CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
8/28/2023
1 SUBJECT:
Amendment No. 4 to the Inter-Agency Agreement with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District and Agreement with San Mateo County for the Pacifica State Beach Bacteria TMDL Special Study Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt the Resolution entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Pacifica Approving Amendment No. 4 to the Inter-Agency Agreement with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District and Approve Agreement with San Mateo County for the Pacifica State Beach Bacteria TMDL Special Study Services; and authorize the City Manager to execute all documents.” STAFF CONTACT:
Raymund Donguines, P.E.
Senior Civil Engineer
(650) 738-3768
[email protected]
Roland Yip, P.E.
Deputy Director of Public Works
(650) 738-3771
[email protected]
Lisa Petersen, P.E.
Director of Public Works
(650) 738-3770
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The City of Pacifica (City) and County of San Mateo (County), in order comply with the Basin Plan Amendment establishing the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for bacteria in San Pedro Creek and at Pacifica State Beach was required to submit a Bacteria Water Quality Monitoring Plan. The Basin Plan Amendment was adopted by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) on November 14, 2012. It became effective on October 1, 2013 following approval by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency on August 1, 2013 and adoption by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on March 19, 2013.
The TMDL required the development of a Bacteria Water Quality Best Management Practices (BMP) Implementation and Monitoring Plan for the San Pedro Creek watershed to reduce discharges of bacteria to the storm drain systems to attain wasteload allocations. The City has jurisdiction over 75% of the drainage basin while the remaining 25% belongs to the San Mateo County. City and County collaborated on developing a single BMP Implementation and Monitoring Plan.
On November 28, 2016, the City and County approved the Inter-Agency Agreement with the Pacifica City Council 2
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San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) for Pacifica State Beach Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring Services and approved the Agreement with San Mateo County for Reimbursement of the Monitoring Costs. On December 28, 2016, City approved Amendment No. 1 in the amount of $8,886, on August 11, 2020, City Manager approved Amendment No. 2 in the amount of $40,106.93 and on August 9, 2021, City Council approved Amendment No. 3 in the amount of $147,178.50. Amendment No. 2 was for additional required water sampling and Amendment No. 3 continued the Monitoring Plan for the San Pedro Creek and Pacifica State Beach from 2021 through 2025 as required by the Water Board.
San Pedro Creek is a complex system with many potential sources of bacteria including controllable sources such as humans, horses, and dogs, and uncontrollable sources, such as wildlife, and secondary sources such as biofilms and sediment. Bacteria sources were identified based on the results of a bacterial source tracking study and identified the sanitary sewer system as the main human source. However, to date, we have not identified the exact source or sources related to the sanitary sewer system. The upcoming lower Linda Mar sewer rehabilitation project may help address the problem. Water samples from the creek, its tributaries, and stormwater inflows, are analyzed in two ways. First, samples are analyzed for concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria which tells us about the severity of the problem, how much bacteria are in the creek and at which point. Second, samples are analyzed using Microbial Source Tracking (MST) which allows for the DNA analysis of water samples to test for the presence of specific animal markers from, in this case, horses, humans, and dogs. While there is some unquantified background level of bacteria from uncontrollable sources such as wildlife and secondary sources, MST analysis continues to detect bacteria from controllable sources. The three primary controllable sources of bacteria in the watersheds, humans, dogs, horses, are being targeted using three strategies. The San Pedro Creek watershed drains roughly eight square miles and has five major tributaries and moving the existing sampling sites within the watershed will isolate potential sources of human DNA and reduce the overall area of the sewer system required for inspections and possible repairs. Efforts to minimize horse manure entering the creek are focused on equestrian operations. Efforts to control pet waste from dogs takes the form of targeted outreach and education.
The City, County and RCD has been working diligently on reducing bacteria in San Pedro Creek and Pacifica State Beach. These efforts include but are not limited to, public engagement at local events such as Fog Fest and Eco Fest, direct mailers, print advertisements, local television advertisements, sewer lateral grants and various social media post. The City and County also annually inspected the horse and animal facilities and City Wastewater staff inspected and improved miles of sewer main line within the watershed. Unfortunately, these efforts have not significantly reduced the bacteria in San Pedro Creek and Pacifica State Beach.
