2016 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 303(d), 305(b) and 314 Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report Photo: Scott Eck – Wing Beach Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality December 2016 Authors: Jonathan Arriola, Rodney Camacho, Derek Chambers, Erin Derrington, Jose Kaipat, Ryan Okano, and Kathy Yuknavage Maps: Yubert Alepuyo, Derek Chambers, Mark Stewart, and Kathy Yuknavage Table of Contents A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 2 B. BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................... 5 B.1. Scope of Waters in the Integrated Report ....................................................................... 5 B.1.1. CNMI Classification of Marine Water Uses ............................................................... 8 B.1.2. CNMI Classification of Surface Water Uses ............................................................ 10 B.2. Water Pollution Control Programs ................................................................................. 12 B.2.1. Water Quality Surveillance/Nonpoint Source Program ......................................... 12 B.2.2. Marine Biological Monitoring Program .................................................................. 13 B.2.3. Wastewater, Earthmoving, and Erosion Control Program ..................................... 14 B.2.4. Safe Drinking Water and Groundwater Management Program ............................. 15 B.3. Special State Concerns and Recommendations ............................................................. 16 B.3.1. Erosion and Sedimentation ..................................................................................... 16 B.3.2. Illicit, and Permitted Wastewater Discharges ........................................................ 17 B.3.3. Feral and Domesticated Animal Waste Discharge .............................................. 18 B.3.4. Fish Kills, Toxins and Heavy Metals in Fish and Biota ............................................. 18 C. MARINE AND SURFACE WATER MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT ...................................... 19 C.1. Monitoring Programs ..................................................................................................... 19 C.1.1. Marine and Surface Water Quality Monitoring and Notification ........................... 19 C.1.2. Marine Biological Monitoring Program .................................................................. 20 C.1.3. Other Information and Data Used .......................................................................... 23 C.2. Assessment Methodology .............................................................................................. 26 C.2.1. Water Body Segmentation - Watershed Approach ................................................ 26 C.2.2. CNMI Designated Uses ............................................................................................ 26 C.2.3 Criteria and Assessment of Marine Coastal Waters Designated Uses ................... 28 C.2.4 Criteria and Assessment of Surface Waters’ Designated Uses ............................... 35 C.3. US EPA CALM Assessment Categories for Marine and Surface Waters......................... 37 C.3.1. Category 1: . ............................................................................................................ 38 C.3.2. Category 2: . ............................................................................................................ 38 C.3.3. Category 3: . ............................................................................................................ 39 C.3.4. Category 4: ............................................................................................................. 39 C.3.5. Category 5: . ............................................................................................................ 40 C.4 305(b) Assessment Results for ALL CNMI Marine and Surface Waters ......................... 41 C.4.1 305(b) Assessment Results for Saipan .................................................................... 51 C.4.2 305(b) Assessment Results for Rota ....................................................................... 95 C.4.3. 305(b) Assessment Results for Tinian ................................................................... 106 C.4.4. 305(b) Assessment Results for the Northern Islands ........................................... 117 C.5. Cumulative 305(b) Assessment Results for All CNMI Waters ...................................... 119 C.5.1. Cumulative Coastal Marine Water Quality ........................................................... 119 C.5.1. TMDL Development Status ................................................................................... 120 C.5.2. Removal of Waters from the 303(d) List .............................................................. 121 C.6. Public Health Issues ...................................................................................................... 123 C.6.1. Beach Water Quality Issues .................................................................................. 123 C.6.2. Public Water Supply/Drinking Water Use Reporting ............................................ 124 D. GROUND WATER MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT ........................................................... 125 D.1 Overview of Ground Water Contamination Sources ................................................... 125 D.2. Overview of State Ground Water Protection Programs .............................................. 128 D.2.1. Well Drilling and Well Operation Regulations ...................................................... 129 D.2.2. Wastewater Disposal Regulations ........................................................................ 129 D.2.3 Underground Storage Tank Regulations ............................................................... 129 D.2.4 Underground Injection Control Regulations ......................................................... 129 D.2.5 Safe Drinking Water Regulations .......................................................................... 129 D.2.6. Other Monitoring Events/Programs ..................................................................... 129 D.3 Summary of Ground Water Contamination Sources (all CNMI) .................................. 131 D.4 Summary of Ground Water Quality ............................................................................. 132 D.5. Summary of Ground Water-Surface Water Interactions ............................................. 134 E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ....................................................................................................... 134 F. Changes to Final Integrated Report .................................................................................... 135 F.1. Report Format .............................................................................................................. 135 F.2. Water Body Tier Designation ....................................................................................... 135 F.3. Propagation of Aquatic Life .......................................................................................... 135 F.3. CALM Category designation ......................................................................................... 135 G. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 136 APPENDICES I: Watershed Segments and Monitoring Site IDs for CNMI .………………………………………..….. 141 II: Dimensions of Aquatic Resources in Each Watershed Segment of the CNMI ………………. 147 III: Detailed 305(b) Use Support Listing of CNMI Waters ………………………………….……….……… 150 IV: 305(b) Use Designations for All Coastal Waters Listed by CALM Categories ….…………..… 155 V: 305(b) Use Designations for All Streams Listed by CALM Categories …..…………………..….. 160 VI: 305(b) Use Designations for All Lakes and Ponds Listed by CALM Categories ..………..….. 163 VII: 305(b) Use Designations for All Wetlands Listed by CALM Categories …………………….….. 165 VIII: Ranked TMDL Priority 303(d) List from High to Low Priority …………………………..…………… 167 IX: Water Quality Criteria Data Used in Determining 2016 303(d) Water Segment Listing .. 170 X: Public Comment Period Announcements ……………………………………………………………………. 196 2016 CNMI 305(b) And 303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Fiscal Year 2016 CNMI 303(d), 305(b), and 314 Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report was prepared by a number of Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ) staff and other contributors. However, special recognitions should be given to the men and women who tirelessly collect field data whether sunny and mild or during storm events to capture marine and surface water quality, conduct watershed assessments and sanitary surveys, and to georeferenced and map jungle streambeds. They are the staff from the Water Quality Surveillance / Non-Point Source branch. They are (in alphabetical order): Clarissa Tanaka- Bearden, Joseph Ito, Carlos Ketebengang, Shawn Masga, Katie Mattos, Vanessa Nogis, Ryan Okano, Jerome Palacios, Olivia Tenorio, and Kathy Yuknavage. Special recognition should also be given to the BECQ Marine Monitoring Team who perform benthic and coral reef habitat surveys: David Benavente, Rodney Camacho, John Iguel, Steven Johnson, and Lyza Johnston. We should also note all the quality analysis done be the BECQ Environmental