SAN JOAQUIN RIVER Dissolved Oxygen Total Maximum Daily Load Stakeholder Process

San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen Steering Committee
Draft Mission Statement and Objectives
Based on previous documents and suggestions from the Feb. 16 and March 16 Stakeholder Meetings, and email from Chris Foe and Bill Jennings
By: Kevin Wolf, facilitator (530) 758-4211 kjwolf@dcn.davis.ca.us

Draft Mission Statement for TMDL Steering Committee
Using a consensus-building stakeholder process* guided by monitoring and sound scientific research, the SJR DO Steering Committee will create and implement a watershed-wide*, adaptive management* strategic plan that achieves dissolved oxygen level objectives* and standards for the protection of beneficial uses* in the lower* San Joaquin River.

All * items will have a definition accompanying the mission statement. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide their definitions for consideration at a future Steering Committee meeting.

DRAFT Definitions

Consensus-based stakeholder process

Stakeholder

Stakeholders are often representatives of different interest groups and organizations but can be any person who cares about - has a stake in - the issue. "Persons, businesses, entities, and agencies effecting or affected by low dissolved oxygen levels in the lower San Joaquin River"

Consensus-based Process

By first gaining widespread agreement on the stakeholder process mission, priority goals, strategies, core principles, and groundrules, and by understanding each other's basic interests, stakeholders can more easily make subsequent decisions and ultimately reach broad-based support for a final agreement. Striving for consensus means that when time is permitting, disputed items get sent to committee to attempt a resolution. A fall-back decision making process should be in place for time-pressed situations when not everyone supports a proposal. (Some groups use a supermajority -66-80%- fall-back voting process.)

Watershed-wide

All land, via either surface or underground flow, that drains into the San Joaquin River and South Delta area.

Adaptive management (1)

A science-directed process whereby the possible solutions to prioritized problems are implemented, monitored, evaluated and then are either repeated, or the evolve into the next round of testing.

Adaptive Management (2)

is a "technique for coupling science and management so that each responds to the needs and information of the other. Neither undertaking is consistently above nor below the other in priority, rather each has areas of high priority. Scientific research is focused on those areas of greatest importance to managers, while management activities are planned and monitored as a series of ongoing experiments". Dave Wegner

Water quality objectives - The term 'water quality objectives' is defined in section 13050(h) of the Water Code.

The Central Valley Regional Board's Basin Plan states that the dissolved oxygen concentrations in the San Joaquin River between the City of Stockton and Turner Cut should never fall below 5.0 mg/l during the time period of 1 December to 30 August or below 6.0 mg/l between 1 September and 30 November. The dissolved oxygen concentration at all other places in the San Joaquin River should be at least 5.0 mg/l.

Beneficial uses

The dissolved oxygen water quality objective was primarily adopted to protect warm freshwater habitat (WARM) and migration of aquatic organism (MIGR) beneficial uses. Each is defined below: WARM--uses of water that support warm water ecosystems including, but not limited to, preservation or enhancement of aquatic habitats, vegetation, fish, or wildlife, including invertebrates. MIGR--Uses of water that support habitats necessary for migration or other temporary activities by aquatic organisms, such as anadromous fish.

Beneficial use definition from Bill Jennings

The beneficial uses of the San Joaquin River from the mouth of the Merced River to Vernalis include warm water habitat, warm and cold water migration, warm water spawning and wildlife habitat. The beneficial uses of the Delta (which presumably includes the reach between the Merced and Rough & Ready Island) include warm and cold water habitat, warm and cold water migration, warm water spawning and wildlife habitat. (I agree with your descriptive language of...."uses of water that support warm water ecosystems including, but not limited to, preservation or enhancement of aquatic habitats, vegetation, fish, or wildlife, including invertebrates.")

Lower San Joaquin River

River reach between mouth of Disappointment Slough and eastern side of Rough and Ready Island.

Comments from Bill Jennings:

Why define the Lower San Joaquin River as the "River reach between mouth of Disappointment Slough and eastern side of Rough and Ready Island." Why not define it as the reach between Disappointment Slough and Vernalis? Actually, I believe this entire reach is within the statutory boundary of the Delta.

If the dissolved oxygen problem extends as far as Disappointment Slough, the impact also extends up the Calaveras River. This year steelhead were identified migrating up and spawning in the Calaveras. The historical run was significant. Additionally, the Calaveras harbored the southernmost run of winter-run chinooks and USFWS has placed a priority on reestablishing both the fall and winter runs. The Basin Plan identifies the beneficial uses of the Calaveras below Hogan Dam as including cold water habitat, migration and spawning. Both the Regional Board and our data identify substantial dissolved oxygen sags in the Calaveras. I reiterate: this TMDL should also include the Calaveras River.