Cal. Code Regs. tit. 23 § 3915

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 49, December 6, 2024

Section 3915 - San Francisco Bay Mercury TMDL

Through Regional Water Board Resolution R2-2006-0052, adopted August 9, 2006, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board amended the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay Region (Basin Plan). The Basin Plan amendment establishes the allowable annual mercury load Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to San Francisco Bay, and actions and monitoring necessary to implement the TMDL. The numeric targets, allocations, and associated implementation plan will ensure that all San Francisco Bay segments attain applicable water quality standards established to protect and support beneficial uses. The Basin Plan amendment includes new regulatory provisions, as summarized below:

1. Two numeric mercury water quality objectives for all segments of San Francisco Bay, to protect (a) people who consume Bay fish, and (b) aquatic organisms and wildlife;

2. Vacate (i.e., remove) the water column four-day average mercury water quality objective for San Francisco Bay;

3. Numeric targets for mercury concentrations in suspended sediment and fish tissue;

4. TMDL defined as a total maximum yearly mercury load to San Francisco Bay of 700 kg, on average, which is roughly 60 percent of the existing load;

5. Allocation of the total maximum yearly mercury load among the various San Francisco Bay mercury sources, including bed erosion, Central Valley watershed urban storm water runoff, Guadalupe River watershed, direct atmospheric deposition, non-urban storm water runoff, and wastewater;

6. Plan to implement the TMDL, which requires actions to reduce mercury loads and methylmercury production to achieve allocations, and plan studies to improve technical understanding relevant to the mercury TMDL and implementation plan; and

7. Plan and schedule for reviewing progress toward meeting targets, implementing proposed actions, and evaluating continued appropriateness and effectiveness of proposed actions.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 23, § 3915

1. New section summarizing amendments to plan filed 11-7-2007; amendments approved by State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2007-0045 on 7-17-2007; amendments approved by OAL pursuant to Government Code section 11353 (Register 2007, No. 45).