DATE: June 15, 2016
SUBJECT:
Title
PRESENTATION ON THE 2015 COPPER LOAD REDUCTION EFFORTS RELATED TO THE SHELTER ISLAND YACHT BASIN TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In 2005, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) set a Dissolved Copper Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Shelter Island Yacht Basin (SIYB). The TMDL required a 76 percent reduction of copper loading by 2022, with interim loading targets of 10 percent and 40 percent by 2012 and 2017, respectively. The TMDL named the District, the City of San Diego, the SIYB marinas and yacht clubs, hull cleaners, and the recreational boaters themselves, as parties responsible for reducing their copper pollution loads. On March 11, 2011, the Regional Board issued Investigative Order No. R9-2011-0036 to the District. The Investigative Order required that the District annually assess TMDL implementation progress and provide written compliance reports (herein referred to as Progress Reports) to document the actions the District and stakeholders were taking to comply with the TMDL.
The 2015 Progress Report identified that copper reduction efforts were having a positive effect on the copper loading. Water quality testing showed the basin average to be 6.9 ?g/L, a decrease from the baseline average of 8.3 ?g/L. In addition, vessel tracking indicated that there had been a reduction of approximately 40 percent (approximately 849kg/yr) when compared with the TMDL baseline of 2100 kg/yr. This meets the upcoming 2nd interim TMDL target slightly ahead of the 2017 TMDL schedule.
In addition, several notable accomplishments occurred within the Copper Reduction Program during 2015. Highlights included: completion of the grant-funded Hull Paint Conversion Project; the co-signing of a letter to the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) with the Regional Board regarding a list of low leach copper paints for the public; and creating a brochure that highlighted th...
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