DRAFT Conference Agenda

Monday, May 5

7:30–9:00: Registration (Foyer)

9:00–10:15: Welcome and Opening Remarks (Pavilion)

Tam Dudoc, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
Patrick Kruer, Chair, California Coastal Commission
Dr. Richard Wright, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board
Alexis Strauss, Director, US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 Water Division

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

10:30–12:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

After the Fires: Monitoring Ecological Impacts and Watershed Responses

Moderator: Harold Singer, Executive Officer, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board

This session highlights three monitoring approaches to determine post-fire impacts to California watersheds in San Diego and Lake Tahoe. Catastrophic wildfires can have significant immediate, long-term and cumulative impacts to water quality. Rapid and extreme increases in water temperature, lower water levels and pollution from soil and ash can cause impacts to fish and other aquatic organisms. Fire suppressants can also impact these organisms as well as drinking water supplies. The loss of vegetation and organic matter from within and atop the soil due to fire greatly increases runoff and erosion, adding sediments and debris to surface waters and increasing concentrations of nutrients like nitrate, ammonium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Pollutants mobilized by the fire, chemicals used to fight the fire, and the post-fire response of the landscape can result in cumulative impacts to water quality.

• Direct and Indirect Effects of Southern California Wildfires on Storm Water Metals and PAHs; Eric D. Stein, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
• Effects of Wildfires in San Diego County on Water Quality and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages; Cynthia Gorham-Test, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Obtaining Information in the Aftermath of a Catastrophe: Development and Implementation of the Angora Fire Monitoring Plan; Zach Hymanson, Tahoe Science Consortium

10:30–12:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Comprehensive Watershed Management: Successful Models

Moderator: John Lowrie, Watershed Program Manager, Department of Water Resources

This session uses three successful projects that demonstrate the types of community-based programs that the California Federal CALFED Watershed Program has been promoting for years. The approach that the CALFED Watershed Program has been supporting works to address multiple resource objectives using a watershed-based planning and implementation approach. Three diverse projects will be presented to illustrate the approach used to develop watershed plans, multi-resource objectives and the progress made in implementation.

• Sun Valley: Innovative Watershed Management Strategy: Multi-Benefit Approach, LA County; Richard Gomez, County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works
• Putah Creek Watershed Project; Rich Mariovich, Lower Putah Creek Coordinating Committee
• Stuck in Lodi Again: Fear and Loathing in the Lower Mokelumne River Watershed; John Brodie, San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District

12:00–1:30: Lunch (Pavilion)

The Worldwide Web of Nonpoint Source: Where Do We Start? (12:30-1:30)
Dr. Suja Lowenthal, Long Beach City Council Member

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

1:30–3:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

Low Impact Development (LID) Soup to Nuts

Moderator: Timothy Lawrence, PhD, Center for Water and Land Use, UC Davis Extension

This session showcases three projects at different stages of successfully incorporating LID principles into watershed management. Beginning with local decision-makers, the first project discusses incorporating LID principles into local land-use ordinances. The second presentation focuses on training and certifying landscapers to implement LID techniques. To complete the picture, the final presentation will discuss examples of on-the-ground BMP implementation projects and the monitoring results showing how LID is helping to address runoff pollution.

• Making Local Regulations “LID-Friendly”—A Case Study of One California Community; Rebecca Winer-Skonovd, Larry Walker Associates
• Cumulative Successes in the California Green Gardener Ecological Landscaping Certification Programs; Kurt Hurley, Ecology Action
• Water Quality Monitoring & Stormwater BMP Treatment Effectiveness; Neal Shapiro, City of Santa Monica

1:30–3:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Adventures in Integrated Regional Water-shed* Management Plan Development:
First Hand Stories told from those in the Planning Process

Moderator: Alyson Watson, P.E., Senior Project Manager, RMC Water and Environment

The session provides the opportunity to hear directly from grantees from throughout the state about their adventures in developing Integrated Regional Watershed Management Plans. Glimpse what first sparked the planning processes and how it led to current visions. Learn from each group’s successes and struggles and find out how they overcame obstacles on the way to their final destination! Discover the steps they have taken to reach their current mile markers. Follow their path involving stakeholders and the development of goals and objectives, as well as project prioritization. Hear about the unique strategies these grantees have taken as they continue to blaze trails using integrated approaches to addressing water quality. Share in their lessons learned to gather new ideas for your own adventures in regional planning.

