Middle Fork Project AQ 11 – Water Quality Technical Study Plan Report Overview

1. Middle Fork ProjectAQ 11 – Water Quality Technical Study Plan Report Overview May 5, 2008

2. Water Quality Study Objectives and Related StudyElements and Reports Study Objective Characterize physical, chemical, and bacterial water quality conditions in the bypass reaches and the peaking reach, comparison reaches, and Project reservoirs and diversion pools and compare to the CVRWQCB Basin Plan objectives and water quality standards. Complete 2007 Water Quality Field Program Conduct Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling Conduct in-situ Field Measurement Sampling Conduct Coliform Sampling Conduct Fish Tissue Analysis Conduct General Water Quality Sampling Document 2007 Water Quality Sampling Results in this report Consult with Aquatic TWG Determine if Additional Water Quality Sampling is Needed Determine if Additional Fish Tissue Analyses are Needed Determine if Additional Water Quality Sampling is Needed to Address any Macroinvertebrate Issues Develop Recommendations and Prepare Contingency Studies, if necessary Complete 2008 Contingency Water Quality Field Program, if necessary Document 2008 Water Quality Sampling Results in Water Quality Report (2009), if necessary

3. Study Objectives • Characterize physical, chemical, and bacterial water quality conditions in the bypass reaches and the peaking reach, comparison reaches, and Project reservoirs and diversion pools. • Compare water quality conditions to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB 1998) Basin Plan objectives and water quality objectives.

4. Existing Water Quality Objectives • Water quality analytical results were compared to: • The Sacramento River Basin and San Joaquin River Basin Plan Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) • California Toxics Rule (CTR) • National Toxics Rule (NTR) • Fish tissue analysis results were compared to: • California’s Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) guidelines

5. Potential ContingencyStudies • Additional Water Quality Sampling • Determine if results from the general water quality sampling program indicate a potentially adverse water quality condition. • If appropriate, develop an additional sampling program to further investigate the cause or source of the potentially adverse water quality condition. • Additional BMI Sampling • Implement SWAMP to quantify BMI species compositions, abundance, and distribution at locations where potentially adverse water quality issues may exist or are identified by the water quality sampling program. • Develop sampling to address potential water quality issues in consultation with the Aquatic TWG.

6. Potential ContingencyStudies • Additional Fish Sampling • Fish Tissue Methyl Mercury Levels • If methyl mercury in fish tissue exceeds the OEHHA guidelines of 0.08 ppm during the initial sampling, the Aquatic TWG will be consulted concerning the need for additional sampling. • If additional sampling is deemed appropriate, a sampling protocol will be developed. • Water Total Mercury Concentrations • Fish tissue sampling may be expanded in the event water quality sampling identifies locations that are of potential concern due to the presence of levels of total Mercury that exceed the EPA Freshwater Aquatic Life criteria as described in 40 CFR §131.

7. Water Quality Results • Rivers and Streams • In-situ field measurements • General water quality parameters • Voluntary enhanced water quality sampling • Coliform sampling

8. Water Quality Monitoring Locations

9. Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling Below Hell Hole Reservoir Below French Meadows Reservoir

10. Leakage Weir Flows Note: 10 gal/min = 0.02 cfs; 20 gal/min = 0.5 cfs; 50 gal/min = 0.1 cfs

11. Leakage Weir Flows Note: 10 gal/min = 0.02 cfs; 20 gal/min = 0.5 cfs; 50 gal/min = 0.1 cfs

12. DO and Metal Concentrations in French Meadows Leakage Channels and Middle Fork American River Iron (Fe) Criteria: Taste and Odor 0.3 mg/L (Basin Plan) Freshwater Aquatic Life Protection: 1 mg/L (NTR) Manganese (Mn) Criteria: 50 ug/L (Basin Plan) (Taste and Staining) Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Criteria: 7.0 mg/L for Cold waters (Basin Plan)

13. Fecal Coliform Sampling Locations

14. River and Stream Coliform Sampling • All fecal coliform results in spring and fall met listed objectives, except: • North Fork Long Canyon Creek (RM3.0) in fall • Ralston Afterbay near the Ralston picnic area • Exceeded objectives on one day during 30-day, 5 sample sampling

15. River Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations

16. Reservoir Water Quality Results • In-situ field measurements • General water quality parameters

17. Hell Hole Reservoir Temperature Profiles

18. Hell Hole Reservoir Dissolved Oxygen Profiles Basin Plan Objective: 7.0 mg/L for COLD water bodies 100% Saturation (15.8oC, 4,514 ft) = 8.4 mg/L

19. French Meadows Reservoir Temperature Profiles

20. French Meadows Reservoir Dissolved Oxygen Profiles Basin Plan Objective: 7.0 mg/L for COLD water bodies

21. Fish Tissue Collection and Analysis for Methyl Mercury Sample Locations: • Hell Hole Reservoir • French Meadows Reservoir • Middle Fork Interbay • Ralston Afterbay • Middle Fork American River near Otter Creek confluence

22. Fish Tissue Analysis Results

23. Average Mercury Concentrations (mg/Kg-fish) and Number of Fish Individual fish analyses only Excludes fish below the following legal and/or edible size limits: LT: 350 mm; SPM: 250 mm Bold values indicate screening value of 0.08 mg/Kg were exceeded (Cal EPA 2005; Klasing and Brodbery 2006).

24. Guidance Fish Tissue Levels Note: ppm =mg/kg Draft Fish Consumption Guidelines (OEHHA 2006)

25. Guidance Fish Tissue Levels

26. Safe Eating Guidelines Example Draft Fish Consumption Guidelines for the Lower Feather River (OEHHA 2006)

27. Individual Fish Tissue Analysis Results * 2 LT were < 350 mm (legal and/or edible size criteria) (265 & 270 mm) ** 1 SPM was < 250 mm (legal and/or edible size criteria) (239 mm)

28. Summary Slides

29. Fish Tissue Analysis Results

30. River and Stream In-situ Field Measurement Results • All measurements met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except: • Dissolved oxygen at Duncan Creek Confluence • Duncan Creek above Middle Fork American River confluence in spring • Middle Fork American River above Duncan Creek confluence in spring • Middle Fork American River below Duncan Creek confluence in spring *** These locations were not surveyed in the fall due to unsafe field conditions accessing the sampling locations.

31. River and Stream General Water Quality Parameter Results • All general parameters and dissolved metals analyzed and total mercury samples met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except: • Dissolved manganese • Middle Fork American River below French Meadows gaging station in fall

32. Voluntary Enhanced Water Quality Sampling • Hell Hole Dam • All in-situ field measurements and general water quality parameters met listed objectives • French Meadows Dam • In-situ field measurements • pH and dissolved oxygen did not meet water quality objectives • General water quality parameters • Iron and manganese concentrations exceeded water quality objectives

33. Reservoir In-situ Field Measurement Results • All measurements met listed objectives or were within expected ranges, except: • Dissolved oxygen • Hell Hole Reservoir in fall • French Meadows Reservoir in spring and fall • Two locations in spring • One location in fall

34. Reservoir General Water Quality Parameter and Fecal Coliform Results • All general parameters and dissolved metals analyzed and total mercury samples met listed objectives or were within expected ranges. • All fecal coliform results in spring and fall met listed objectives.

35. Fish Tissue Analysis Results • Methyl mercury concentrations in at least 1 fish from each location exceeded the OEHHA screening value (0.08 mg/kg fish). • 23 of 45 individual fish analyzed exceeded the screening value. • Highest concentrations were measured in fish from Hell Hole Reservoir, where largest fish were caught.