Snapshot Day Results

Sep 012012
 

CWC has summarized the Snapshot Day results in the following report for Santa Cruz County. As explained in this press release, this year’s results are reported in a regular report style, as well as a new “report card.”

Those interested in Snapshot Day may be excited to learn more about CWC’s next big water quality monitoring event, First Flush. Volunteer teams are still being formed. Email Debie Chirco-Macdonald or call (831) 464-9200 to learn more about how to keep our rivers safe and clean for all!

Water Tours

May 142012
 

Join CWC in learning what’s going on throughout our watersheds! Tours are free.

Olive Springs Quarry  -  Tuesday, 5/21, 12-1:30pm
Learn how this granite quarry, located right next to Soquel Creek, produces sand, gravel and asphalt and is a friendly
neighbor to the creek. Take an extended lunch hour to join us for a rare look behind the scenes.

Former CEMEX Properties  -  Thursday, 6/20, 5-8pm
Witness how Big Creek Lumber has used forestry practices and restoration projects to carefully manage this beautiful property now protected by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.

Loch Lomond Reservoir  -  Sat. 7/13, Time TBD
CWC will partner with City of Santa Cruz Water Resources staff to host a fun and education event at Loch Lomond Reservoir during the Great American Secchi Dip-In. Details TBD, but register now to participate.

City of SC Water Treatment Plant  -  Tuesday, 8/20, 5-6:30pm
This plant on Graham Hill Road treats & distributes an average of 10 million gallons per day. Observe the processes that make the San Lorenzo River and north coast streams safe for thousands to drink.

Restoration of Salamander Ponds  -  Sat. 9/14, 10am-Noon
In partnership with the Resource Conservation District (RCD) of Santa Cruz County, this tour will showcase some positive steps being taken to provide healthy habitat for salamanders

Residential Landscaping Best Practices in Capitola Village  -  Sat. 10/19, 10am-Noon
On another RCD partnership tour, see landscaping that saves water, protects Soquel Creek, AND is beautiful!

Potential Upcoming Tours: Abalone Farm, Soquel Creek Demonstration Forest or Nicene Marks State Park, or locations you recommend to CWC staff.

RSVP is required: Call (831) 464-9200 or e-mail tours@coastal-watershed.org

What do we monitor?

Apr 102012
 

The CWC monitors six parameters at each water monitoring site. Other tests are sometimes added as they are needed (for example testing for detergent in the Urban Watch program). We use the Water Quality Objectives formulated by Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program (CCAMP) for these parameters. Water Quality Objectives are the acceptable range for each of the parameters that results in a healthy watershed. CCAMP provides water quality objectives specifically for the Central Coast.

Air and Water Temperature

Water temperature is one of the most important water quality parameters and has direct effects on water chemistry and the functions of aquatic organisms. Temperature influences the dissolved oxygen content of the water; the rate of photosynthesis by algae and other aquatic plants; the metabolic rates of organisms; the sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes, parasites and diseases; and the timing of reproduction, migration and aestivation of aquatic organisms. Factors which can affect temperature include sunlight energy, seasonal and daily changes, shade, air temperature, stream flow, water depth, inflow of groundwater or surface water, and the color and turbidity (cloudiness) of the water. Other factors include soil erosion, storm water runoff, and alterations to stream morphology, substrate and flow. In the Monterey Bay region, the water quality objective is that the water be less than 22 degrees Celsius.

pH

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) the water is. As the pH decreases, water becomes more acidic and as the pH increases, water becomes more basic. At the extreme ends of the pH scale, (2 or 13) physical damage to gills, exoskeleton, and fins occurs. Changes in pH may also alter the concentrations of other substances in water to a more toxic form. In fresh water, increasing temperature decreases pH. Streams containing Salmon need to have a pH between 7.0 and 8.5.