• The Alchemy of IRWMP: Building Relationships in Gold Country; Katie Burdick, Executive Director, CABY (Cosumnes, American, Bear, and Yuba Rivers)
• Traversing the North Coast IRWM Landscape: Finding Common Ground among Stakeholders in a large diverse Region; Karen Gaffney, CEO/Ecologist, West Coast Watershed
• Navigating the Urban IRWM Roadways: Taking it to the Streets in Orange County; Mary Anne Skorpanich, Director of Watersheds, Orange County

*Note: "Water-shed" incorporates holistic "Water" Plans with a "watershed" perspective.

3:00–3:30: Break

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

3:30–5:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

Pollutant Loads: The Air-Water Interface

Moderator: Richard Watson, Planning Consultant, Richard Watson and Associates, Inc.

This session focuses on the air-water interface and the importance of atmospheric deposition as a major contributor of pollutants to watersheds and receiving waters in California. Presentations discuss implementation measures to address atmospheric deposition of copper in San Francisco Bay watersheds; incorporating dry weather aerial deposition of copper, lead, and zinc into San Diego TMDLs; and, pollutant loading from atmospheric deposition in coastal watersheds of Southern California.

• Atmospheric Deposition: Transport of Pollutants from Air to Water; Lisa D. Sabin, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP)
• Aerial Deposition and its Relevance to TMDLs in the City of San Diego; Dave Renfrew, Weston Solutions, Inc.
• Copper Water Pollution from Vehicle Air Emissions—Science and Solutions from the Brake Pad Partnership; Kelly D. Moran, Ph.D., TDC Environmental, LLC

3:30–5:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Realizing the Integrated Regional Water-shed* Management Plan Dream:
Testimonials of those in the Implementation Process

Moderator: Kari Schumaker, Environmental Engineering Specialist, County of Orange Watersheds Program, Public Works Department

This session showcases the work of three counties that represent the success that can be achieved when Integrated Regional Water-shed Management Planning is used effectively. IRWM Planning is increasingly emphasized as an effective way to manage environmental resources, overcome area challenges, and achieve sustainability. Once an IRWM Plan is complete, how is it implemented? Join us as three entities with successful IRWM Plans discuss their programs and how they are navigating the course of implementation. Highlighted topics include: established governance structures; IRWM Plan evolution during project implementation; securing diverse funding; project prioritization; project integration; permit coordination; maintaining stakeholder involvement; and potential future improvements to the IRWM process. Join us as three counties show us how the dream becomes reality!

• The Road to Ventura County IRWMP Success: History, Collaboration, and Consensus; Lynn Rodriguez, Project Manager, Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County IRWMP
• Greater LA County IRWMP: Holding It Together With Waterproof Glue; Hector Bordas, Project Manager/Principal Engineer, The County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works
• One Water One Watershed: Responding to Water Challenges; Mark R. Norton P.E., Water Resources and Planning Manager, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)

*Note: "Water-shed" incorporates holistic "Water" Plans with a "watershed" perspective.

5:00–7:30: Evening Poster Reception

Come celebrate Cinco de Mayo at this exciting and fun networking opportunity. Posters showcasing a variety of NPS issues will be on display. Sombreros optional.

Tuesday, May 6

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

8:30–10:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

Monitoring Makes the Difference!

Moderator: Liesl Tiefenthaler, Marine Biologist, SCCWRP Watersheds Department

This session highlights successful water quality monitoring approaches from different perspectives and scales. Discussions include assessing the ecological health of streams using biological indicators; illustrating the utility of an integrated data set for investigating status and trends in water quality on a regional scale, and NPS monitoring for source identification and program effectiveness.

