Friends of Gualala River Protecting the Gualala River watershed and the species living within it
by Dylan Freebairn-Smith, Conservation Analyst
One of the first projects that Dylan has tackled is analyzing the TMDL program for the Gualala.
Summary
The Gualala River has been listed as impaired under the federal Clean Water Act due to elevated sediment levels since 1993 and has exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of sediment since 2001. This issue has powerful implications for the Gualala’s ecological, economic, and anthropogenic beneficial uses.
The chief sources of sediment are roads, landslides, and legacy timber harvesting practices. FoGR’s successful 2021 litigation against the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board required the Gualala River’s Sedimentation issue to be amended to the Regional Basin Plan. Currently, Draft implementation documents are being prepared for public and board review.
The Water Board is hiring new specialized staff to help design and implement the Draft plan. FoGR is following this issue closely so that our local community will be prepared to understand and comment upon the plan.
Details
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), put simply, is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can endure while still providing its beneficial uses. When a waterbody exceeds the designated TMDL for a type of pollution, it is considered “impaired.” The Clean Water Act Section 303(d) then requires this waterbody to be added to the Section 303(d) List of Impaired Water Bodies.
The Gualala River is currently on this list due to sediment impairment, which affects the beneficial uses listed below.
- Cold Freshwater Habitat
- Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Species
- Spawning, Reproduction, and/or Early Development
- Migration of Aquatic Organisms
- Commercial and Sport Fishing
- Estuarine Habitat
- Municipal and Domestic Supply
- Water Contact Recreation
- Non-Contact Water Recreation
If you enjoy fishing for Steelhead or want to see Coho Salmon return to the Gualala River, items 1-6 of this list may concern you. If you enjoy a clean river to swim in, a healthy riverbank to lie on, and clean water to drink, items 7-9 may interest you. An explanation of each “beneficial use” can be found at https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/basin_plan/180710/BPChapter2BeneficialUses.pdf
This is not new information; the Gualala has been considered sediment-impaired by the EPA since 2001. The TMDL process is long and bureaucratic, but we are at a crucial point locally. FoGR’s successful 2021 litigation of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB), required the NCRWQCB to amend the Regional Basin Plan with Orders and an Action Plan to address the Gualala River Sediment TMDL impairment.
The release of these documents for public review is approaching. The Draft Orders, to be published in April 2025, are part of the implementation plan and will require the inventory, assessment, and prioritization of road treatment to control sediment sources.
In June 2025, the Water Board will release the Draft Action Plan and Staff Report for public review. The Action Plan and Staff Report will contain implementation actions to control sediment pollution and the required environmental documentation. Once released, these documents will include instructions for the public to submit comments.
In other good news for the Gualala River TMDL, three new staff and a million dollars annually for 5 years have been provided to complete the Basin Planning Amendment, Order development, and subsequent implementation actions.
As more details develop, we will keep you updated on the work the North Coast Water Board is doing to fulfill its mandate from the settlement. In the meantime, sign up for quarterly email updates from the Water Board on the Gualala River Orders and Action Plan. Community involvement is key.