Dissolved Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen (DO) refers to the amount of oxygen dissolved in water. The dissolved oxygen concentration in water can directly affect reproduction, incubation, changes in species, and death of adult and juvenile fish and other organisms. Factors which affect the dissolved oxygen concentration in water include temperature, DO sources such as photosynthesis, DO sinks such as respiration and breakdown of organic material, and salinity. Low dissolved oxygen levels usually result from algal blooms, human waste and animal waste. Anadromous fish require high DO levels (>9.0 mg/l) during their reproductive phases. During the juvenile growth period (in the summer and fall), DO levels must remain at 8.0 mg/l or higher to prevent impairment. When DO levels fall to 6.5-7.0 mg/l, sharp decreases in performance have been observed. Embryos and larvae require even higher DO levels (State Water Resources Control Board 1996). The Water Quality Objective minimum for DO for supporting coldwater fish has been set at not less than 7.0 mg/l (Basin Plan).

Conductivity

Conductivity is a measure of the ability of the water to conduct an electrical current. This ability is affected by the nutrients and minerals in the water as well as various pollutants. It is also a useful way to measure sea water intrusion as the more salt there is in the water, the higher the conductivity. There is no set water quality objective for the Central Coast area. Generally, the conductivity of rivers in the United States ranges from 50-1500 ųS/cm and inland fresh water studies indicate a range between 150 to 500 ųS/cm for supporting good mixed fisheries (EPA 2003). Industrial waters can range as high as 10,000 ųS/cm (EPA 2003). However, baseline measurements in central coast watersheds are consistently found to be of elevated values normally, up to 1900 ųS/cm and beyond, as so much of the local geology consists of many mineral deposits and uplifted seafloor materials.

Turbidity

Turbidity is a measure of the amount of suspended particles in the water. Watersheds in general have a natural turbidity level with inputs from natural erosion, organic decay and algae. Turbidity can be an indicator of erosion, excessive nutrient loading and algal growth. Because of the number of suspended plants and animals (plankton) found within stream systems, turbid water can also be considered natural. The level of turbidity will vary from stream to stream depending on the nutrient loading, geology and stream dynamics. There has been no determination of the natural turbidity level in most of the local watersheds in Santa Cruz County. The Coastal Watershed Council uses Jackson Turbidity Units to measure turbidity and has adopted an objective of less than 20 JTU.

CWC also has a host of other tests that we run depending on the program.
Copper
Copper is a mineral element; however it is used in many industrial applications. Specific to this program is the fact that surface runoff and stormwater flows pick up copper and zinc from brake and tire wear and other chemicals in vehicle wash wastewater. Concentrations over .025 mg/L are toxic to freshwater fish.

Detergent

Surfactants and detergents are common contaminants of surface water due to their common usage in every type of washing and cleaning operation. Modern detergents contain more than surfactants. Cleaning products may also contain enzymes to degrade protein-based stains, bleaches to de-color stains and add power to cleaning agents, and blue dyes to counter yellowing. Detergent surfactants are made from a variety of petrochemicals (derived from petroleum) and/or oleochemicals (derived from fats and oils). The presence of detergent surfactants in a storm drain system is a strong indicator of run-off or effluent discharges. Detergents lower the amount of oxygen available to fish.

Chlorine

Chlorine, as Cl 2 (molecular chlorine) is highly toxic, and it is often used as a disinfectant. In combination with a metal such as sodium it becomes essential for life. Small amounts of chloride (Cl – ) are required for normal cell functions in plant and animal life. High chloride levels can cause human illness and also can affect plant growth. Taste threshold is about 250 mg/l for most people, however, calcium or magnesium chloride are not usually detected by taste until levels of 1000 mg/l are reached. Public drinking water standards require chloride levels not to exceed 250 mg/l. Very high detections in storm drain discharges could be an indicator of industrial waste waters, however low concentrations may indicate a drinking water discharge from a local source.

CWC takes water samples for lab analysis for nutrients and pathogens.