• Central Coast Water Quality Data Synthesis, Assessment, and Management (SAM); Gary Conley Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network
• Biological Integrity of Streams in San Diego County since 1996; Lilian Busse, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Reducing Sediment Loading to Newport Bay: 25 Years of Planning, Implementation and Monitoring; Jamie Habben, Orange County Watershed and Resources Division

8:30–10:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Coastal Nonpoint Source: Impact Assessment and Watershed Management

Moderator: Susan Zaleski, Coastal Resources Specialist, University of Southern California, Sea Grant Program

This session focuses on assessment of nonpoint source impacts on coastal waters in three watersheds. Presentations showcase management plans to protect or restore coastal watersheds. Watersheds highlighted range from the densely urban areas of southern California to the forested and rural watersheds of Humboldt County.

• Watershed Assessment & Investigation of Nonpoint Source Impacts on the Trinidad Kelp Bed Areas of Biological Significance (ASBS); Rebecca Crow, Winzler & Kelly
• La Jolla Shores Coastal Watershed Management Plan and ASBS Protection Model; David Pohl, P.E., Ph.D, Weston Solutions, Inc.
• Assessing Impacts of Areas of Special Biological Significance; Robert Stein, City of Newport Beach

10:00–10:30: Break

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

10:30–12:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

What’s the Nonpoint Solution? Innovative Approaches to TMDL Implementation

Moderator: Kevin R. Coyne, Water Quality Planner, County of Ventura Public Works

This session addresses the shortcomings of yesterday's TMDL implementation approach and offers a glimpse of the successful, new generation of implementation strategies. In today’s dynamic environment, stakeholders are finding that the “cut and paste” approach to TMDL implementation may lead to expensive and ineffective projects that ultimately will not meet goals of compliance. The solution?—new and innovative approaches to address impaired waterbodies—approaches that not only incorporate traditional strategies for implementation, but ones that also incorporate new proactive ideas and technologies into the arena of TMDL implementation. This session highlights three projects that are serving as spark plugs for: incorporating groundwater components into surface water compliance; creating unique public/private partnerships to proactively address pre-TMDL implementation measures; and, producing an innovative method utilizing water quality credits to address pollutant loads.

• Lake Tahoe Water Quality Crediting Program: Accounting for NPS Improvements; Jeremy Sokulsky, P.E., MBA, Environmental Incentives, LLC
• The Nitrogen and Selenium Management Program for the Newport Bay Watershed: An Integrated, Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Address Point and Nonpoint Sources; Karen Ashby, Larry Walker Associates
• Ski Area Erosion Control Via Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration; Krissy Gilbert, Sierra Business Council

10:30–12:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Progressive Examples of Commodity-Based BMP Implementation: Common Issues—Successful Solutions

Moderator: Rebecca Veiga-Nascimento, Environmental Scientist, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board

This session highlights the success of commodity-based BMP implementation strategies. All agricultural producers are not the same! Sometimes though, producers of the same commodity confront similar issues and are more inclined to adopt practices implemented by fellow producers. This session offers an opportunity to learn from three projects that demonstrate successful BMP implementation on a commodity basis to reduce agricultural pollutants.

• Mitigating Pesticide Runoff from a Large Commercial Nursery; Jay Gan, University of California Riverside
• The Livestock and Land Program: Implementing Best Management Practices at Livestock Facilities; Jennifer Harrison, Ecology Action
• Improving Surface Water Quality in the San Joaquin River Basin through Sustainable Cotton Production; Marcia Gibbs, Sustainable Cotton Project

12:00–1:15: Lunch (Pavilion)

This lunch-time presentation, put on by Harold Singer, Executive Officer of the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, addresses the balance of reducing the risks and impacts of wildfires while protecting water quality.

In Case of Fire—Stop, Drop, and the Role of Water Quality

The warm, dry climate and beautiful natural landscapes of California create one of the most severe potential wildfire conditions in the world. Added to this is the growing number of people moving into the once wildland areas—the foothills, grasslands, and mountains. Mixing fire-prone wildland areas and suburban areas makes it very difficult to protect and preserve these wildlands, maintain the natural role of fire in ecosystems, and protect human lives and property. Impacts to water quality following catastrophic wildfires can be immediate, long-term and cumulative.

Fuels reduction and removal projects can decrease these potential impacts, however, to protect water quality and other environmental impacts from the projects themselves, the fuels reduction and removal activities must use management practices to reduce any adverse impacts.

