City of Salinas Urban Watershed Management Program. Reporting Year

Transcription

1 City of Salinas Urban Watershed Management Program Reporting Year Annual Report Prepared in Compliance with California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region Order: R Permit No: CA

2 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Introduction Water Quality Strategies NPDES Program History Staffing Analysis Fiscal Analysis Program Highlights Annual Report Contents Effectiveness of SWMP Activity Summary 1-19 Development Standards and Construction Site Management.2-1 Introduction Goal Activities Measures of Effectiveness RY Work Plan Results from Environmental Monitoring Program Local Watershed/Creek Assessments.2-17 Regional Water Monitoring Regional Water Quality Municipal Maintenance Introduction and Goals. 3-1 Parks Maintenance Division Goals Activities Measures of Program Effectiveness Reporting Year Work Plan..3-8 Wastewater Division Goal Activities Measures of Program Effectiveness Work Program RY Street Maintenance Division Goals Activities.3-27 Measures of Program Effectiveness Work Program RY Facility Maintenance Division 3-32 Goals 3-32 Activities Measures of Program Effectiveness Work Program RY Fleet Maintenance Division Goals 3-34 Activities Measures of Program Effectiveness i

3 Reporting Year Annual Report Work Program RY Commercial and Industrial Facilities Introduction Activities Measures of Program Effectiveness..4-7 Work Program RY Public Education and Outreach Introduction and Goal Construction Site Management Element Goal / Requirements Reporting Year Public Education and Outreach Program Accomplishments.5-2 Illicit Discharge and Illegal Connection Program Implementation..6-1 Goal.6-2 Effectiveness of Program.6-3 Work Plan for Monitoring and Water Quality Testing 7-1 Introduction. 7-1 Salinas Stormwater Program 2006 Monitoring Data Analysis Plan Introduction Monitoring Data 7-7 Work Program RY Appendices......A-1 Best Management Practices....Tab 1 Capital Projects......Tab 2 Collaboration Partners..... Tab 3 Construction Development.....Tab 4 Staffing Tab 5 Fiscal Resources... Tab 6 Low Impact Development Tab 7 Public Education and Outreach..Tab 8 Training.Tab 9 Monitoring....Tab 10 Compact Disk (enclosed in sleeve) Reporting Year Annual Report Quality Assurance Program Plan ii

4 Executive Summary Executive Summary Annual Report 1-1

5 Reporting Year Annual Report Introduction Understanding the Salinas residents, the environment, and the economy is vital to effectively implementing a water pollution prevention program for the community. THE RESIDENTS The City of Salinas is located in Monterey County. Salinas has a population of 152,677. It is the largest city in Monterey County. The total population of Monterey County is 425,102 with many residents living on rural properties outside Salinas and other smaller cities in the county. The population of Salinas is 64.1% Latin.. The remaining percentages of the population are divided into three principal groups 45.2 percent Caucasian, 6.2 percent Asian and 3.3 percent African American and other races. THE ENVIRONMENT Salinas enjoys a mild climate and is approximately twenty miles northeast of the Monterey Bay and fifty-five miles from San Jose, a major metropolitan area. Salinas is the county seat of the Salinas Valley. The Salinas Valley is located between the Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountain ranges and follows the Salinas River to the Monterey Bay. The rich watershed areas of the valley extend through Salinas and help to create the rich alluvial soil that is ideal for many of the agricultural operations surrounding Salinas. The climate is also ideal with an average temperature of 68 degrees. The Gabilan and Natividad Watersheds are prominent environmental features in the Salinas. Reclamation Ditch # 1065 also helps to carry storm water runoff to the Salinas River and eventually into Monterey Bay. These waterways also are conduits for sediment loads that are a result of some of the highly erodible soils and poor erosion control practices in county areas adjacent to Salinas. THE ECONOMY Salinas is the seat of Monterey County with the primary industry being agriculture and agricultural related operations. These include growing, packaging, and transportation of agricultural products. Significant valley crops that are grown and processed in and around Salinas include salad crops, strawberries, artichokes and broccoli. Some fish are transported to Salinas from Monterey for processing and packing. Transportation through Salinas includes significant long haul truck traffic, the railroad and limited air transportation. These major industries help to support the local economy. Agriculture, agricultural industry, and the increasing urban expansion of Salinas also impact the 1-2

