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Mercury and PCBs TMDL Implementation

This informative piece delves into the complexities of implementing TMDLs for mercury and PCBs in the San Francisco Bay region. It discusses key challenges faced, such as uncertainties, and proposes adaptive implementation strategies to make progress in attaining water quality standards. The article covers various elements of the TMDL process, including numeric targets, impairment linkages, sources, allocations, and regulatory actions. It also highlights risk reduction efforts, watershed actions, and urban runoff control hypotheses. The importance of adaptive implementation studies and strategic management approaches for mercury and PCBs are emphasized.

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Mercury and PCBs TMDL Implementation

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  1. Mercury and PCBs TMDL Implementation Tom Mumley San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board

  2. Clx Clx Status of TMDLs • Mercury • Regional Board adoption September 2004 • State Board action still pending • PCBs • Draft Basin Plan package Fall 2005 • Regional Board action Winter 2006

  3. TMDL Process Elements Numeric Target Impairment Problem Linkage TMDL Sources Allocations Implementation Actions Regulatory Actions

  4. Hmmm… Mercury… Key Challenge Make decision despite numerous uncertainties!

  5. Adaptive Implementation • Early actions • Scope based on available information • Improve understanding of problem, sources, system, and solutions • Make progress towards attaining water quality standards • Take action  prevent, manage, control  observe system’s response

  6. TMDL Process Elements Numeric Target Impairment Problem Linkage TMDL Sources Allocations Implementation Actions Regulatory Actions

  7. TMDL Process Elements Numeric Target Impairment Problem Linkage TMDL Sources Allocations Implementation Actions Regulatory Actions

  8. Mercury Sources and Allocations

  9. PCBs Sources and Allocations

  10. Risk Reduction • Pollutant related health risks to consumers of bay fish • Clean Estuary Partnership Work Team • Water Board, BACWA, BASMAA • Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Dept of Health Services • CEP Environmental Tech Rep

  11. Central Valley Watershed Actions • Mercury • Cache Creek TMDL • Summer 2005 • Delta TMDL • Summer 2006

  12. Guadalupe River Watershed Actions • Mercury • TMDL Winter 2006/07 • New Almaden Mine District • Reservoirs

  13. Dredging and Disposal Actions • Implement LTMS • Long Term Management Strategy for the Placement of Dredged Material in the San Francisco Bay Region • In-bay disposal  ambient

  14. Wastewater Actions • Maintain performance • Pollution prevention • Treatment systems • Confirm no local effects • Assist with studies • Assist with control of other sources • Strategic treatment of runoff Watershed Permit

  15. In-Bay Hot Spots Actions • Hunters Point • Seaplane Lagoon • (Alameda NAS) • Stege Marsh • (Richmond) • Others? • Relative significance • Opportunity

  16. PCBs in Watersheds

  17. PCBs in Watersheds

  18. PCBs in Watersheds

  19. Mercury and/or PCBs - Urban Runoff Control Hypotheses • Hg and PCBs are distributed throughout urban watersheds • There are hot zones of Hg and/or PCBs (elevated levels) • Sediment bound Hg and PCBs accumulate in the transmission system • There is buildup of polluted sediment near some storm drain discharge points

  20. Urban Runoff Action • Pollution prevention (light bulbs) • Clean-up on-land, storm drain, and discharge point “hot spots” • Strategic retrofit • Operation and maintenance

  21. Urban Runoff Action • Pollution prevention (light bulbs) • Clean-up on-land, storm drain, and discharge point “hot spots” • Strategic retrofit • Site design • Intercept/treatment • Route to sanitary sewer system • Operation and maintenance • Street sweeping • Inlet and storm drain cleaning

  22. Hmmm… Save Bay… Adaptive Implementation Studies • Sediment and sediment-bound pollutant fate and transport • Erosion of in-bay sediments • Recovery of the bay • Urban runoff loading and effectiveness of controls • Methylation • How, where, and when? • Can we manage it?

  23. Mercury and PCBs TMDL Implementation • Multibox model • Manage methylation • if we can • Mine cleanup • Strategic hot spot cleanup - in bay, in storm drains, and on land • Strategic urban runoff management

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