Nitrates

Nitrate is a nutrient that occurs naturally in water bodies and promotes aquatic plant growth. Excessive nutrient levels can lead to algal and aquatic weed growth that in turn depletes the available oxygen in the water column. Runoff containing detergents, fertilizers, animal waste, industrial waste, or sewage, contributes to elevated nutrient levels as does excess dumping of vegetative material. High levels of nutrients can cause hypoxia and eutrophication in water. The CCAMP Attention Level is 2.25 mg/L. An attention level is a non regulatory objective that helps us to measure when potential impacts may occur.

Orthophosphate

The orthophosphate test measures the amount of phosphates in the water. Phosphate is a nutrient that is not found in large quantities in streams. As a result, modest increases in it can lead to large changes in the stream conditions. Some effects of phosphates are: accelerated plant growth, algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and the death of certain fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic animals. Human sources of phosphate are: “wastewater treatment plants, runoff from fertilized lawns and cropland, failing septic systems, runoff from animal manure storage areas, disturbed land areas, drained wetlands, water treatment, and commercial cleaning preparations.” (Source: U.S. EPA) There is no formal water quality objective for orthophosphate but the CCAMP attention level is 0.12 mg/L.

Ammonia Nitrogen

Ammonia is excreted by animals and produced during decomposition of plants and animals. Its natural breakdown thus returns nitrogen to the aquatic system. It is rapidly oxidized in natural water systems by special bacterial groups that produce the ions of nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N), which are then used by plants; therefore ammonia is an additional source of nitrogen as a nutrient which may contribute to the expanded growth of undesirable algae and other forms of plant growth that overload the natural system and cause eutrophication. The unionized form of ammonia (NH3) is the preferred nitrogen-containing nutrient for plant growth and is also one of the most important pollutants because it is relatively common, but can be toxic to animals, causing lower reproduction and growth, or death to fish and other aquatic life. The water quality objective, according to the U.S. EPA, is less than .025 parts per million.

Coliform

Most coliform bacteria originate from the feces of warm-blooded animals and indicate the presence of human sewage or wildlife contamination, as well as feces-born organisms that can cause diseases such as hepatitis A, bacterial meningitis, and encephalitis. The EPA Water Quality Criteria of 400 MPN/100 ml is used as the water quality objective. Total coliform count provides an indicator of pathogen conditions in the water. Testing for “indicator” bacteria monitors the potential presence of disease-causing organisms. Indicator bacteria are types of bacteria not
normally found in high numbers in oceans, rivers, or creeks but always found in sources of fecal contamination. Though they are not typically disease-causing organisms themselves, they can be indicative of the presence of such organisms. Studies have shown that when concentrations of indicator bacteria exceed certain levels in waters used for water body contact recreation, individuals exposed to these waters may have a greater chance of getting sick (http://www.ccamp.org ).

E.Coli

E.coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. E. coli is short for Escherichia coli. The presence of E. coli in water is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination, although sewage may contain many types of disease-causing organisms. During rainfalls, snow melts, or other types of precipitation, E. coli and Fecal coliforms may be washed into creeks, rivers, streams, lakes, or groundwater (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ecoli.html ).

What Is A Watershed?

Feb 202012
 

A watershed is a geographic area in which all sources of water, including lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, and streams, as well as ground water, drain to a common surface or water body. Watersheds are defined by the topography of the land.

Since a watershed is made up of several components that are all part of the “big watershed picture,” it is important to remember that what happens on the land can affect the water. For example, if a river or stream flows through an agricultural area, it can pick up fertilizer, manure, and pesticides from farming operations that run off the land after a rainstorm.

What is a watershed?

