DRAFT FINAL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of Current Water Quality Monitoring Programs in the Delta ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prepared for Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board State Water Resources Control Board November 2009 Thomas Jabusch and Alicia Gilbreath Aquatic Science Center DRAFT FINAL Table of Contents List of Acronyms.............................................................................................................. 5 List of URLs..................................................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 9 Overview of Monitoring Programs, Sites, and Approaches................................................9 Monitoring Drivers ...........................................................................................................11 Data Availability ...............................................................................................................12 Conclusions and Next Steps............................................................................................12 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 13 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 13 Monitoring Drivers and Objectives ................................................................................ 14 Regulatory Compliance ...................................................................................................15 Source Water Protection..................................................................................................16 Environmental Management and Policy Support.............................................................16 Overview of Existing Monitoring Programs.................................................................... 18 Continuous Monitoring.....................................................................................................18 Receiving Water Monitoring.............................................................................................20 Water Supply Monitoring .................................................................................................21 Regional and Watershed Monitoring ...............................................................................21 Monitoring Sites ............................................................................................................ 22 Continuous Monitoring Sites............................................................................................23 Receiving Water Monitoring Sites....................................................................................23 Water Supply Monitoring Sites ........................................................................................24 2 DRAFT FINAL Regional and Watershed Program Monitoring Sites........................................................25 Approaches and Parameters......................................................................................... 28 Continuous Monitoring.....................................................................................................28 Receiving Water Monitoring.............................................................................................28 Water Supply Monitoring .................................................................................................30 Regional and Watershed Monitoring ...............................................................................30 Data Availability............................................................................................................. 37 Public Databases.............................................................................................................37 Reporting, Availability, and Uses of Delta Monitoring Data..............................................39 Monitoring Costs ........................................................................................................... 42 Ongoing Multi-Year Studies .......................................................................................... 45 Synopsis........................................................................................................................ 45 Conclusions and Next Steps ......................................................................................... 51 Appendices ................................................................................................................... 54 A. Inventory of Existing Delta Water Quality Monitoring Programs ...............................55 A.1 Continuous Monitoring ............................................................................................... 55 A.2. Receiving Water Monitoring ...................................................................................... 71 A.3. Water Supply Monitoring............................................................................................ 91 A.4. Regional and Watershed Monitoring........................................................................ 99 B. Overview Maps of Existing Delta Water Quality Monitoring – by Program Category116 B.1. Continuous Monitoring ............................................................................................. 117 B.2. Receiving Water Monitoring .................................................................................... 119 B.3. Water Supply Monitoring.......................................................................................... 122 B.4. Regional and Watershed Monitoring...................................................................... 124 C. Overview Maps of Existing Delta Water Quality Monitoring – Selected Parameters Organized by Monitoring Program Category ..........................................................127 C.1. Ammonia..................................................................................................................... 128 3 DRAFT FINAL C.2. Disinfection Byproducts............................................................................................ 130 C.3. Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) .......................................................................... 132 C.4. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) ........................................................................................... 134 C.5. Mercury and Methyl Mercury................................................................................... 138 C.6. Pesticides ................................................................................................................... 140 C.7. Salinity......................................................................................................................... 142 C.8. Sediment Chemistry.................................................................................................. 146 C.9. Sediment Toxicity...................................................................................................... 148 C.10. Water Toxicity ............................................................................................................ 150 D. Ongoing Multi-Year Studies ......................................................................................152 Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel Dissolved Oxygen TMDL ...................................... 152 POD Toxicity Monitoring with Hyalella azteca and Delta Smelt ..................................... 153 U.S. Geological Survey Projects.......................................................................................... 153 Microcystis Toxicity in the Delta........................................................................................... 154 4 DRAFT FINAL List of Acronyms abs absorbance ASC Aquatic Science Center BDAT Bay-Delta and Tributaries Project BMP best management practices BOD biological oxygen demand CCC Contra Costa Canal CCWD Contra Costa Water District CDEC California Data Exchange Center CEDEN California Environmental Data Exchange Network CFR Code of Federal Regulations CMP Coordinated Monitoring Program COD chemical oxygen demand CSD community services district CVP Central Valley Project CWA Clean Water Act D-1641 Water Right Decision 1641 DBP disinfection byproduct precursor DFG California Department of Fish and Game DMC Delta-Mendota Canal DOC dissolved organic carbon DO dissolved oxygen DWR California Department of Water Resources DWSC Deep Water Ship Channel E. coli Escherichia coli EC electrical conductivity EMP Environmental Monitoring Program ETBE ethyl tert-butyl ether ID irrigation district IEP Interagency Ecological Program ILRP Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program mgd million gallons per day MLML Moss Landing Marine Laboratories MRP monitoring and reporting plan MS4 municipal separate storm sewer system MTBE methyl-tert-butyl ether MWQI Municipal Water Quality Investigations N nitrogen NASQAN National Stream Quality Accounting Network NAWQA National Water Quality Assessment Program NH3 ammonia nm nanometer NO2 nitrite NO3 nitrate NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System NWIS National Water Information System 5 DRAFT FINAL OC organic carbon P phosphorus P4 Priority Pollutant Prevention Program