SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE_1993-2003

Home Browse Search

WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIIAENTS ORDER NO.R5-2002-0213 3 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DEFENSE DISTRIBUTION DEPOT SAN JOAQUIN SHARPE GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION SYSTEM SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta(Delta), to which they are tributary. A portion of French Camp Slough downstream of the confluence with the SSJID Canal is located within the designated boundary of the Delta. French Camp Slough upstream and in the immediate vicinity of the confluence with the SSJID Canal is not located within the designated boundary of the Delta. In Table II-1 the Basin Plan identifies the following existing beneficial uses of the San Joaquin River and the Delta downstream of the discharge: municipal and domestic supply, agricultural irrigation, agricultural stock watering, industrial process water supply, industrial service supply, body contact water recreation, other non-body contact water recreation, warm freshwater aquatic habitat, cold freshwater aquatic habitat, warm fish migration habitat, cold fish migration habitat, warm spawning habitat, wildlife habitat, and navigation. The Basin Plan on page II-1.00 states: "Protection and enhancement of existing and potential beneficial uses are primary goals of water quality planning..." and with respect to disposal of wastewaters states that"... disposal of wastewaters is [not] a prohibited use of waters of the State; it is merely a use which cannot be satisfied to the detriment of beneficial uses." a. SSJID Canal While flow in the SSJID Canal is tributary to French Camp Slough and the Delta, the Canal itself is a constructed agricultural drain. As a constructed agricultural drain, the SSJID Canal is not subject to the tributary provisions of the Basin Plan. The SSJID Canal is not a "stream"as used in the Basin Plan "tributary" language and, therefore,the Regional Board will not apply the beneficial uses of the downstream water bodies to SSJID. The beneficial uses of the SSJID Canal are, therefore, identified by other statutory designations and/or the actual existing beneficial uses of the receiving water. USEPA's water quality regulations require protection of all existing uses. Existing uses are those uses actually attained in the water body on or after 28 November 1975, whether or not they are included in the water quality standards. In reviewing what existing beneficial uses may apply to the SSJID Canal, the Regional Board has considered the following facts: 1) Domestic and Municipal Supply As noted above, the Basin Plan does not specifically identify beneficial uses for the SSJID Canal. For Surface Waters at page H-2.00 the Basin Plan states: "Water Bodies within the basins that do not have beneficial uses designated in Table H-1 are assigned MUN designations in accordance with the provisions of State Water Board Resolution No. 88-63,which is, by reference, a part of this Basin Plan." The Basin Plan further states: "In making any exemptions to the beneficial use designation of MUN, the Regional Board will apply the exceptions listed in Resolution 88-63...... The State Water Resources Control Board (S)vVRCB) Sources of Drinking Water Policy, Resolution No. 88-63 states that"All surface and ground waters of the State are considered to be suitable, or potentially suitable, for municipal or domestic water supply and should be so