What is a watershed?
• The geographic area draining into a river
system, ocean or other body of water through a
single outlet and includes the receiving waters
• Watersheds dominated by rural land uses are
often defined by ridgelines
• An urban watershed is often flat; knowing what
direction water flows in storm drains helps
define the boundary
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What is watershed management?
A process which:
• is stakeholder-driven
• identifies and prioritizes watershed issues
• develops potential prevention, restoration, and/or
control strategies that represent integrated solutions
• identifies entities to implement the strategies
• develops indicators to measure progress
• measures progress and adjusts strategies as needed
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Watershed management plans
• Describe the current resource and socioeconomic
conditions in the watershed
• Describe mutually-agreed upon goals for the
watershed, both short and long-term
• Document the results of the “process”
• Are re-visited and updated as major goals are met
• May be referenced by other names such as
restoration or action plans
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How watershed management can help
• Stakeholder involvement leads to more
awareness of local problems and development
of integrated solutions
• Spills can be more quickly detected and
reported for cleanup
• Minimal funding from multiple local partners
can help accomplish plenty
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More on how watershed
management can help
• Just a small increase in the average citizen’s
knowledge base will have great impact
• Information gained during watershed
planning can help jump-start TMDL work
• Collaborative TMDL development is a
natural result
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Existing and draft plans in area
See separate handout (not necessarily a
complete list)
Many are detailed, subwatershed-level
documents with a focus on water quality,
flood control, and habitat restoration
Some are broad, watershed-level policy
documents that will hopefully tie the details
together
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IN GLEW O OD
HA W TH OR N E
EL S EGU N D O
COM PT ON
GAR D EN A
MAN H AT T AN B EAC H
LAW N D ALE
RE DO ND O BEAC H
CA RS ON
TO RR AN C E
LOM IT A
PAL OS V ER DE S E ST AT ES
ROL LI NG H ILL S ES T AT ES
LON G B EAC H
ROL LI NG H ILL S
RA NC H O P ALO S VE RD E S
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Spanish Rancho Heritage
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Environmental Assets
Madrona Marsh
Dominguez Channel Estuary
Machado Lake and Regional Park
Carbrillo Beach
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Environmental Assets
Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors
Home to 43 million aquatic creatures
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Industrial & Urban Assets
Busiest Seaport in the World
One of the Most Industrialized Areas in California
Produces 8% of The Nation’s Oil
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Industrial & Urban Assets
Home for Nearly One Million People
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Significant Watershed Issues
Historical Deposits of DDT and PCBs in Sediment
Industrial Discharges
Storm Water and Urban Runoff
Brownfields
Groundwater Contamination
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Who Participates in DWAC?
• The Stakeholder Groups
– Each a Part of the Problem
– Each a Part of the Solution
• Government
– Represent the Public Trust
– Dischargers: Ports, Sanitation Districts, Streets
– Funders: Bonds, General Funds, Special
Districts
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Who Participates in DWAC?
• Environmental Groups
– Citizen Concern and Oversight
– Protecting Intangibles--Quality of Life Issues
– Looking at the Big Picture
• Regulatory Agencies
– Charged with Facilitating Solutions
– Recommending Projects to Fund
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Perspective on TMDL Scientific Studies –
The Dominguez Watershed Advisory Committee
Importance
Role
Progress
Involvement
Mike Wang, Western States Petroleum Association
Importance – Addressing Unanswered
Questions
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How is Dominguez Watershed impaired?
Why has this impairment occurred?
How do we improve the water quality?
Who is responsible?
How long will it take to remedy the problem?
How much will it cost?
Who should bear the burden?
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Answering Questions: Bringing
Stakeholders Together and …
• Scientifically Based and Technically
Feasible
• Good Science – leading to robust solutions
• Involvement in, and commitment to, the
process
• Equitable and timely
• Data will help the Regional Board develop
TMDLs and source allocation
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Water Research Project in Support of
TMDL Development
• Water Research Activities have been defined
• DWAC Committees formed (Funding, Water
Research, Technical, Scope/Workplan)
• Southern California Coastal Water Research
Project (SCCWRP) retained to conduct field
testing
• Additional Funds being identified
• Related work being outlined
• Harbor circulation model
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Industry - WSPA as an Example
• Western States Petroleum Association
(WSPA)
– Supporting DWAC in 2001-2003
– Pledge of $225,000 for 2002-2003
– Cash of $100,000 already transferred
• Additional stakeholder support key – it will
take all of us to “make it happen”
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What is the
Dominguez Watershed Advisory Council
• Locally-organized, voluntary, non-regulatory group
• Established in 2001 to understand and improve the condition of the watershed
• It is composed of over 70 stakeholders in partnership
– private, local municipal, state, and federal interests
• Will plan watershed protection and restoration strategies in a holistic manner
• Will collaborate to
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identify issues
promote cooperative solutions
focus resources
agree on goals for watershed protection and enhancement
and foster communication among all watershed interests
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Why was the
DWAC Formed
• The Dominguez Watershed faces Tremendous Environmental Challenges
– High density development; conversion of remaining open space; development on
floodplains; intense transportation pressures; increased population and demands for
water and sewer services; reduction of wetland, riparian areas, and fish and wildlife
habitat; pollution of waterways and legacy pollutants
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The wide variety of land uses throughout the watershed has a significant impact on water
quality and quantity which must be addressed in a comprehensive manner
– Segments of the Dominquez watershed including the Dominguez Channel and portions of
the harbor complex are designated as "Water Quality Impaired“
– Industrial and urban interests are working to meet their NPDES requirements and will
soon be addressing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
•
Recognizing the need to minimize watershed impacts and develop local solutions in a
comprehensive manner, a small group of businesses, environmental groups, and
government representatives began meeting in 2001 to discuss these issues
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Why was the
DWAC Formed
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The Dominguez Watershed Advisory Council was formed to provide for coordinated
resource planning for the Dominguez Watershed. Its purpose is to:
– Increase local and affected interests understanding and input in the management of
watershed resources
– Identify problems and issues of importance to local citizens, groups, and users of the
watershed
– Undertake a proactive approach in management of the watershed
– Prioritize and Initiate resolution of problems and issues within the watershed
– Diminish and eliminate further degradation of the watershed and its resources through
better management practices
– Increase the viability, diversity, and health of the watershed
– Create and implement a Watershed Management Plan to capture and accomplish the
above objectives
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The Advisory Council is not a regulatory or enforcement agency. It will make recommendations to decisionmakers and planning agencies on ways to protect and restore Dominguez Watershed resources. The
Advisory Council strives to provide a framework for coordination and cooperation and uses consensus as
its decision-making process.