Concurrent Sessions–Please choose "A" or "B" from each "A-B" Pair Below:

1:30–3:00: Session A (Rio Vista Salon)

What’s the Nonpoint Solution? Implementing TMDLs to Restore Water Quality

Moderator: Jeremy Sokulsky, President, Environmental Incentives

This session highlights projects that are successfully restoring impaired waters through TMDL implementation. Presentations demonstrate effective ways of using TMDLs as assessment and planning tools to guide implementation. Discussion includes watershed-based planning, implementation and monitoring activities to achieve load reductions to meet TMDLs.

• Sycamore Creek Riparian Recovery Program; Kerwin Russell, Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District (RCD)
• Meadow and Stream Restoration in the Truckee River; Beth Christman, Truckee River Watershed Council
• The Mattole River Sediment and Temperature TMDL: A Watershed Approach to Implementation; Jeremy Wheeler, Mattole Restoration Council

1:30–3:00: Session B (Ballroom Salon)

Sustainable Infrastructure and Low Impact Development: Real World Examples of Employing LID to Reduce Stormwater Impacts to Water Quality

Moderator: Rebecca Winer-Skonovd, Senior Scientist, Larry Walker Associates

This session showcases on-the-ground projects that demonstrate the effectiveness of using LID and sustainable infrastructure approaches to address stormwater quality.

• Rethinking Stormwater Management One Block at a Time: The Elmer Avenue Neighborhood Retrofit Project; Edward Belden, Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council
• LID for Stormwater Treatment and Hydrograph Modification Management: Regulatory Mandates and Watershed Approaches in Contra Costa County; Tom Dalziel, Contra Costa Clean Water Program
• Low Impact Development in San Diego—Demonstration Projects & Proposed Urban Retrofits; Karen Franz, San Diego Coastkeeper

3:00–3:30: Break

3:30–5:00: Closing Panel (Pavilion)

Wednesday, May 7

Optional Workshops/Field Trip Day

Field Trips

A) After the Fires: Water Quality Management in San Diego and the Wild Animal Park

8:00am - 2:30pm

This field trip will include a tour of the watersheds affected by the 2003 Cedar Fire and 2007 Witch/Harris Fires in San Diego County and the San Diego Zoological Society Wild Animal Park facility in San Pasqual Valley. Staff from the Wild Animal Park will describe the Park's Master Plan for NPS pollutant reduction, water quality protection in exhibit space, public education, and its response to the fires. The field trip will include stops at key locations in Poway, discussion of the fires, NPS environmental stressors associated with fires and runoff, agency responses and plans to address future fire impacts, and ongoing or planned restoration and BMPs to protect water quality. Lunch is included. This field trip is limited to 50 people and will depart the Mission Valley Marriott Entrance at 8:00am and return at 2:30pm.

B) Extreme Watershed Tour: Adventures among the Grant Projects in the San Diego River Watershed

8:30am - 12:30pm

This field trip will include a driving tour of the lower San Diego River watershed with stops at several Proposition 13 bond act funded projects sites and the sites of future projects proposed for funding through the Propositions 50/84 Integrated Regional Water Management Programs (IRWMPs). The field trip will include discussion of NPS projects and role of watershed management planning and bringing in diverse stakeholders. This field trip is limited to 50 people and will depart the Mission Valley Marriott at 8:30am and return by 12:30pm.

Workshop (Salon A)

8:00am - 12:00pm

C) Understanding and Addressing the Impacts of Hydro-modification in Watersheds

Hydromodification (also known as Hydromod) refers to alterations in the hydrology of a watershed and is associated with dramatic changes in water quality, habitat, and function. Examples of hydromodification include changes in impervious surface coverage, stream channelization, wetland destruction, and other forms of altered hydrology. As land use changes and communities develop, the need to better understand and address the impacts of hydromodification has become increasingly important.

Participants in this course will learn how and why hydromodification relates to water quality, floodplain management, stormwater management and treatment, aquatic ecosystems, and stream form and function. This workshop will also provide an introduction to tools, techniques and approaches to assessing, reducing and preventing nonpoint source impacts of hydromodification. This workshop is limited to approximately 50 people.

Hosted by:
California Water Boards, California Coastal Commission,
and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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