6 Executive Summary environmental health of the Salinas. WATER QUALITY STRATEGIES STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION The City of Salinas urban watershed management and protection activities integrate the resources of many municipal departments while collaborating with other critical stakeholders toward the goal of protecting the quality of water that is so vital to the residents, economy and environment in Salinas. PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION The population growth of Salinas requires that Salinas address pollution control strategies that are associated with people in close proximity to waterways. Public outreach and education is key to helping change people s awareness about the impacts they can have on water quality and providing them with information which will help them make lifestyle changes that will work to protect water quality. An example of one of the strategies is the Integrated Pest Control (IPM) training that the City of Salinas and Ecology Action (a nonprofit environmental consultancy) are providing currently. The Green Gardener ten-week course will help to landscape professionals and residents understanding of effective means to perform landscape activities which are also pollution prevention strategies. The cultural make up of the community effects Salinas approach to public outreach and education. Information material provided to the residents is provided in both English and Spanish to reach the largest audience possible. Bilingual staff members are available to answer questions and receive reports of hazardous materials spills, illicit discharges, or other water quality concerns. MONITORING Salinas recognizes the impacts of the agricultural runoff from lands immediately adjacent to the City s boundaries and incorporates that impact into the analysis of water quality in the determination of the sources of pollution. Pollutants identified in water flowing into Salinas include pesticides, fertilizers, sediments, fecal colliform and e-coli and vegetable residues. The collaboration of the Ag Waiver Program and the City of Salinas is important in approaching a pollution solution for the total watershed. Salinas monitoring program, QAPP, and the information sharing with other monitoring groups help to identify the sources of pollutants. In 2006, Salinas has contracted with 1-3

7 Reporting Year Annual Report Pacific Eco Risk to provide the bulk of the program monitoring and analysis. The advantage to hiring Pacific Eco Risk for this portion of the program is that they also are providing the monitoring service for the Ag Waiver Program. This will help to facilitate a more rapid coordination of joint monitoring as well as using the same data retrieval processes and laboratories. This is expected to expedite a timely response to a coordinated plan to mitigate pollutants in local waterways. It also will help to facilitate a more comprehensive pollution prevention strategy. INSPECTION Storm Sewer All twenty-one Wastewater Division staff are assigned to, and trained for, the inspection of the components of the stormwater system. The single Pump Mechanic has specific duties related to inspection of the storm water lift stations with other staff members crosstrained to provide inspection of these facilities in his absence. Building/Construction Inspection Services There are eleven authorized positions in the Inspection Services portion of the Development and Engineering Department. These staff members inspect construction activities to verify compliance with all applicable codes and laws. The Code Compliance inspections are performed to eliminate sub-standard housing. Inspections are also conducted to assure that the City constructs new streets, including utilities in compliance with the City standards prior to their acceptance for maintenance. Industrial Inspection The industrial business activities in Salinas include numerous packing and processing plants for fresh and frozen vegetables. These businesses are involved in inspections from the City of Salinas s NPDES Inspection team. This team is comprised of inspectors from the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency, under contract with the City of Salinas. The City of Salinas also works very closely with the Monterey County Environmental Health Department to assure that businesses operations are not creating sources of pollutants that will impact storm water quality. COORDINATED EMERGENCY RESPONSE Transportation of goods in and through Salinas has impacts on water quality. Spills of large quantities of fuels, fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural commodities, have been involved in accidents resulting in potential impacts on Salinas storm drain systems and at times, directly to water courses. Effective spill response, haz mat training and an effective network of emergency responders have been one of Salinas strongest program qualities to date. This includes the Salinas Fire Department and Hazardous Materials Team, as well as an effective coordination with the Monterey County Environmental Health Department. Annually Salinas and Monterey County Environmental Health Department facilitate an Environmental Compliance Workshop to train businesses and 1-4

