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What is a watershed?

• The geographic area draining into a river system, ocean or other body of water through a single outlet and includes the receiving waters

• Watersheds dominated by rural land uses are often defined by ridgelines

• An urban watershed is often flat; knowing what direction water flows in storm drains helps define the boundary

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What is watershed management?A process which:• is stakeholder-driven• identifies and prioritizes watershed issues• develops potential prevention, restoration, and/or

control strategies that represent integrated solutions• identifies entities to implement the strategies• develops indicators to measure progress• measures progress and adjusts strategies as needed

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Watershed management plans

• Describe the current resource and socioeconomic conditions in the watershed

• Describe mutually-agreed upon goals for the watershed, both short and long-term

• Document the results of the “process”

• Are re-visited and updated as major goals are met

• May be referenced by other names such as restoration or action plans

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How watershed management can help

• Stakeholder involvement leads to more awareness of local problems and development of integrated solutions

• Spills can be more quickly detected and reported for cleanup

• Minimal funding from multiple local partners can help accomplish plenty

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More on how watershed management can help

• Just a small increase in the average citizen’s knowledge base will have great impact

• Information gained during watershed planning can help jump-start TMDL work

• Collaborative TMDL development is a natural result

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Existing and draft plans in area

See separate handout (not necessarily a complete list)

Many are detailed, subwatershed-level documents with a focus on water quality, flood control, and habitat restoration

Some are broad, watershed-level policy documents that will hopefully tie the details together

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LONG BEACH

CARSON

TORRANCE

COMPTON

INGLEWOOD

GARDENA

RANCHO PALOS VERDES

HAWTHORNEEL SEGUNDO

REDONDO BEACH

LOMITA

ROLLING HILLS

MANHATTAN BEACH

PALOS VERDES ESTATES

LAWNDALE

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES

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Spanish Rancho Heritage

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Environmental AssetsMadrona Marsh

Dominguez Channel Estuary

Machado Lake and Regional Park

Carbrillo Beach

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Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors

Environmental Assets

Home to 43 million aquatic creatures

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One of the Most Industrialized Areas in California

Produces 8% of The Nation’s Oil

Busiest Seaport in the World

Industrial & Urban Assets

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Industrial & Urban Assets

Home for Nearly One Million People

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Significant Watershed Issues

Historical Deposits of DDT and PCBs in Sediment

Industrial Discharges

Storm Water and Urban Runoff

Groundwater Contamination

Brownfields

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Who Participates in DWAC?• The Stakeholder Groups

– Each a Part of the Problem– Each a Part of the Solution

• Government– Represent the Public Trust– Dischargers: Ports, Sanitation Districts, Streets– Funders: Bonds, General Funds, Special

Districts

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Who Participates in DWAC?• Environmental Groups

– Citizen Concern and Oversight– Protecting Intangibles--Quality of Life Issues– Looking at the Big Picture

• Regulatory Agencies– Charged with Facilitating Solutions– Recommending Projects to Fund

Perspective on TMDL Scientific Studies – The Dominguez Watershed Advisory Committee

Importance

Role

Progress

Involvement

Mike Wang, Western States Petroleum Association

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Importance – Addressing Unanswered Questions

• How is Dominguez Watershed impaired? • Why has this impairment occurred?• How do we improve the water quality? • Who is responsible?• How long will it take to remedy the problem?• How much will it cost?• Who should bear the burden?

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Answering Questions: Bringing Stakeholders Together and …

• Scientifically Based and Technically Feasible

• Good Science – leading to robust solutions• Involvement in, and commitment to, the

process• Equitable and timely• Data will help the Regional Board develop

TMDLs and source allocation

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Water Research Project in Support of

TMDL Development

• Water Research Activities have been defined• DWAC Committees formed (Funding, Water

Research, Technical, Scope/Workplan)• Southern California Coastal Water Research

Project (SCCWRP) retained to conduct field testing

• Additional Funds being identified• Related work being outlined

• Harbor circulation model

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Industry - WSPA as an Example

• Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA)– Supporting DWAC in 2001-2003– Pledge of $225,000 for 2002-2003– Cash of $100,000 already transferred

• Additional stakeholder support key – it will take all of us to “make it happen”

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What is the Dominguez Watershed Advisory Council

• Locally-organized, voluntary, non-regulatory group

• Established in 2001 to understand and improve the condition of the watershed • It is composed of over 70 stakeholders in partnership

– private, local municipal, state, and federal interests

• Will plan watershed protection and restoration strategies in a holistic manner

• Will collaborate to – identify issues– promote cooperative solutions– focus resources– agree on goals for watershed protection and enhancement – and foster communication among all watershed interests

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Why was the DWAC Formed

• The Dominguez Watershed faces Tremendous Environmental Challenges

– High density development; conversion of remaining open space; development on floodplains; intense transportation pressures; increased population and demands for water and sewer services; reduction of wetland, riparian areas, and fish and wildlife habitat; pollution of waterways and legacy pollutants

– The wide variety of land uses throughout the watershed has a significant impact on water quality and quantity which must be addressed in a comprehensive manner

– Segments of the Dominquez watershed including the Dominguez Channel and portions of the harbor complex are designated as "Water Quality Impaired“

– Industrial and urban interests are working to meet their NPDES requirements and will soon be addressing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

 

• Recognizing the need to minimize watershed impacts and develop local solutions in a comprehensive manner, a small group of businesses, environmental groups, and government representatives began meeting in 2001 to discuss these issues

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Why was the DWAC Formed

• The Dominguez Watershed Advisory Council was formed to provide for coordinated resource planning for the Dominguez Watershed. Its purpose is to:

– Increase local and affected interests understanding and input in the management of watershed resources

– Identify problems and issues of importance to local citizens, groups, and users of the watershed

– Undertake a proactive approach in management of the watershed – Prioritize and Initiate resolution of problems and issues within the watershed– Diminish and eliminate further degradation of the watershed and its resources through

better management practices– Increase the viability, diversity, and health of the watershed– Create and implement a Watershed Management Plan to capture and accomplish the above

objectives

• The Advisory Council is not a regulatory or enforcement agency. It will make recommendations to decision-makers and planning agencies on ways to protect and restore Dominguez Watershed resources. The Advisory Council strives to provide a framework for coordination and cooperation and uses consensus as its decision-making process.

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DWAC Accomplishments• Successful application for Proposition 13 funding to prepare a Watershed Master Plan

• Monthly meetings of both Stakeholder group and sub-committees

• Successful education and outreach - Conducted a several workshops for all interested parties on the TMDL process

• Initiated through the Funding sub-committee - identification of funding opportunities, solicitation, and buy in from interested parties - ongoing

• Initiated the Dominguez Watershed Wet-weather scientific studies - ongoing

• Facilitated a tour and secured interest from the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Researchers

• Successful submittal of two concept proposals for Round Two Proposition 13 grants

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Challenges and Opportunities

• Our watershed is complex– Freshwater/estuary/marine components

– Water body impairments are plentiful and varied

• Obtaining funding for research and/or beneficial projects is often difficult

• Paying for compliance and/or litigation costs is reactive

• The DWAC stakeholders are a diverse human resource

• We have a unique opportunity to work together to solve water quality problems

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Strategic Research

• Strictly defined to answer priority questions– Currently, priorities are driven by TMDL

development schedule

• Cost-leveraged by cooperation and networking

• Stakeholder supported and directed

• Big picture: saves money, provides solutions

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Essential Studies to Support Science-Based TMDL Development

• Ambient conditions in water column and sediments

• Stormwater runoff and land use characterization

• Dry weather flow

• Hydrodynamics and pollutant transport characteristics

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Research Progress

• Regional Board: Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program

• Wet weather studies: initiated by subset of stakeholders• Research participation by SCCWRP and Lawrence

Livermore/Lawrence Berkeley• Opportunity for wider sponsorship• Requires rain!

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Research Progress, Continued

• Dry weather studies: Grant funding applied for by City of LA Regulatory Affairs

• Hydrodynamics and pollutant transport: Grant funding applied for by Port of Los Angeles

• Opportunity to augment EPA-directed sediment sampling effort in Channel and Consolidated Slip

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Beneficial Dominguez Watershed Projects: Current and Future

• Madrona Marsh and Cabrillo Salt Marsh

• Machado Lake restoration activities

• Remediation of Consolidated Slip

• Priority projects yet to be identified in the Watershed Management Master Plan

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Path Forward / Next Steps

Establishing Vision and Mission for DWACVISION

“An urban industrial watershed in balance with the environment”

MISSION“To foster better understanding and stewardship of the Dominguez Watershed, promote resource restoration and ensure sustainable watershed

health, functions, and uses”

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Importance of Establishing a Plan. link efforts propose projects that achieve multiple objectives facilitated within the DWAC

Plan Completed December 2003 propose near and long term projects opportunities to collaborate living document

Path Forward / Next Steps

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Data Collection for the Master Plan. We will request assistance locating the best

sources of quality of life data (concerns that are of particular importance in specific areas).

Public Notices requirements The contract with the State Board requires

notifying the largest 200 businesses in the watershed of this planning effort.

Path Forward / Next Steps

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Public Workshops The planning effort will be most successful

with maximum input from the public. Workshops tentatively planned for

October 2002 and April 2003.

Defining/Determining the Issues Water Quality, Water Supply, Recreation,

Wildlife, Land, Natural Resources, etc.

Path Forward / Next Steps

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Public Involvement Much of the success of the Master Plan

depends on the support it receives from the community it effects.

Request your assistance in encouraging public participation in the planning process.

Elected Officials involvement You are our best link to the community and

their desires.

Path Forward / Next Steps

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Defining and Determining the Issues in

the Watershed 6/02 - 3/03

Implement Plan

Data Collection & Public Notices - 6/02

Propose / design

projects for the

Watershed 3/03 -

08/03

Public Workshop 4/03

Master Plan completed 12/03

Public Workshop 10/02

Path Forward / Next Steps

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Questions / Answers