As it passes urban and suburban areas, it might gather fertilizers that wash off lawns, untreated sewage from failing septic tanks, wastewater discharges from industrial facilities, sediment from construction sites, and runoff from impervious surfaces like parking lots. All of these land uses – agricultural, suburban, urban, and coastal –can have an impact on our fresh and marine waters. (Excerpted from the US EPA Office of Water, Publication EPA 842-F-98-006, “Your Coastal Watershed”)

Monterey Bay Watersheds
The central coast of California has over 11 watersheds which drain into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the nation’s largest protected marine area and the second largest protected marine area on the earth (after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia). The Sanctuary’s boundaries stretch 350 miles from Marin County to San Luis Obispo County, covering over 1/3 the coast line of the state and extending as far as 53 miles offshore. The sanctuary has been in place since 1992 (Monterey National Marine Sanctuary).

Volunteer

Feb 202012
 

This will be a visually appealing and well-worded synopsis of general volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer Internships

Feb 202012
 

CWC has many great internship opportunities for which you can earn school credit. Our interns get up close and personal with the watersheds of Santa Cruz County splitting their time between office and field work. Please email your resume, a 1-2 page writing sample and why you are interested in a CWC internship to Greg Pepping.

Urban Watch

Feb 202012
 

The CWC is gathering volunteers for our Urban Watch program which operates during the dry weather season spanning from June through September. To get involved, please complete this volunteer application, give us call at 831-464-9200 or email Debie.

Urban Watch Volunteers 2011

Urban Watch is made up of community volunteers who monitor storm drains that empty into local creeks and rivers. Volunteers are trained to collect water samples for both on-site and lab analysis using the Urban Watch Water Quality Monitoring Kit. Volunteers work in teams of three or more and conduct weekly monitoring during the dry weather season, July-November. No chemistry background or prior monitoring experience is needed to participate. This program is suitable for adults & children over 14 years of age with parent participation.

Resources

Feb 112012
 

Local

Surfrider Foundation – The Santa Cruz chapter has been working to protect our beaches since 1991.

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – Monterey Bay is a Marine Protected Area under the federal government. The website has information on just about every aspect of the bay.

Save Our Shores -  A non-profit marine conservation organization in Santa Cruz, California. Their mission is marine conservation through policy research, education, and citizen involvement.

Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen – The Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen are a local organization devoted to fly fishing

The Valley Women’s Club -  dedicated to community action, awareness and leadership in environmental, educational, social, and political concerns which affect the health and welfare of the San Lorenzo Valley and our community.

Ecology Action – A nonprofit environmental consultancy delivering cutting edge education services, technical assistance, and program implementation for initiatives that assist individuals, business and government to maximize environmental quality and community well being.

Arana Gulch Watershed Alliance (AGWA) – Conserves, protects, restores and enhances the natural resources of the Arana Gulch Watershed.

California Regional Environmental Education Network  - The CREEC Network is an educational project supported by the California Department of Education, Environmental Education Program, in collaboration with state, regional and local partners.

Agricultural and Land-Based Training Association – ALBA provides educational and business opportunities for farm workers and aspiring farmers to grow and sell crops grown on two organic farms in Monterey County, California.

Algalita Marine Research Foundation – AMRF is a Long Beach, California based non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the preservation of the marine environment. They have a great section and a video on plastics in the ocean.

National

National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration – NOAA is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere. It plays several distinct roles within the Department of Commerce. Their mission is “to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social and environmental needs”

WWOOF-USA – The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farming works to connect you with a organic farm or garden to work on. They keep an excellent directory of farms all over the world.

Threats to Watershed Health

Feb 112012
 

Watershed Threats in History
There is evidence of people around Monterey Bay as early as 6,000 years ago. Some of the first settlers were the Ohlone Indians. They used the bay as a resource for food. They also used extensive fire control to make area for large meadows. These meadows provided habitat for small prey such as rabbits. The Spanish came to Monterey Bay in 1770 and a mission was established in Carmel. It was this establishment that eventually lead to cattle ranching in the eighteen hundreds. Cattle ranching was the first major degradation to the environment around Monterey Bay. It changed the ecosystem dramatically by disrupting the composition of the local wildlife populations. Logging, especially of the Redwoods, also became popular in the 1800s. Logging was arguably the most damaging practice to our local watersheds. To transport logs, pole roads were constructed in local streams. This technique caused massive erosion in the streams which caused landslides in some areas.