8 Executive Summary individuals on protecting the environment with effective pollution prevention strategies. The City is also a co-sponsor of an upcoming event to plan emergency strategies for rail car and tanker rollovers. These emergencies occur in communities that are transportation hubs such as Salinas. Salinas continues to prepare for these emergencies to mitigate the environmental impacts and potential for injury and property damage. All Salinas public safety, Maintenance Services Department staff and leadership staff in other departments will be certified as National Incident Management System (NIMS) and State Incident Management System (SIMS) emergency response personnel in the Incident Command System by October 1, REGULATORY AUTHORITY The City of Salinas is a charter city with corporate powers derived directly from the California Constitution. California Constitution, Article XI 3 (a). Through its charter, the City of Salinas has supremacy over municipal affairs subject only to conflicting provisions in the state or federal constitutions and preemptive state law on matters of statewide concern. Unless preempted by state legislation on matters of statewide concern, the City s laws will prevail over inconsistent state laws. Consistent with this authority, the City has adopted a Zoning Code to regulate land use and development, and a municipal code, which includes a Stormwater Ordinance and a Grading Ordinance. The City s Storm Water Ordinance and Grading Ordinance are currently being reviewed and updated to comply with the additional requirements imposed upon the City by the NPDES Program. The Engineering Firm of Kennedy/Jenks, under contract with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, has done the initial review of the documents. The review will determine if the documents contain any inconsistencies that may be in conflict with Low Impact Development practices, anticipated to be approved for use in Salinas. In August of 2006, Kennedy/Jenks forwarded their review comments to the City. On September 11, 2006, City staff completed a review of the work done by Kennedy/Jenks on the ordinance review and returned comments to them for inclusion in a second revised document. Current drafts of these two ordinances can be found in Appendices C-2 and C-3 of the Salinas Draft Storm Water Master Plan. These two documents are scheduled for completion and adoption in the second year of the permit term. 1-5

9 Reporting Year Annual Report NPDES Program History NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM In November 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated enforceable regulations establishing municipal stormwater permit requirements under its NPDES Program. In California, EPA has delegated its NPDES permitting authority to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SWRCB issues and enforces NPDES Permits through its nine California Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB). The California Water Code (Porter-Cologne Act) provides these agencies with the authority to coordinate and control water quality in waters of the State. This SWMP describes what will be accomplished and is consistent with the provisions of State law. PHASE I PERMIT The City of Salinas is in the second year of the City s second five year-term Permit, Order # R , as a Phase I City under the national Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The NPDES Program s goal is to protect water quality by reducing pollutants in Salinas storm water. Salinas is required to implement program activities that address pollution prevention activities for municipally owned drainage facilities, including streets, highways, storm drains, and flood control channels. Municipalities are required to effectively prohibit non-stormwater discharges to municipal storm sewer systems and to implement controls to reduce pollutants in stormwater to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). Pollution prevention activities in the City of Salinas include, but are not limited to, best management practices in municipal maintenance, public education and outreach, storm water monitoring, commercial and industrial business discharge oversight, and construction and development regulation to eliminate pollutants into water bodies. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN A comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan has been developed and is currently posted on the City s website for public review. The Salinas City Council is scheduled to review the Plan in October of At that time, they will be presented with the option of approving the plan as written or, directing staff to make revisions, which incorporate comments received from the public, the RWQCB and the Council. Upon final approval of the Salinas SWMP by the City Council, it will be provided to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board in San Luis Obispo as a formal submittal and 1-6

10 Executive Summary posted on the RWQCB website for public comment. Following the RWQCB posting, Salinas City staff and the RWQCB Board staff will amend the SWMP as necessary and present it to the RWQCB Board for final approval. 1-7

