Proposed Basin Plan Amendments: Total Maximum Daily Loads and Implementation Plan for Indian Creek Reservoir, Alpine County

Proposed Basin Plan Amendments: Total Maximum Daily Loads and Implementation Plan for Indian Creek Reservoir, Alpine County

The Regional Board proposes to adopt amendments to the Lahontan Basin Plan to incorporate TMDLs and an implementation plan to reduce loads of total phosphorus to Indian Creek Reservoir. The numeric target for the TMDLs will be set at a level, lower than the current water quality objective, which the literature indicates will maintain mesotrophic rather than eutrophic conditions. (The exact target number will be determined after completion of TMDL modeling.) The objective, set in 1975, was based on conditions which could be achieved when the reservoir was receiving tertiary wastewater effluent. A literature search indicates that a total phosphorus concentration at the level of the objective, (which is currently being exceeded) would maintain eutrophic conditions even if it were attained. Based on the literature, attainment of the new target should, over the long term, result in mesotrophic conditions in the reservoir and reduced risks of blue green algae blooms, reduced water clarity, low dissolved oxygen levels, fish kills, and other symptoms of eutrophication. The existing water quality abjective is not proposed for revision at this time.

South Lake Tahoe

Cal Fire, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Transportation, District 3 (DOT), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Resources Agency, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)

California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)