HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-08; Carlsbad Watershed Management Area Water Quality Improvement Plan Update; Gomez, PazTo the members of the;
Cl1Y COUNCIL . . tOL I . ✓ Date ~ a:, CA_::!__ CC ___ .
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Council Memorandum
Oct. 8, 2020
To: Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
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Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2020217
Froi:n: Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works · . .
Via: Geoff Patno.e~ Assistant City Ma nag& --. . .
Re: Carlsbad Watershed ~Management ~Water Quality Improvement .Plan Update
This memorandum provides an update on the Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) for the
Carlsbad Watershed Management Area (CWMA) as required by the California Regional Water
Quality Control Board, San Diego Region (San Diego Water Board).
Background
The City of Carlsbad is subject to San Diego Water Board National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Order No. R9-2013-0001, as amended by NPDES Order Nos. R9-2015-0001, and
R9-2015-0100 (Permit). The CWMA consists of the following jurisdictions, collectively known as
the CWMA Copermittees: County of San Diego an9 incorporated cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, .
Esconqido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach an-cl Vista.
In accordance with the Permit, the CWMA Copermittees prepared the CWMA WQIPto help
guide the Jurisdicticmal Runoff Management Programs (JRMP) towards achieving improved water ·
quality in municipalsep~rate storm sewersyste~ (MS4) discharges a_nd receiving waters; The
\NQIP was developed in conjunction with a consultation panel1 and public_ review processes from
2013 to 2015.
Based on feedback from the San Diego Water Board, the WQIP was revised, r~submitted and
subsequently accepted in November 2016. In May 2018, the WQIP was updated to include the
Escondido Creek Hydromodification Plan and minor revisions noted in Annual Reports. The most
recent WQIP along with Annual Reports can be found on the multi-jurisdictional clearinghouse,
the Project Clean Water website (www.projectcleanwater.org).
-The WQIP is intended to be a planning document that adapts to changing conditions through_
established update cycles and approved revisi~n processes. The city regularly adapts its
programs and priorities based on information and experience obtained from program
implementation and assessment of new science and data ..
1 The consultation panel is defined in the Permit as a panel consisting of at least O!"]e representative from the San
Diego Water Board, environmental community and development community.
Public Works Branch
Environmental Management Department
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I .760-602-2799t
Council Memo -CWMA Water Quality Improvement Plan Update
. Oct. 8, 2020
Page 2
Discussion
In October 2017, the CWMA Copermittees received vyater quality data collected in Agua
Hedionda Lagoon by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)1s Shellfish Program from
the San Diego Water Board. As r.equested by the San Diego Water Board, the CWMA
·copermittees analyzed the data and presented results and recommendations in a Technical
Memor'a·ndum, submitted as Attachment 1, of the fiscal year (FY)2017-18 WQIP Arin~al Report.
In November 2019, the CWMA Copermittees received a con:iment letter from the San .Diego
Water Board regarding the FY 2017-18 WQIP Annual Report. Specifically, the San Diego Water
Board required a WQIP Update about impacts to shellfish harvesting (SHELL) and the contact
recreation (REC-1) beneficial uses in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The current FY 2020-21
Operating Budget for Watershed Protection is sufficient to fund staff and consultant costs for the
WQIP update, which is due to the Regional Board by Jan. 30, 2021.
Environmental Management Department staffand other CWMA Copermittees, with the help of a
consultant team, are currently updating the WQIP as directed by the San Diego Water Board. A
virtual consultation panel meeting was held on Sept. 3, 2020, in which input was gathered from
panel members and the public. Additionally, written comments regarding the consultation panel
meeting were accepted and will be considered.
Next Steps
CWMA Copermittees will consider the comments received from the public and consultation
panel. Beginning Oct. 19, 2020, a response to comments and a dra~ of the updated WQIP will be
posted on th_e Project Clean Water website for ·a 30-day public review.
On Jan. 29, 2021, the final updated WQIP will be submitted to the San Diego Water Board. The
San Diego Water Board will then have 30 days to provide additional comments. If no additional
comments are received, the WQIP will be considered accepted.
Staff expects the San Diego Water Board wm require additional water quality monitoring in the
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Watershed as part of this update. The additional monitoring will likely
start in FY 2021-22. Any additional funds required for compliance with the prog·ram will be
requested as part of the standard budgeting process.
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
· Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services
Robby Contreras, Assistant City Attorney
Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director
James Wood, Environmental Manager
Tim Murphy, Senior Program Manager