11 Reporting Year Annual Report Staffing Analysis PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Salinas s Maintenance Service Department has primary coordination responsibility for the City NPDES program; however, the program is a city-wide program with most departments having some level of involvement for program activities. The Program steering committee is the Salinas NPDES Committee. The Committee is made up of department representatives from Development and Engineering s Engineering Division, Permit Center staff, Construction Inspection staff, Advance Planning staff, and Community Development staff. The Maintenance Services Department participates on the Committee with staff from the Street Maintenance Division, Wastewater Division, the Water Resource Planner, Park Maintenance Division and the Department Director. A member from the City Attorney s Office and Public Safety, participate on an as needed basis. The Committee is responsible for integration of each division s duties with the responsibilities of the NPDES program. A subcommittee was also formed to develop the Stormwater Master Plan. The SWMP Subcommittee is comprised of the Deputy City Attorney, the Deputy City Engineer, and the Maintenance Services Director. The SWMP subcommittee is tasked with editing the Draft SWMP and presenting it to the City Council for approval. Each department has specific responsibilities for program activities. Maintenance functions such as street sweeping and sewer maintenance are the responsibility of the Maintenance Services Department. Code enforcement, construction inspection, new development, permitting, and advance planning are the responsibility of the Development and Engineering Department. The Fire Department has primary responsibility for incidents related to hazardous material spill containment. Individual staff members with levels of functional responsibility for the NPDES program implementation are: Maintenance Services Department Director-Denise Estrada Water Resource Planner-Michael Ricker Wastewater Manager-Ron Cole City Attorney-Vanessa Vallarta Deputy City Attorney-Chris Callihan Deputy City Manager-Robert Russell Deputy City Engineer-Carl Niizawa 1-8

12 Executive Summary ORGANIZATION General NPDES is a City-wide program that involves all City departments on various levels and effects how Salinas does business. Generally the NPDES program activities are divided into categories that include: program coordination, maintenance activities, planning, inspection, emergency response, regulatory, administrative, financial and legal. The primary departments involved in the NPDES program are the Maintenance Services Department, Development and Engineering, and the City Attorney s Office. Program Administration The City Council is responsible for approval of NPDES program documents and authorizing the portion of the City budget that is used for NPDES activities. The City Manager directs all departmental operations associated with the program. Primary Departmental NPDES Activities Maintenance Services Department The Maintenance Services Department facilitates general program coordination, including the convening of the full NPDES Committee or subcommittees. Staff of the Maintenance Services Department utilizes best management practices, BMPs in performing maintenance and inspection activities on the sewer systems (industrial, storm and sanitary), street sweeping, roads, sidewalks, traffic signals, street lights, parks, public landscapes, street trees, City vehicles and equipment, and City buildings. Inspection of industrial facilities is done through this department, utilizing contract inspection staff from the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency, (MRWPCA). The department s maintenance operations implement the Stormwater Ordinance in coordination with the City s Permit Center. The Water Resource Planner in the Maintenance Services Department has the responsibility to write the SWMP document, incorporating the input and expertise of the SWMP Subcommittee. The Maintenance Services Director serves as coordinator of the SWMP Subcommittee that is tasked with developing the final SWMP. Development and Engineering Department The Development and Engineering Department performs construction inspection, building permit issuance and inspection, advance planning and engineering for all City construction projects. Code Enforcement is a primary function of this department. The Code Enforcement staff utilizes an escalating enforcement strategy, including an administrative remedy process, to gain compliance in some of the areas of the NPDES program. This department is primary for the implementation of the City General Plan, Zoning Code, Grading Ordinance, Development and Design Standards, as well as portions of the Stormwater Ordinance. The Deputy City Engineer is one of three members of the SWMP Subcommittee that is tasked with developing the SWMP. This department is also facilitating the planning for the Future Growth Areas of Salinas. In this process, staff is preparing the development community for the implementation of 1-9