Watershed Threats in the Present
The CWC identifies “areas of concern” each year when we do Snapshot Day. Areas of Concern are water bodies that are monitored and found to exceed the objectives for three parameters or more. There is more information about these in the Water Quality Parameter section. In 2006, there were 26 areas of concern on ten waterbodies. Waterbodies throughout the lower Salinas watershed north to the Watsonville Slough continue to have high nutrient, turbidity and E. coli concentrations. Two of the biggest sources of pollution is urban runoff and agricultural runoff.

Urban Runoff
Urban Runoff or ‘storm drain pollution’ is one of the leading causes of water pollution in this country. Urban areas contain up to 90 percent hard surfaces such as rooftops and pavement where water collects and quickly runs off. Urban Runoff is difficult to prevent because it is nonpoint pollution. That is, instead of originating from a single-point source, such as a factory or sewage treatment plant, the sources of urban runoff are spread throughout an urban area. Such sources include yards, sidewalks, streets, construction sites and parking lots. Any deposits of oil, grease, pesticides, herbicides, soil, pet droppings, etc. in these areas are flushed by rainwater and other means down the storm drains and directly into a river or bay (Source: Monterey National Marine Sanctuary). The EPA estimates that 70% of water pollution comes from stormwater and sewer discharge. This increase in flow can have impacts on sediment, riparian plant life, and erosion.

Agricultural Runoff
In the Monterey Bay Area there is extensive agriculture. Overgrazing and un-sustainable agricultural practices can lead to significant sediment washing into our local creeks and streams. Agriculture also uses a lot of chemicals and pesticides that can get into out water. Common substances that farms use on crops are phosphorous, nitrogen plastic, and various insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Badly managed manure and animal feed can lead to bacteria and pathogens getting into the water.

Focus on the Pajaro River
The Pajaro River forms the base of one of the largest watersheds on the Central Coast, compromising over 1,300 miles. The natural geology of the area surrounding the river is termed as overfit which means that the channel is smaller than the river. This makes the river naturally inclined to flood. Humans have impacted the river by reducing the amount of Riparian plants which has lead to heavy erosion on the banks. Erosion has made the river even more likely to flood. The Army Corp of Engineers has been using levees to control these floods since the 1940s. In 1995, after especially damaging floods, much of the remaining Riparian Forest was removed in an effort to reduce flooding. This has actually made the flooding worse. The Corp has proposed to rebuild the existing levee system which has become a very controversial proposal. Many groups want the Corp to address the degradation of the river and loss of Riparian life instead of continuing with the levee system. The river is also the most polluted of the rivers that go into Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. For these reasons, the America’s River organization has named the Pajaro River as the number one most endangered river in 2006. (Source: America’s Rivers).

Policies Governing Water

Feb 112012
 

Summary of Federal and State Water Policies

Below is a brief summary of some federal and state watershed policies that both inform and interact with the Coastal Watershed Council. We hope these policies provide excellent background information for the public to understand our mission.

Federal Acts:

Federal Clean Water Act: This important act was established in 1972, and amended in 1977. It regulates the discharge of pollutants in the water, and gives the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater policies for industry and continued requirements to set water quality standards for all contaminants on surface water quality. The act also makes it unlawful for any person to discharge pollutants into the water supply from any point pollution source (a source that is a single identifiable water or thermal pollution) unless they have the proper permits under the established provisions. This act also funds construction of sewage treatment plants and recognizes the need for planning to address the threats posed by non point source pollution (pollution that comes from diffuse sources such as animal feces, and fertilizers that deposit into water sources) 1.

Below is one of the most important sections of the Federal Clean Water Act that directly links to the purpose of the Coastal Watershed Council.