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DWAC Accomplishments
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Successful application for Proposition 13 funding to prepare a Watershed Master Plan
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Monthly meetings of both Stakeholder group and sub-committees
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Successful education and outreach - Conducted a several workshops for all interested
parties on the TMDL process
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Initiated through the Funding sub-committee - identification of funding opportunities,
solicitation, and buy in from interested parties - ongoing
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Initiated the Dominguez Watershed Wet-weather scientific studies - ongoing
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Facilitated a tour and secured interest from the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Researchers
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Successful submittal of two concept proposals for Round Two Proposition 13 grants
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Challenges and Opportunities
• Our watershed is complex
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– Freshwater/estuary/marine components
– Water body impairments are plentiful and varied
Obtaining funding for research and/or beneficial projects is
often difficult
Paying for compliance and/or litigation costs is reactive
The DWAC stakeholders are a diverse human resource
We have a unique opportunity to work together to solve water
quality problems
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Strategic Research
• Strictly defined to answer priority questions
– Currently, priorities are driven by TMDL
development schedule
• Cost-leveraged by cooperation and networking
• Stakeholder supported and directed
• Big picture: saves money, provides solutions
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Essential Studies to Support
Science-Based TMDL Development
• Ambient conditions in water column and
sediments
• Stormwater runoff and land use characterization
• Dry weather flow
• Hydrodynamics and pollutant transport
characteristics
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Research Progress
• Regional Board: Surface Water Ambient
Monitoring Program
• Wet weather studies: initiated by subset of
stakeholders
• Research participation by SCCWRP and Lawrence
Livermore/Lawrence Berkeley
• Opportunity for wider sponsorship
• Requires rain!
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Research Progress, Continued
• Dry weather studies: Grant funding applied for by
City of LA Regulatory Affairs
• Hydrodynamics and pollutant transport: Grant
funding applied for by Port of Los Angeles
• Opportunity to augment EPA-directed sediment
sampling effort in Channel and Consolidated Slip
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Beneficial Dominguez Watershed
Projects: Current and Future
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Madrona Marsh and Cabrillo Salt Marsh
Machado Lake restoration activities
Remediation of Consolidated Slip
Priority projects yet to be identified in the
Watershed Management Master Plan
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Establishing Vision and Mission for DWAC
VISION
“An urban industrial watershed in
balance with the environment”
MISSION
“To foster better understanding and stewardship
of the Dominguez Watershed, promote resource
restoration and ensure sustainable watershed
health, functions, and uses”
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Importance of Establishing a Plan.
link efforts
propose projects that achieve multiple objectives
facilitated within the DWAC
Plan Completed December 2003
propose near and long term projects
opportunities to collaborate
living document
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Data Collection for the Master Plan.
We will request assistance locating the best
sources of quality of life data (concerns that are of
particular importance in specific areas).
Public Notices requirements
The contract with the State Board requires
notifying the largest 200 businesses in the
watershed of this planning effort.
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Public Workshops
The planning effort will be most successful
with maximum input from the public.
Workshops tentatively planned for
October 2002 and April 2003.
Defining/Determining the Issues
Water Quality, Water Supply, Recreation,
Wildlife, Land, Natural Resources, etc.
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Public Involvement
Much of the success of the Master Plan
depends on the support it receives from the
community it effects.
Request your assistance in encouraging public
participation in the planning process.
Elected Officials involvement
You are our best link to the community and
their desires.
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Path Forward / Next Steps
Implement
Plan
Master Plan
completed
12/03
Public Workshop
4/03
Public Workshop
10/02
Data Collection &
Public Notices - 6/02
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Questions / Answers
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