13 Reporting Year Annual Report new standards that incorporate Low Impact Development. Activities associated with this transition have included, workshops presented by the firm of Kennedy/Jenks. This activity was funded by the RWQCB through a grant program. The review of draft design, development and construction standards are primarily done by this department. Office of City Attorney The City Attorney s Office provides legal guidance to the departments in the development and review of documents associated with the NPDES Program. The Office is also responsible for issues related program legal authority. The City Attorney s Office reviews case law related to stormwater programs and researches funding options for program activities. NPDES enforcement issues may also require participation of the City Attorney s Office. Public Safety-Police/Fire Public Safety, Police and Fire Departments, although not primarily involved in program implementation, perform critical services related to protecting storm water quality. They are typically the lead department for hazardous materials spill incidents and accidents. This typically includes fires and vehicle accidents. Finance Department The City s Finance Office is responsible for oversight of all City budgets, including the NPDES Storm Sewer budget and the NPDES Street Sweeping budget. Capital expenses related to the NPDES program are all facilitated through the Finance Department s Office. Redevelopment The Redevelopment Department was established to address urban renewal development programs as authorized by the State of California health and Safety Code. Its primary involvement is in connection with downtown and East Salinas revitalization and neighborhood improvement programs. In addressing conditions of blight and infrastructure deterioration, this department will, consistent with the new Draft Stormwater Ordinance and Draft Development Standards, integrate, wherever feasible, principles of Low Impact Development, adopted by Salinas. The Appendix of this Report contains a summary sheet of each of the primary departments with program responsibilities. This includes a description of the work activities and contact information. 1-10

14 Executive Summary Fiscal Analysis PROGRAM FUNDING A key component of the NPDES program is the program s resources. The NPDES Permit requires that Salinas expend the funds necessary to comply with the requirements of the Permit. Initial estimates of the funds required to comply with the Permit were in excess of $9 million dollars over the five-year term of the Permit. As the City reviews actual costs for program elements after this second year, it is obvious that the estimate of $9 million dollars is potentially much less than actual costs if capital improvement projects are a factor in determining this total program cost over the entire permit term. The current program activities are funded by a combination of Development Fees, the General Fund and Enterprise fees associated with the Storm Water Program. In Fiscal Years 06/07 through 08/09, the City has planned to fund approximately $7.6 million dollars of program related activities. These expenditures include operating budget costs as well as capital improvements. Salinas attempts to fund NPDES activities through a dedicated funding source have been overturned by the courts and no viable means of a new separate dedicated funding source have been identified to date, although staff continues to work on funding strategies. The Annual Report period is from October 1 of 2005 through September 30, This is not consistent with the Fiscal Year accounting periods that Salinas operates under. The municipal Fiscal Year is measured from July 1, 2005 through June 30, A portion of two fiscal years is allocated to the program activities covered in this annual Report accounting period. To illustrate the anticipated allocation of the program budget from 2005 to 2009, a chart, Storm Sewer (NPDES Capital Projects and Operating Budgets) is included in this appendix. The Council approved a two-year budget. Funding of $1,940,500 for NPDES program related expenses in Fiscal Year and $2,599,300 for Fiscal Year has been approved for program activities. Projected budgets for Fiscal Years 2007 through 2009 have been prepared, but have not as yet been approved by the City Council. A graphic representation also has been provided in the appendix to illustrate the approximate division of the budget by program activities. Staff estimates that approximately $400,000 annually has come from department costs not included in the designated NPDES budgets. Administration, overhead, other departmental staff time, permitting and inspection costs are not fully represented in this accounting of costs. Even with this level of investment in stormwater activities, additional resources will be necessary, including the diversion of resources from other programs, in the upcoming 1-11

15 Reporting Year Annual Report Permit term to meet the Permit requirements. To achieve the unfunded aspects of the program, the City must pursue other avenues to meet the program costs through collaborations with local stakeholders. Through this collaborative approach, the City hopes to maximize the funds available for activities not achievable by collaborative means. The combined benefits of a regional collaboration with stakeholders have the effect of reducing all participants costs and affecting a broader coverage with the pollution prevention efforts. Salinas is committed to broadening the collaborative approach as the opportunities arise for a more effective program implementation. Unless state legislation is changed, if the City is going to adequately fund the NPDES Program, it will need to take one or more of the following actions to institute a new stormwater fee: 1. Secure two-thirds approval of the general electorate; 2. Secure sufficient support of property owners; or 3. Develop a legally defensible alternate strategy. Meeting any of these requirements is a formidable challenge. 1-12