Since the Waste Load Allocations (WLA) was not met as required by the TMDL, the Water Board is requiring a Special Study Plan for conducting bacteria water quality monitoring along the Pacifica State Beach (Beach). This special study will assess the spatial and temporal extent of bacteria impairment at the beach. Water quality data collected under this effort aims to constrain bacteria sources and determine the safe to swim zone along the beach. Samples collected from the monitoring locations at the creek mouth and distributed north and south along the beach will provide data to isolate bacterial sources and characterize the spatial extent of bacterial impairments along the beach. Grab samples will be collected at the established monitoring sites at the creek mouth, point zero at the mixing zone (LM5), and at designated intervals along the beach and all will be analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Microbial Source Tracking (MST) will be conducted using the human, horse, dog, seagull, and universal markers twice during both the wet and dry season. Salinity data will be collected with each grab sample and these measurements provide an additional water quality parameter that will help characterize the creek discharge plume and potential correlations with bacteria. A separate section of this study will focus on assessing compliance with WLAs at another Linda Mar beach Pacifica City Council 3
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sampling station (LM7). This section will analyze all available weekly sampling data at two beach sampling stations and the Creek Mouth to determine if WLAs are being met for the beach. Finally, based on findings of the plume study and of the WLA Assessment, a stormwater best management practices (BMP) analysis using ArcGIS will be developed by the RCD. The objective of the BMP analysis is to identify stormwater BMPs in the watershed. If the plume study identifies significant sources of bacteria along the beach, BMPs will focus on those sources. If the plume study does not identify any significant sources of bacteria along the beach, then BMPs will focus on stormwater management opportunities in the upper watershed.
The City Manager recommends approval of Amendment No. 4. with RCD and the new agreement with San Mateo County.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The Council may choose not to approve the amendment and agreement. This could result in the City not meeting Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit requirements. Staff does not recommend this alternative action.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
• Preserve and Enhance Natural Resources: includes mapping out parks and open space, preserving hillsides and beaches, paying attention to flora and fauna needs, and environmental health.
Approving the amendments will assist the City meet statutory requirements and will protect the City’s creeks, beaches and oceans and preserve environmental health.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost for Amendment No. 4 is $136,228.00 covering FY 2023 to 2025, which will cost $68,114.10 per year. Pacifica's share of the annual cost is expensed out of NPDES Stormwater Fund ($25,542.75) and Wastewater Fund ($25,542.75). There is no need for additional budget authority at this time as enough funds are budgeted in both NPDES Stormwater fund and WWTP fund during the adoption of the City’s annual fiscal budget. Future cost will also be budgeted as part of the respective annual budgets.
Annual
Breakdown
Cost Funding Source
NPDES
Fund 16
WW Fund
34 SM
County
Special Study $136,228.00 $51,085.50 $51,085.50 $34,057.00 FY 23-24 $68,114.00 $25,542.75 $25,542.75 $17,028.50
FY 24-25 $68,114.00 $25,542.75 $25,542.75 $17,028.50
Use of Funds
Special Study $136,228.00
Total Use of Funds $136,228.00
Source of Funds
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NPDES Fund 16 $51,085.50
Wastewater Fund 34 $51,085.50
San Mateo County $34,057.00
Total Source of Funds $136,228.00
ORIGINATED BY:
Public Works
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment A_Amendment No. 4 to the Inter-Agency Agreement with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (PDF)
Attachment B_Agreement Between the County of San Mateo and City of Pacifica (PDF) Attachment C_Pacifica State Beach Special Study Bacteria Water Quality Monitoring Program (PDF)
Pacifica City Council 5
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RESOLUTION NO. ___
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO THE INTER-AGENCY AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN MATEO
RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH SAN
MATEO COUNTY FOR THE PACIFICA STATE BEACH BACTERIA TMDL SPECIAL STUDY SERVICES; AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL
DOCUMENTS
WHEREAS, the Basin Plan Amendment established the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for bacteria in San Pedro Creek and at Pacifica State Beach and was adopted by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) on November 14, 2012.; and
WHEREAS, the TMDL required the development of a Bacteria Water Quality Best Management Practices (BMP) Implementation and Monitoring Plan for the San Pedro Creek watershed to reduce discharges of bacteria to the storm drain systems to attain wasteload allocations.; and
WHEREAS, on November 28, 2016, the City and County approved the Inter-Agency Agreement with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) for the San Pedro Creek and Pacifica State Beach Bacteria TMDL Monitoring Services and approved the Agreement with San Mateo County for Reimbursement of the Costs.; and WHEREAS, on December 28, 2016, City approved Amendment No. 1, on August 11, 2020, City Manager approved Amendment No. 2, and on August 9, 2021, City Council approved Amendment No. 3.; and
WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board is requiring a Special Study Plan for conducting bacteria water quality monitoring along the Pacifica State Beach.;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Governing Board of the City of Pacifica authorizes the City Manager to execute Amendment #4 with RCD and Agreement with San Mateo County for the Governing Board.
• • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 28th day of August, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
Tygarjas Twyrls Bigstyck, Mayor
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ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney