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CALIFORNIA'S WATER QUALITY STANDARDS AND THEIR APPLICABILITY TO WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SITE CLEANUP JON B. MARSHACK, D. ENV. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, CENTRAL VALLEY REGION 3443 Routier Road, Suite A •:• Sacramento, CA 95827-3098 Improper waste management practices and contami- waste or soil exceeds its calculated soluble designated hated sites pose significant threats to the quality of level, the waste or soil is assumed to pose a site-specific California's usable ground and surface water re- threat to water quality. sources. The purpose of this paper is to outline California's water quality standards and a system for assessment of existing and potential impacts from CALIFORNIA'S WATER QUALIFY waste management activities and pollutant releases on i CONTROL SYSTEM the quality of waters of the State and the beneficial uses i of these waters. This paper summarizes information California's present system of water quality control contained in two staff reports of the California Re- was established in 1969,with the adoption,by the gional Water Quality Control Board,Central Valley legislature,of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Region entitled "A Compilation of Water Qualify Goals" Control Act. Found in Division 7 of the California and "The Designated Level Methodology for Waste Classifi- Water Code,the Porter-Cologne Act is implemented by cation and Cleanup level Determination". The first of the State Water Resources Control Board and nine these reports explains the state's water quality stan- Regional Water Quality Control Boards. The State dards,while the second establishes a framework for Water Board carries out its water quality protection classifying wastes so that water quality protective authority through adoption of certain Water Quality treatment,storage,and disposal practices may be Control Plans,which establish water quality,sjpdands selected and for determf7►ing water quality protective for particular bodies of water,comprised of d6barefi- soil cleanup levels. cial uses of these waters and water quality objectives designed to protect those uses. Implementation To detemune whether a particular waste management programs needed to achieve and/or maintain the activity or pollutant release has caused or threatens to water quality objectives are also addressed in these cause pollution,staff of the Regional Water Quality plans. Existing Water Quality Control Plans adopted by Control Boards must apply California's water quality the State Water Board include: standards,contained in the Water Quality Control Plans, to select applicable water quality goals for each pollut- ❑ The Inland Surface Waters Plan ant involved. "Water quality goals"are numerical ❑ The Enclosed Bays and Estuaries Plan limits,above which the pollutants are considered to ❑ The Ocean Plan have adversely impacted the quality of waters of the state. To further assess the impact or potential impact ❑ The Thermal Plan(temperature control in coastal and of waste materials or contaminated soils, "solubleinterstate waters and enclosed bays and estuaries) designated levels" may be calculated from the water ❑ The Delta Plan(Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and quality goals,using information specific to the waste or Suisun Marsh) pollutant and to the site of waste discharge or pollutant release. If the soluble concentration of a pollutant in aI ❑ The Lake Tahoe Basin Water Quality Plan