Section 303(d): Requires states to identify water bodies that do not meet water quality objectives and are not supporting their general use. Every two years, each state must submit an updated list called the 303 (d) list to the U.S. EPA, that also names the pollutant or stressor causing the impairment, and establishes the priority for a control plan to address the impairment. The list also identifies water bodies where a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) (which is the total allowable pollutant load to receiving water that will violate state water quality standards) that has been approved by U.S. EPA and implementation is available, but water quality standards are not yet met 1. The second component of the 303(d) list serves water bodies where the water quality problem is being addressed by an action other than a TMDL and water quality standards are also not yet met.2

Endangered Species Act (ESA): In 1972 Congress recognized that society needs to change the ways in which humans utilize and, too often, degrade finite natural resources. Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, a piece of legislation that has provided the basis for ecosystem and species protection for the United States of America. Although it is a complicated stature in practice, the purposes are clear: to provide for the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species and the ecosystem upon which they depend.

The ESA requires the federal government to establish protective regulations that apply to a threatened or endangered species. These regulations are often referred to as the “4(d) rules” and provide protection for the conservation of the species. The regulations prohibit the “take” of any threatened or endangered species through harming or killing or through destruction or modification of the species’ habitat. The 4(d) rules also allow certain kinds of activities that contribute to the long-term survival and recovery of listed species.

For example, the National Marine and Fisheries Services (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS), amongst other federal agencies, develop and implement rules to protect and restore the coho salmon and steelhead trout, along with other species, under the ESA.. These regulations will apply not only to public entities, but will also apply to private entities and their activities. Examples of activities which may be regulated under the new rules include water diversions, wastewater discharges, and erosion and sediment controls. Currently, there are over 1,925 endangered species, and of these, 1,350 are found in part or entirely in the U.S. and it’s waters 3. National Marine and Fisheries Homepage

West Coast Governors’ Agreement for Ocean Health: The Governors of Washington, Oregon, and California have joined together by creating an agreement to protect the health of the West Coast’s ocean and coastal ecosystems and the economies that depend on them. They believe issues will be more effectively addressed through the collective effort of all three states. This agreement targets seven priority areas, which include:

  1. Clean coastal water and beaches
  2. Healthy oceans and coastal habitats
  3. Effective implementation of ecosystem and watershed-based management programs
  4. The reduction of impacts due to offshore development
  5. An expansion of ocean and coastal scientific research and monitoring
  6. Increasing ocean awareness and literacy in the west coast region, and lastly
  7. Creating a more sustainable economic development of coastal communities.

In addition to the above seven target areas, this agreement also defines four actions for the states to jointly undertake immediately. These actions focus on increased funding for nonpoint source pollution control programs, the prohibition of new offshore oil and gas leasing, development and production, the development of a marine research plan for the West Coast region, and federal technical support for addressing issues of regional significance. The states have acted on each of these initial directives, and are presently continuing to participate in the identification and prioritization of regional research needs in cooperation with the four Sea Grant programs. Sea Grant programs are a national program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in conjunction with various universities that conduct scientific research, education programs and extension programs to enhance the use and conservation of coastal marine resources. The West Coast Governors’ Agreement hopes that other coastal communities in other states and around the world will see this agreement as a model for their own communities, and find more available funding for state and federal ocean and coastal management. This agreement has just been passed, and the release of the final plan will be released in mid 2008 4.

California State Water Policies:

California Ocean Protection Act (COPA): Created in 1972, this is the primary law that governs the decisions of the Coastal Commission. COPA outlines, among other things, standards for development within the Coastal Zone, as well as encouraging local governments to develop protected areas and increase the diversity and protection of already conserved lands such as bays, wetlands, and estuaries . This will be accomplished by continuous water monitoring and necessary environmental adjustments, while still supporting ocean dependent economic activities. Under this plan several other policies have been enacted, among them California’s Ocean Protection Council, California’s Ocean Currents Monitoring System, and California’s Marine Life Protection Act 5 .

