed the water quality objective.

Based on the readily available data and information, the weight of evidence indicates that there is sufficient justification against removing this water segment-pollutant combination in the Water Quality Limited Segments Being Addressed portion of the section 303(d) list.

This conclusion is based on the staff findings that:
1. The data used satisfies the data quality requirements of section 6.1.4 of the Policy.
2. The data used satisfies the data quantity requirements of section 6.1.5 of the Policy.
3. Zero of 22 samples exceeded the one-hour objective for ammonia and this sample size is insufficient to determine with the power and confidence of the Listing Policy if standards are not met. A minimum of 28 samples is needed for application of table 4.1.
4. Pursuant to Section 4.11 of the Listing Policy, no additional data and information are available indicating that standards are met.
 
RWQCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation: After review of the available data and information, RWQCB staff concludes that the water body-pollutant combination should not be removed from the section 303(d) list because it cannot be determined if applicable water quality standards are not being exceeded.
 
SWRCB Board Decision / Staff Recommendation:
 
USEPA Decision:
 
 
Lines of Evidence (LOEs) for Decision ID 7450
 
LOE ID: 3922
 
Pollutant: Ammonia
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: Not Recorded
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 0
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: Not Specified
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Unspecified--This LOE is a placeholder to support a 303(d) listing decision made prior to 2006.
Data Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: Unspecified
Objective/Criterion Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Evaluation Guideline: Unspecified
Guideline Reference: Placeholder reference pre-2006 303(d)
 
Spatial Representation: Unspecified
Temporal Representation: Unspecified
Environmental Conditions: Unspecified
QAPP Information: Unspecified
QAPP Information Reference(s):
 
LOE ID: 30235
 
Pollutant: Ammonia
LOE Subgroup: Pollutant-Water
Matrix: Water
Fraction: None
 
Beneficial Use: Warm Freshwater Habitat
Aquatic Life Use: Wildlife Habitat
 
Number of Samples: 22
Number of Exceedances: 0
 
Data and Information Type: Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants)
Data Used to Assess Water Quality: Zero of 22 samples exceeded the one-hour objective for ammonia and zero out of 11 samples exceeded the 30-day average objective. Water quality samples were taken and analyzed for ammonia in accordance with the City Long Beach MS4 Permit monitoring and testing parameters.
Data Reference: (MS4 Data) for Los Cerritos Channel - CI 8052 for order no. 99-060 NPDES No. CAS004003 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the City of Long Beach
 
Water Quality Objective/Criterion: The Basin Plan states, "In order to protect aquatic life, ammonia concentrations in inland surface waters characteristic of freshwater shall not exceed the values calculated for the appropriate instream conditions shown in Tables 3-1 to 3-3." The one-hour average objective is dependent on pH and the presence or absence of early life stages of fish (ELS) but not temperature. The 30-day average objective is dependent on pH, temperature and ELS in Tables 3-1 to 3-3. The ammonia objectives and the pH and temperature dependent formula are found in Attachment A of Regional Board Resolution No. 2002-011.
Objective/Criterion Reference: Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan
  Basin Plan Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan Los Angeles Region R4 Basin Plan as of 02/02/2009
 
Evaluation Guideline:
Guideline Reference:
 
Spatial Representation: The City of Long Beach Long Beach conducted sampling at the mass emission monitoring station located at Los Cerritos Channel.
Temporal Representation: Composite samples were taken approximately six per year (four wet-weather events and two dry-weather events), from February 2003 through February 2007.
Environmental Conditions:
QAPP Information: Data was collected in compliance with the sampling and monitoring procedures detailed in City Long Beach MS4 Permit (NPDES No. CAS004003).
QAPP Information Reference(s): MS4 Permit - CI 6948 for order no. 01-182 NPDES No. CAS004001 Municipal Storm Water and Urban Runoff Discharges within the County of Los Angeles, and the incorporated cities, except the City of Long Beach