Sediment and Temperature TMDLs – Consultations and Technical Assistance

The Habitat Conservation Division worked with EPA and the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB) to bring their various TMDL plans into alignment, if not agreement, with one another since they were being written for similar watersheds, geology and land uses in a manner protective of listed salmon, steelhead and their habitats.  This involved a detailed review of eight sediment and two temperature TMDLs for North Coast watersheds.  The review of appropriate indicators and assumptions has been applied to 26 TMDLs in northern California thus far and resulted in the publishing of a document by the NCRWQCB entitled “Desired Salmonid Freshwater Habitat Conditions for Sediment-Related Indices” in 2006 which lends structure to the implementation of the TMDLs and their program.

In 2006, Joe Dillon of NMFS provided further assistance to the NCRWQCB by providing comments on the Scott and Shasta TMDL for sediment and temperature which, for the first time, included developed implementation plans as part of their initial packages.  He has also continued to provided input on a developing basin plan amendment for sediment discharges in the Regional Boards territory.  Joe provided similar assistance to the San Francisco Bay board for their sediment TMDL on the Napa River passed in 2006.  

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03/11/08