Assembly Bill (AB)-411: This bill is part of the coastal related legislation, which requires the State Department of Health Services to adopt regulations requiring the testing of all beaches for total coliform, fecal coliform, enterococci, and streptococci bacteria. This policy establishes protective minimum standards for the location of monitoring sites and monitoring frequency. It requires postings in clearly visible points along affected beaches whenever state standards are violated, and requires that beaches be tested for total coliform, fecal coliform, enterococci, and streptococci bacteria and chemical pollutants including PCBs, PAHs, and mercury on a weekly basis from April 1 to October 31, of each year 6.

Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act: Created in 1969, and updated in 2007, this is by far one of the most important acts for water protection in California. This act establishes State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) and each Regional Water Quality Control Board as the principal state agency for having primary responsibility in controlling water quality in California by organizing water quality control plans. There are nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards in California (see diagram on website). Today the five-member State Water Board allocates water rights, adjudicates water right disputes, develops statewide water protection plans, establishes water quality standards, and guides the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards located in the major watersheds of the state. The Regional Boards, each comprised of nine members, serve as the frontline for state and federal water pollution control efforts. A Basin Plan tailored to its unique watershed and providing scientific and regulatory basis for each Regional Board’s water protection efforts guides each Board. These basin plans include beneficial uses of the watershed, economic uses of the water, monitoring water quality, the needs to develop housing in the region, and wastewater uses. These also include the development and uses of recycled water, as well notification requirements for oil and petroleum discharges, solid waste disposal sites, and general waste discharge. This act lists the notification requirements if waste is leaked from source and the penalties, waivers, and criteria of what cleanup steps need to occur 7 .

Proposition 50: This proposition for the State of California in 2002, authorizes $3,400,000,000 in general obligation bonds to be repaid from the state’s General Fund, to fund a variety of water projects including: specified CALFED Bay-Delta Program projects including urban and agricultural water use efficiency projects; grants and loans to reduce Colorado River water use; purchasing, protecting and restoring coastal wetlands near urban areas; competitive grants for water management and water quality improvement projects; development of river parkways; improved security for state, local and regional water systems; and grants for desalination and drinking water disinfecting projects.

Approximately four hundred and twelve million dollars in IRWM Grants are available, which are split between the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Approximately one hundred and eighty three million dollars is available from the State Water Board’s funding allocation to qualified recipeints1.

In March 2007, the State Water Board adopted Resolution No. 2007-0011 under Proposition 50 that approved additional IRWM Implementation Grant Funding List totaling $75,000,000 that included the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County in the amount of $12,500, 000. The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County has since requested the State Water Board’s approval to substitute a subsidiary of the Community Foundation as Grantee under the Grant. The subsidiary is a qualified 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, and is called the Regional Water Management Foundation, a Subsidiary of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. This has been done to preserve the fiscal integrity of the Community Foundation by creating a separate legal entity to receive and administer the Grant funds 8.

California Nonpoint Source Pollution Act: Enacted in 1998 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S, EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA). This established the California Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program, which controls and manages a range of nonpoint source pollution such as agriculture, hydromodifications, urban run off and forestry. The California Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program has establishe a Program Plan that identifies nonpoint source management measures to be implemented by 2013. It is a statewide program that represents a commitment by the State to expand its efforts over the next 13 years to reduce and prevent nonpoint source pollution. The Program Plan includes the following key elements:

  • Adoption of 61 nonpoint source management measures (MMs).
  • A commitment to implement all of the MMs by 2013.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the California Coastal Commission and the State Water Resources Control Board regarding their commitment to serve as lead agencies for implementation of the Program Plan.
  • A schedule to implement targeted MMs to be developed in three consecutive five-year plans.
  • Tracking and evaluating program effectiveness through biennial and five-year evaluations. Biennial evaluations will focus on assessing continuing implementation of MMs and activities identified in the five-year plans. At the end of each five-year period, the State will conduct and evaluation of how well performance measures and implementation goals identified in the five-year plans have been met, and assess mechanisms, including rulemaking, to improve program implementation.
  • A description of the authority of the Coastal Commission, via the Coastal Act, and the State and Regional Boards, via the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne), to implement the program throughout the State.
  • Incorporation of additional State authorities into the Program Plan through MOUs and Management Agency Agreements ( MAAs).

