TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement and amendments between the Gateway Cities Council of Governments (GCCOG) and the City of Long Beach regarding the administration and cost sharing to undertake scientific studies to develop site-specific objectives (SSO) applicable in Reach 2 of the Los Angeles River and Tributaries Metals Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). (Districts 7,9)
DISCUSSION
In 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act (Act) was signed into law with the purpose of improving water quality in rivers, streams and lakes, primarily through regulation of point source discharges. Although great efforts through the implementation of this Act by the state’s regional water quality boards have been made in restoring our state’s water quality, there remain impaired water bodies that need attention. Several segments, or reaches, of the Los Angeles River have been identified by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region (Regional Board) as having exceeded water quality thresholds for a variety of metals. For these impaired bodies of water, the Act requires that TMDL limits be developed to restore the impaired water bodies to their full beneficial uses. In September 2007, the Regional Board adopted a Metals TMDL, which limits the amount of heavy metals, such as copper, lead, zinc and cadmium that can be carried by runoff into the Los Angeles River.
Coordinated Implementation Plan
The Metals TMDL adopted by the Regional Board requires that Los Angeles River watershed cities and agencies develop a coordinated implementation plan to reduce the amount of metals pollutants in the Los Angeles River and its tributaries. Because the Los Angeles River watershed is so extensive, the Regional Board has divided the Los Angeles River into six different jurisdictional groups, or reaches, for purposes of implementing the required Metals TMDL. Long Beach falls within Reach 1 and Reach 2. This request for authorizatio...
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