Application of Copper to the State Water Project to Control Aquatic

448 Pages·2014·18.87 MB·English

APPLICATION OF COPPER
TO THE STATE WATER PROJECT TO CONTROL
AQUATIC WEEDS AND
ALGAL BLOOMS

INITIAL STUDY/
FINAL MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION
MAY 2014
For additional information
regarding this document contact:

Department of Water Resources
Environmental Assessment Branch
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, California 95814

Jeff Janik
Water Quality Section Chief
[phone]

May 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION ............................................................................................................................ 1
PROJECT BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................... 7
PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................................ 8
PROJECT SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................................................... 10
REQUIRED APPROVALS ......................................................................................................................................... 10
SECTION 2: ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST FORM ......................................................................... 11
SECTION 3: EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ........................................................ 13
SECTION 4: LIST OF MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................................................. 52
SECTION 5: REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 54
SECTION 6: AGENCIES CONTACTED ................................................................................................... 56
SECTION 7: LIST OF PREPARERS ......................................................................................................... 56

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 SWP Facilities and Aquatic Weed and Algal Management ................................ 2
Table 2 SWP Reservoir Characteristics ................................................................................... 2
Table 3(a) San Joaquin Project Emissions Results ................................................................. 18
Table 3(b) South Coast Project Emissions Results ................................................................. 18
Table 4 SCAQMD Mass Daily Thresholds Comparison (lbs/day) ................................. 19

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 O’Neill Forebay Overview Map .................................................................................... 3
Figure 2 Quail Lake Overview Map ............................................................................................. 4
Figure 3 Pyramid Lake Overview Map ....................................................................................... 5
Figure 4 Silverwood Lake Overview Map.................................................................................. 6
LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION CERTIFICATION
APPENDIX B DWR AQUATIC PESTICIDES APPLICATION PLAN
APPENDIX C AIR QUALITY EMISSIONS CALCULATIONS
APPENDIX D ESA BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES TECHNICAL REPORT
APPENDIX E MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR COPPER SULFATE PENTAHYDRATE
APPENDIX F MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR NAUTIQUE®
APPENDIX G MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR KOMEEN®
APPENDIX H MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR CAPTAIN® XTR
APPENDIX I MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR EARTHTEC®
APPENDIX J 2013 ANNUAL NPDES MONITORING REPORT
APPENDIX K GHG CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION
APPLICATION OF COPPER
TO THE STATE WATER PROJECT TO CONTROL AQUATIC
WEEDS AND
ALGAL BLOOMS

SECTION 1: PROJECT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has applied for a State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) permit for application of aquatic herbicides to State Water Project (SWP) facilities to control
aquatic weeds and algal blooms, in order to protect drinking water quality from diminishing through elevated
tastes and odors, production of algal toxins, and to avoid aquatic plant buildup that can clog SWP filters and
reduce water flows. This Initial Study (IS) evaluates the potential environmental impacts of applying aquatic
herbicides on SWP facilities. The IS was prepared by DWR, for public circulation, to comply with California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) prior to adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). After public
review and comment, DWR anticipates certifying a MND, shown in Appendix A, that will include the
adoption of mitigation measures to reduce potentially significant impacts of the project to less than
significant levels.

DWR has applied for a statewide General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit
from the SWRCB to apply aquatic herbicides, when necessary, to SWP forebays and reservoirs listed in
Table 1 and shown in project area maps, Figures 1-4. O’Neill Forebay lies at the foot of the Diablo Mountain
Range, on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in Merced County. Quail Lake is located in Los Angeles
County within the transition zone between the Mojave Desert and mountains of the Los Padres and Angeles
National Forests. Pyramid Lake is situated between the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests, about 16
miles north of Castaic in Los Angeles County. Silverwood Lake is situated at an elevation of 3,350 feet in the
San Bernardino Forest within San Bernardino County.

DWR plans to apply copper complexes including copper sulfate, chelated copper compounds (Komeen® and
Nautique®), and EarthTec® on an as-needed basis to control aquatic weeds and algal blooms so that the
blooms do not degrade drinking water through elevated tastes and odors, production of algal toxins, clogging
of filters, and reduction in water flows. Applications of copper for resource management are authorized
under the General NPDES Permit No. 2013-0002-DWQ which has an effective date of December 1, 2013.

General NPDES Permit No. 2013-0002-DWQ requires strict compliance with California Toxics Rule (CTR)
criteria. The SWRCB implements CTR criteria with their Policy for Implementation of Toxics Standards for
Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California, also known as the State Implementation
Plan (SIP), and applicable Basin Plans. Thus, any aquatic pesticide that contains a priority pollutant such as
copper would be prohibited from being applied in concentrations that would exceed applicable water quality
criteria outside an established mixing zone.

Section 5.3 of the SIP provides a categorical exception from the toxics standards where the discharge is
necessary to implement control measures: 1) for resource or pest management or 2) to meet statutory
requirements under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act or California Health and Safety Code, and for
certain maintenance and cleaning activities. DWR’s primary purpose in periodically applying aquatic
herbicides to its reservoirs is: 1) to control algal blooms, and in turn, achieve secondary drinking water
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standards for taste and odor and 2) to control aquatic weeds that impact the beneficial uses and conveyance
of water supplies for municipal, irrigation, and industrial purposes.

Therefore, such discharges qualify for a categorical exception to the toxics standards. Accordingly, DWR
plans to apply for coverage under the SWRCB’s new general permit for aquatic pesticides and, as part of that
application, seek a categorical exception for its use of copper in the SWP facilities shown in Table 1. If
granted, DWR would comply with all terms and conditions of the general permit.

Table 1. SWP Facilities and Aquatic Weed and Algal Management
Associated Aquatic
Region Counties Problem Biota
Problems Herbicide
RESERVOIRS
O’Neill 5 Merced aquatic weeds and reduced water flows copper-based
Forebay cyanobacteria

Quail Lake 4 Los Angeles aquatic weeds and taste and odor and copper-based
cyanobacteria toxins

Pyramid 4 Los Angeles aquatic weeds and taste and odor and copper-based
Lake cyanobacteria toxins

Silverwood 6 San Bernardino aquatic weeds and taste and odor and copper-based
Lake cyanobacteria toxins

The proposed project would involve the continued applications of copper to control aquatic weeds and algal
blooms at SWP reservoirs. Figures 1 – 4 provide area maps for each of the reservoirs of this project. The
facilities are located within the boundaries of three Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regions 4, 5,
and 6). Table 2 summarizes general characteristics of each reservoir.
Table 2. SWP Reservoir Characteristics
Maximum Surface Area at
Reservoirs
Volume (af) Maximum Volume (ac)
O’Neill Forebay 56,400 2,700
Quail Lake 7,600 290
Pyramid Lake 171,200 1,300
Silverwood Lake 75,000 980
Total SWP reservoir storage volume is 5.8 million af.

Source: DWR, Data Handbook State Water Project, 2009
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