SAN JOAQUIN RIVER Dissolved Oxygen Total Maximum Daily Load Stakeholder Process

SJR Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Steering Committee
DRAFT Meeting Notes - March 16, 1999
By: Kevin Wolf, kjwolf@dcn.davis.ca.us (530) 758-4211

Attending: Morris Allen, Glen Birdzell, Doug Brewer, Al Brizard, Carl Chen, Earle Cummings, Dan Dodge, Chris Foe, Mary Hildebrand, Gary Ingraham, Bill Jennings, Peggy Lehman, Gary Litton, Ronda Lucas, Paul Marshall, Bob Murdoch, Dennis Smith, John Pulver, Paul Simmons, Erwin Van Niewenhuyse, (Kevin Urquhart), Walt Ward, Leo Winternitz, Wayne and Andrea Zipser, (Others for whom I do not have their last names - Doug, Roger, Mike, Mike, Gary, Craig. Please let me know if your name is not on the list or if you know the last names of these others. KW)

I. Next Meetings:
A. Steering Committee - April 20 from 1-4 pm - 2500 Navy Dr. Stockton

Objectives:
1. Finalize mission statement and priority goals,.
2. Review definitions and agree on as many as possible
3. Review, add to and comment on draft Operating Philosophies

B. Executive Committee - March 31 from 1-3 pm, 2500 Navy Dr. Stockton
Who: Bob M., Ronda, Glen, Earle, Roger

Objectives:
1. Develop proposals for pursuing legislative opportunities.
2. Review and draft job descriptions for committees.
3. Review and improve communication process.
   Who should receive meeting notes and agendas
   What to do about parties that don't participate.
   Use of web and email.
4. Review and recommend action on budget issues (?)
5. Set next meetings.

C. Funding Committee - March 30 from 1-3 pm, somewhere in Sacramento
Who: Peggy, Paul M., Paul S., Doug, John, Bill

Objectives:
1. Review funding needs. What do we need to do to be able to prioritize the importance and timing of this list of needs? Review technical strategic plan options.
2. Review and brainstorm options for funding. Grants, cost sharing, state and federal legislation, USEPA discretionary funds, etc
3. Determine an action plan to pursue different funding opportunities. Who will do what?
4. Set next meeting.

D. Technical Committee - See notes from Technical Committee

Objectives:
1. Advance CALFED grant. Decide among sub-contractors. Determine what is included in grant. Review which stakeholders have provided letters of support and which should be pursued.
2. Review plan for developing Technical Strategic Master Plan.
3. Set next meeting date.

E. Ad Hoc Farm Stakeholder Technical Committee. (Meeting time and location to be determined by Wayne, Ronda and Mary.)

Objectives:
1. Understand hypotheses and potential impacts on farmers.
2. Provide input into the Technical Strategic Master Plan. What should be studied and monitored?
3. Discuss and make recommendations on funding issues.
   Where money should come from.
   How funds should be spent.
4. Make recommendation on how farm interests should be included in technical issues and decisions. Can the farm community send a scientist to sit on the technical committee.
5. Recommend what potential solutions might be pursued right away by farmers.
6. Set additional meetings if needed.

II. Stakeholder Process Issues

1. Water quality objectives refer to the lower San Joaquin River only and not the sloughs and tributaries that drain into the river. This means that the watershed-wide solutions that will be pursued will be established based on their affects on the dissolved oxygen levels in the lower San Joaquin and not in its tributaries. The low dissolved oxygen in the sloughs will be addressed in other forums.
2. Definitions. Chris Foe will provide draft definitions for "water quality objectives", "beneficial uses" and "lower San Joaquin River." Kevin will circulate other draft definitions to the list for additions and suggestions for other definitions.

1. Priority Year One Goals include: (based on weighing exercise results)
   Goal A: the stakeholder process
   Goal C: identify factors for TMDL
   Goal B: the computer model
   Goal D: implement monitoring and develop tech strategic plan
2. 2. Priority Year Two-Three Goals include: (based on weighing exercise results)
   Goal E. Develop and implement adaptive management measures
   Goal J: Recommend implementation strategies for achieving the TMDL plan.
   Goal L: Recommend strategies to develop TMDL implementation strategies.
   Goal K: Determine the attainability of standards.

1. Steering Committee: Open to all. Executive Committee will help develop agendas and oversee Steering Committee issues.
2. Executive/Coordination Committee: In addition to the information provided in the section I. Next Meetings"
3. Funding Committee: In addition to the information provided in the section on "I. Next Meetings"
4. Technical Committee: See separate Technical Committee meeting notes. Contact Peggy Lehman if you want more information.
5. Committees that will be considered at future meetings include:
   a.   Coordination Committee - coordinate with other related efforts in the watershed
   b.   Outreach and Education - bring in missing stakeholders and educate populous about issues, research and possible actions.

A. Update on rewrite by USEPA on TMDL.
This is expected to be completed by June 1999. (I didn't capture whether or not this was just for the SJR DO TMDL or for TMDLs nationwide. Could someone provide more information on this issue to the list? KW)

1. Demand side reduction could be a way to not exacerbate the existing dissolved oxygen problems as new loads enter the system. Presently the Clean Water Act restricts new permits for impaired water bodies. The environmental interests will likely oppose any new permits without a clear relationship on how overall loads go down. This is of special interest to potential new growth and development upstream of Stockton.
2. Erwin explained his experience working with the stakeholders in the Minnesota River. Over a six year period they simultaneously advanced a computer model that allocated pollutants to sources as part of a TMDL process and developed a pollution trading program which made progress toward solving the problems. For more information contact him at 209-946-6400, evannieu@delta.dfg.ca.gov for more information including reports from the Minnesota River work.

1. Take action where ever it is clear and easy (harvest the low hanging fruit first).
2. Coordinate with other watershed groups on dissolved temperature in the river.
3. Identify and prevent redirected impacts.
4. Pursue equitable advancement of adaptive management options for implementing and monitoring possible restorative actions.

D. San Joaquin River Management Program Action Team.
This group has some funding to do research about SJR issues but it does not have the authority to implement solutions. Earle Cummings is on the team and can help inform the two groups of each others needs and work. With DWR's Bob Potter retired, Dale Hoffman-Flourke has taken over as interim chair the group.

E. Suggested Improvements for Future Meetings:

1. Send out information earlier.
2. Schedule a break in the 3 hour meeting.
3. Provide enough copies for everyone at the meeting.