Table 4. Matrix of water quality objectives for all surface waters identified in the Lahontan Region Water Quality Control Plan and their applicability and likelihood of compliance in the Lower Owens River.
Technical Memorandum #7
| LORP Page
| Water Quality Objective | Water Quality Standard | Applicability and Compliance in the Lower Owens River |
| Ammonia | The fraction of toxic NH3 to total ammonia species is a function of temperature and pH. Ammonia values shall not exceed values listed for the corresponding conditions in tables given in the Water Quality Control Plan. | Predicted ammonia values, at existing pH and temperatures by river reach, indicate that ammonia will be in compliance in the long term, In the short term (first 2 years) there may be initial problems with ammonia when water is reintroduced into the river and both muck and cattle waste are mobilized. However, wastes and anoxic bottom materials should soon be assimilated with gradual increases in stream flow. |
| Coliform Bacteria | The fecal coliform concentration during any 30-day period shall not exceed a log mean of 20/100 ml, nor shall more than 10% of all samples collected during any 30-day period exceed 40/100ml. | Results of bacterial sampling in 1995 and predicted coliform bacteria levels indicate that in the long term water quality in the river will stay within standards. However, there will be short term violations, particularly in summer months, until land management actions (grazing strategies) take effect and full assimilation is reached in the river with gradually increasing flows; approximately two to three years. |
| Biostimulatory Substances | Waters shall not contain biostimulatory substaces in concentrations that promote aquatic growth to the extent that such growths cause nuisance or adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. | Other than anticipated excess nutrient loading in the early years of rewatering, in the long term inputs of biostimulatory substances are not expected. |
| Chemical Constituents | Waters designated as municipal and domestic supply shall not contain concentrations of chemical constituents in excess of the maximum contaminant level or secondary maximum contaminant level based upon drinking water standards specified in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. | No contaminant levels of chemicals are anticipated to enter the river from the watershed. |
| Total Residual Chlorine | For the protection of aquatic life, total chlorine residual shall not exceed either a median value of 0.002 mg/l or a maximum value of 0.003 mg/l. | No chlorine inputs are anticipated and total residual
chloride will remain below standards. |
| Color | Waters shall be free of coloration that causes nuisance or adversely affects the water for beneficial uses. | Color is not expected to be modified by the rewatering project. |
| Dissolved Oxygen | The dissolved oxygen concentration, as percent saturation, shall not be depressed by more than 10%, nor shall the minimum dissolved oxygen concentration be less than 80% of saturation. For cold and warm water and spawning habitat beneficial uses: 7-day mean > 6.0 mg/l; 1-day minimum > 5.0 mg/l. | Currently the watered reaches of the river do not meet dissolved oxygen standards during summer months. At 72 F and the barometric pressure at the river’s elevation, the 80% saturation level occurs at about 6.0 mg/l dissolved oxygen. QUAL2E modeling indicates that future dissolved oxygen conditions in the summer months will not meet this standard. However, it is anticipated that with improved grazing strategies, improved quality of irrigation return, development of a riparian corridor, and continuous flow through, dissolved oxygen conditions will improve with time. Nevertheless, dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 6 mg/l meet the physiological needs of native fish species targeted for the lower river. |
| Floating Materials | Waters shall not contain floating material, including solids, liquids, foams, and scum, in concentrations that cause nuisance or adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. | Other than woody debris and vegetation, no other floating materials are anticipated. |
| Oil and Grease | Waters shall not contain oils, greases, waxes, or other materials in concentrations that result in a visible film or coating on the surface of the water or on objects in the water, that cause nuisance, or that otherwise adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. | Oil and grease are not expected to be discharged at any point along the stream. |
| Nondegradation of Pop./Comm. | All wetlands shall be free from substances attributable to wastewater or other discharges that produce adverse physiological responses in humans, animals, or plants; or which lead to the presence of undesirable or nuisance aquatic life. | The LORP will enhance and enlarge wetlands, populations, and plant and animal communities. |
| Pesticides | Pesticide concentrations, individually or collectively, shall not exceed the lowest detectable levels, using the most recent detection procedures available. There shall not be an increase in pesticide concentrations found in bottom sediments. There shall be no detectable increase in bioaccumulation of pesticides in aquatic life. | Pesticides are used in the watershed primarily for mosquito control and herbicides for noxious weed control. However, pesticide and herbicide concentrations in the lower Owens River are not expected to be detectable but this parameter will be included in the long term water quality monitoring program. |
| pH | In freshwaters with designated beneficial uses of cold and warm water habitat, changes in normal ambient pH levels shall not exceed 0.5 pH units. | Long term changes in pH are not expected, short term changes will occur as the river flows increase and land management actions take effect. |
| Radioactivity | Radionuclides shall not be present in concentrations which are deleterious to human, plant, animal, or aquatic life nor which result in the accumulation of radionuclides in the food web to an extent which presents a hazard to human, plant, animal, or aquatic life. | No radioactive materials are expected to occur in the river. |
| Sediment | The suspended sediment load and suspended sediment discharge rate of surface waters shall not be altered in such a manner as to cause nuisance or adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. | Sediment mobilization is not expected given the low scour rate predicted by HEC-2 modeling. One goal of river management and rewatering dry channels is to hold sediments within the system for bank building purposes. |
| Settleable Materials | Waters shall not contain substances in concentrations that result in deposition of material that causes nuisance or that adversely affects the water for beneficial uses. For natural high quality waters, the concentration of settleable materials shall not be raised more than 0.1 ml/l. | Settleable solids are not expected to be a concern with the short term rewatering effort or long term management. |
| Suspended Materials | Waters shall not contain suspended materials in concentrations that cause nuisance or that adversely affects the beneficial uses. | Suspended materials are not expected to be a concern with the short term rewatering effort or long term management. |
| Taste and Odor | Waters shall not contain taste or odor-producing substances in concentrations that impart undesirable tastes or odors to fish or other edible products of aquatic origin, that cause nuisance, or that adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. | Taste and odor will not change in the river. |
| Temperature | For waters designated warm water habitat, water temperature shall not be altered by more than 5 degrees (F) above or below the natural temperature. For waters designated cold water habitat, the temperature shall not be altered. | Short term water temperature changes will occur as a result of rewatering and long term changes will occur as riparian canopy develops over the river. The extent to which temperature will be reduced may or may not exceed 0.5 F. |
| Toxicity | All waters shall be maintained free of toxic substances in concentrations that are toxic to, or that produce detrimental physiological responses in human, plant, and animal, or aquatic life. | It is expected that the Lower Owens River will remain free of toxic substances. |
| Turbidity | Waters shall be free of changes in turbidity that cause nuisance or adversely affect the water for beneficial uses. Increases in turbidity shall not exceed natural levels by more than 10%. | Short term changes in turbidity are expected as stream flow is gradually increased in the first two years. However, long term turbidiy levels are expected to be lower than presently occur because of improved vegetative cover and land management. |
| Boron | Boron objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Chloride | Chloride objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Fluoride | Fluoride objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Total Nitrogen | Total Nitrogen objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. |
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| Nitrate Nitrogen | Nitrate nitrogen objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Sulfate | Sulfate objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Dissolved Ortthophosphate | Dissolved orthophosphate objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Total dissolved solid objectives have not been assigned to the Lower Owens River. | Not applicable |