SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE

Home Browse Search

California Regional Water Quiaiity Conti®i Board ;% VIN Central l7alley Legion M k) Robert Schneider,Chair Winston H.Hickox Orae Davis Secretary for Sacramento Main Office Governor Environmental Internet Address: http://www.swreb.ca.gov/rwgcb5 Protection 3443 Routier Road,Suite A.Sacramento,California 95827-3003 Phone(916)255-3000•FAX(916)255-3015 VIA FACSIMILE 14 November 2003 : _--� F, ... Paul Franzia ' `� Barrel Ten Quarter Circle Land Company 6342 Bystnim Road ' 1. Ceres, CA 95307 REPORT REVIE TY, VAD OSE ZONE MONITORING WORKPLAN ADDEND UM, BARREL TEN WINERY, ESCAL ON, SAN JOA QUIN COUNTY I have reviewed the 12 November 2003 Vadose Zone Monitoring Work Plan Addendum,prepared by Kennedy/Jenks Consultants. The addendum was prepared in response to the Regional Board's 24 October 2003 Incomplete Vadose Zone Monitoring Work Plan correspondence. The 12 November 2003 addendum does not adequately address some of the Regional Board concerns about the proposed work. However, Barrel Ten may implement the workplan with the understanding that the investigation as proposed may result in ambiguous data being collected. Such ambiguous data may have significant implications when preparing the Report of Waste Discharge (RWD) that is due on 1 February 2005. The RWD is required by Item 12 of Cease and Desist (C&D) Order No. R5-2003-125. Staff has the following comments on the addendum: • Staff recognizes that installation of additional wells is not required by the C&D Order and that work is being performed voluntarily by Barrel Ten. Barrel Ten has stated that the purpose of the proposed wells is to further define upgradient water quality. As stated during staff's conference call with Barrel Ten on 3 November 2003, Barrel Ten is free to install the wells in the positions it desires, but staff will not consider the data acquired from these wells as "upgradient" or"background" values unless Barrel Ten can show that the wells are not impacted by the wastewater disposal at the land application areas. Better placement of wells could resolve that uncertainty. • Collection of soil samples from areas adjacent to the land application area may result in ambiguous data similar to the conditions described for the proposed wells. • Staff remains concerned that the wastewater application plan for the facility is not workable. For example, the 12 November 2003 describes a reduction of wastewater flow of 20-percent but expects to generally limit wastewater application to Basins 1 and 3,which constitute approximately 40- percent of the available land application area. Such an approach may overload the areas hydraulically, organically, and with dissolved solids. Furthermore, the addendum states, "...additional lysimeters can be installed, if necessary, in the other spreading basins." The purpose California Environmental Protection Agency Oa Recycled Paper The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs,see our Web-site at http://www.sATcb.ca.gov/rwgcb5