Gualala River TMDL

The Gualala River is included on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for impairments associated with excessive sediment and high temperatures. A TMDL addressing sediment impairments was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in December 2001. The USEPA TMDL documents can be found at http://www.epa.gov/region09/water/tmdl/final.html. The Regional Water Board prepared a Technical Support Document (TSD) that addressed sources of sediment and temperature impairments, loading capacities, and load allocations necessary to restore sediment and temperature conditions supportive of beneficial uses related to the cold water fishery in the Mattole River Watershed. The TSD served as the basis for the USEPA's TMDLs.

The Gualala River Sediment TMDL was included in Resolution R1-2004-0087, Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Policy for Sediment Impaired Receiving Waters in the North Coast Region, adopted by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board in November 2004. The text of the resolution may be viewed by clicking here . Water Board staff are in the process of developing workplans that will set watershed priorities for addressing sediment and describe how and when implementation actions will be taken at a watershed-specific level throughout the North Coast Region. The Gualala River will be included in this effort.