As a result of these efforts, California will receive $10.6 million this year to implement the nonpoint source program. This includes $5.2 million of new funds that the Clean Water Action Plan (February 1998) has earmarked for those States that have upgraded their nonpoint source programs 9.

Watershed Policies for Santa Cruz County:

Stormwater Ordinance: The City of Santa Cruz adopted a Stormwater Ordinance establishing standards for keeping stormwater clean. Studies indicate that stormwater runoff is a major contributor of pollutants to the San Lorenzo River and Monterey Bay. In addition to pollution control requirements, the City of Santa Cruz faces significant flood control commitments for the San Lorenzo River Flood Control Project. The City is required to initiate programs that monitor stormwater for pollutants, improve stormwater system maintenance, and provide educational activities to individuals, businesses and agencies that impact stormwater. The City of Santa Cruz adopted a Stormwater Ordinance to establish standards for keeping stormwater clean. Best management practices (BMP, which are effective methods to prevent or reduce the movement of sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants from the land to surface or ground water) for specific areas such as retail, industrial, and construction activities are being developed and implemented. In combination, these programs will reduce stormwater pollution. These activities support the goal of the City to minimize the pollutants from the City storm drain system entering Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The City created the Stormwater Management Utility and established utility fees to pay for the City’s share of costs for stormwater pollution prevention and flood control projects. Stormwater related pollution abatement programs are estimated to cost around $200,000 per year on an ongoing basis 10.

1. California Environmental Protection Agency-Central Coast Regional Water Quality Board. “303(d) List”. September 21 st, 2007. Website attained October 26 th, 2007 from http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/TMDL/303dList.htm.

2. Watershed Information Network.(n.d.). “Know Your Watershed.” Website attained December 7 th, 2007 from http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/tmdl/tmdlhome.html

3. Coastal Watershed Council. “To Restore the Salmon: It Will Take All of Our Communities Working Together.” 2001.

4. West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health: California, Oregon, Washington. “Draft Action Plan”. Febuary, 15th, 2008. www.westcoastoceans.gov.

5. California Ocean Protection Act. “Senate Bills 1318 and 1319. ( Burton)”. (n.d) Retrieved March 8 th, 2007 from: http://www.e2.org/ext/document.jsp?docId=4641.

6. California Coastal Commission. “Coastal Related Legislation”. (n.d) Website attained on October 26 th, 2007 from http://www.coastal.ca.gov/leginfo/1997/sum3.html.

7. State Water Resource Control Board. “Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.” Amended Jan 1 st, 2007. http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_laws/docs/portercologne.pdf

8. State Water Resources Control Board. Board Meeting Session-Division of Financial Assistance. October 2, 2007. Website attained on October 26 th,. 2007 from: http://sccounty01.co.santacruz.ca.us/BDS/GovStream/BDSvData/non_legacy/Minutes/2004/20041207/PDF/025.pdf

9. “ California Coastal Nonpoint Program.” California Coastal Commission Regulations. July 2000. http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/nonpoint/docs/6217ca_fnl.pdf

10. Santa Cruz City Public Works Department. (n.d) “Stormwater Management Utility.” http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pw/

Related sites to the Nonpoint Pollution Plan:

State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

California Coastal Commission (CCC)

California Nonpoint Source Program – State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB)

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program – California Coastal Commission (CCC)

EPA’s National Nonpoint Source Pollution Program

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program – NOAA

Other Watershed Related Resources and Internet Sites:

The Watershed Institute at CSUMB

California Coastal Commission

State Water Resource Control Board

For more information about the history of water policy in California, visit:
History of The State Water Resource County Control Board

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