Benefits of the Redesigned RMP to Regional Board

Benefits of the Redesigned RMP to Regional Board Decision Making Karen Taberski Regional Water Quality Control Board San Francisco Bay Region

Outline of Presentation n n Brief review of RMP Benefits of RMP to Regional Board 5 -year review Redesign u Process u Results Added benefits of the redesigned RMP to Regional Board

RMP Objectives (1993 -1998) n n n Obtain baseline data describing the concentration of toxic and potentially toxic trace element and organic contaminants in the water column and sediment of SF Estuary Determine seasonal and annual trends in water quality Develop a data set to determine long-term trends Determine whether water and sediment quality are in compliance with objectives established by the Basin Plan Provide a data base on water and sediment quality which is compatible with other ongoing studies in the region

RMP Program n Base Program (Status and Trends Monitoring) n Pilot Studies/Special Studies

Base Program (Status and Trends Monitoring) n n n Water Column u Conventional parameters u Chemistry u Toxicity Sediment u Chemistry u Toxicity Bioaccumulation (bivalves)

Pilot/Special Studies Episodic toxicity n Contaminants in fish tissue n Fish consumption study n Benthic pilot n Estuary interface study n Air deposition study n Tidal wetlands contamination n

General Benefits to Regional Board Provides focus n Helps develop priorities n Determine if WQOs are exceeded n Determine if beneficial uses are being protected n

Specific Examples of Benefits to Regional Board n n n Technical basis for Impaired Waterbodies List (303 d list) and 305 b report (Bay segments) Copper and nickel Fish Studies u u n n Contamination – PCBs & Hg, consumption advisory Consumption – Public health education Technical basis for mercury and PCB TMDLs Track results of changes in pesticide usage (Episodic toxicity) Ambient Sediment Guidelines Background for NPDES permits

5 -Year Review Comments n 5 -year review comments Refine RMP objectives u Define management and scientific questions to focus studies u Develop mass budget models to provide a context for RMP results u Evaluate sources, pathways and loadings of contaminants u Summarize, synthesize and interpret data more thoroughly including data from other programs u

5 -Year Review and Redesign Process

Results of 5 -Year Review and Redesign Revised objectives t Evaluate sources, pathways and loadings t Measure contaminant effects u Developed management questions u Developing studies to evaluate sources, pathways and loadings u Developing bioaccumulation and effects pilot studies t Bioaccumulation at higher trophic levels t Better evaluate trends in bioaccumulative contaminants t Directly measure exposure and effects of contaminants in higher trophic level species to more directly evaluate BUs u

Results of 5 -year Review and Redesign (cont. ) Adopted new statistically random base program sampling design u Developing mass balance models including food web models as framework for RMP and TMDLs u Including additional toxic bioaccumulative contaminants in analyte list of base program u

New Base Program Status and Trends Design Redefines segments of the Estuary based on scientific data n Uses statistically random design in order to have truly representative data n Stations cover greater spatial extent (shallows) n Incorporates fish monitoring and episodic toxicity monitoring into base program n

RMP Redesign Sampling locations & Rotating Panel Design

Number of Randomly Allocated Samples per Segment for Water and Sediment San Pablo Bay l Suisun W=4 S=8 l Rivers l W=4 S=8 l ll ll Total Samples water samples: 33 Central Bay (28 random + 5 fixed) sediment samples: 49 (40 random + 9 fixed) W=10 S=8 South Bay l W=6 l S=8 Lower South Bay ll ll

RMP Water Sample Sites, Years 1 to 5 Suisun San Pablo Bay Rivers l l l Central Bay South Bay Lower South Bay ll

New Pilot/Special Studies n n Bioaccumulation studies in higher trophic levels (birds, bird eggs, seals) and their prey Biological effects studies tied to bioaccumulation and exposure Measurements of particulate bound loadings from the rivers/delta Identification of contaminants of concern for possible addition to analyte list

Benefits of New Program n New statistically random base program design u Data will be truly representative of the Estuary and segments of the Estuary which will result in better evaluation of: whether the Estuary or segments of the Estuary exceed WQOs, t spatial patterns of contamination including shallows and, t the proportion of the estuary that is contaminated and/or toxic. t

Benefits of New Program (cont. ) n Mass balance and food web models will: u Form the technical basis of TMDLs u Help evaluate the effectiveness of source control measures and corrective actions u Act as a tool to synthesize data from the RMP and other programs u Help identify and prioritize data gaps u Form a framework for the RMP to increase our understanding of: sources, pathways and loadings t the action of contaminants in physical, chemical and biological processes t

Benefits of New Program (cont. ) n Sources and loadings studies (303 d &TMDLs) Episodic toxicity-identify sources and causes of toxicity u Rivers studies will quantify loadings from Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers u n Bioaccumulation studies Determine bioaccumulation at top of food chain u Better evaluate trends u n n Biological effects studies allow us to more directly evaluate whether beneficial uses are being protected Proactive monitoring of new chemicals of concern

Conclusions n n The RMP has been extremely valuable to Regional Board priority setting and decision making. Continual internal review and adjustment of the program has allowed the RMP to adapt to regulatory changes and new scientific information. The 5 -year external review added credibility to the program and provided us with insights into many aspects of the program. The redesign process was successful in: u u n implementing the recommendations of the review panel using Regional Board management questions and scientific expertise to develop a program that would address these questions in a scientifically valid manner. The RMP redesign has resulted in a more sophisticated approach to contaminant studies that better meets the needs of the Regional Board.

The RMP is a valuable environmental monitoring program based on a unique partnership between regulatory agencies and dischargers that can serve as a model for others. Such a model for collaboration and cooperation deserves national and international recognition. Such a partnership does not, to our knowledge, exist anywhere else in the world. ” “In addition, the data from the RMP are of a very high quality and reflect, in many cases, state-of-theart analysis for environmental parameters that is unequaled in a monitoring program of this size” RMP 5 -Year Review Committee Report (1998)