16 Executive Summary Program Highlights SUMMARY The City of Salinas has increased its pollution prevention activities, consistent with the Permit requirements, during this reporting period. Details of these activities will be provided in this Annual Report under each section. Of particular note is increased staff training, greater agency collaboration, development of a Draft Stormwater Master Plan and a QAPP, and the beginnings of a Low Impact Development model ordinance that will be used throughout the region as a template for development in other cities. TRAINING This Permit year has seen substantial increases in staff training to better prepare for the challenges of implementing the program requirements. These training activities will be presented in greater detail in the Annual Report. The focus of these trainings has been to increase staff expertise in monitoring, Low Impact Development, Integrated Pest Management; construction practices to reduce erosion; and hazardous material spill mitigation. AGENCY COLLABORATION Recognizing the necessity to collaborate for effectiveness and to provide a cost-effective program has meant that the City has engaged new pollution prevention partners, in addition to the collaborations that have previously existed. These new partners include the Ag. Waiver monitoring group, Ecology Action, the Stormwater Education Alliance, and the Salinas Elementary Unified School District. A new contract services provider/partner in this reporting term is Pacific EcoRisk (an environmental consulting, testing firm). The NPDES Permit requires Salinas to coordinate with the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority (SVSWA). Salinas is a member of this joint powers agency. A member of the Salinas City Council serves as a Board member of the SVSWA. Associated with this coordination, the Director of Maintenance Services serves as a member of the Monterey County Integrated Waste Management Task Force and the 3 Rs Committee (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) to carry out the City s commitment to reducing potential pollutants and the impacts of solid waste on landfill capacity. The work of these bodies is consistent with pollution prevention through waste reduction and the safe handling of waste products that have pollution potential for storm water. The work in 2005 was focused on plastic pollution prevention. It included participation in community outreach events at local grocery stores, media information, two county fairs, and numerous community 1-13

17 Reporting Year Annual Report clean-up events. The City and its franchise waste hauler, BFI sponsored two free trash turn in days at three locations in Salinas. Hazardous waste, including tires, e-waste, and now universal waste products is sorted and disposed of in such a way as to eliminate their potential for pollution of storm water. In 2006, the focus has been to vigorously address illegal dumping and the safe disposal of universal waste. This has included public outreach events to inform tri-county residents how to safely dispose of batteries. Staff has received training and disposal containers to facilitate the safe disposal of batteries in the workplace. An exhibit was presented in August of 2006 at the Monterey County Fair for public education and outreach on waste reduction and pollution prevention. The Salinas Water Resource Planner and two interns were on hand with other solid waste professionals to provide the information to the public. LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT During this permit term, the City and Kennedy/Jenks Engineering have worked to educate the local construction and development community on concepts to protect water quality through Low Impact Development processes. This has included workshops and a review of the City s ordinances and plans to determine the compatibility between existing regulatory documents and the new direction the City is embarking upon by the incorporation of Low Impact Development technology in the future growth areas of Salinas, as well as redevelopment projects. Kennedy/Jenks has completed the review of all except the SWMP in September of 2006 with their editorial comments being presented to the City. The City replied comments in response to these review comments with an eye to being able to come to consensus on revised documents that will be presented to Council for approval. This includes the Stormwater Ordinance and the Grading Ordinance. A review of the Zoning Code elements relative to Low Impact Development opportunities has also been conducted. The Draft SWMP is now being reviewed during September of

18 Executive Summary ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS REPORT ORGANIZATION The Draft Stormwater Management Plan separates the program elements into general categories that reflect the major program elements as follows: Construction Site Management Component Development Standards Component Commercial/Industrial Facilities Component Municipal Maintenance Component Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Component Public Education and Participation Component Program Effectiveness Legal Authority The organization of the information within this Annual Report will follow the organization of the Draft SWMP Element categories. Within each Element area, the Report contains reporting of program activities, Best Management Practices specific to the Element category, and a work plan for the upcoming reporting year. SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES Individual Elements contained in this report, each have a summary of the reporting work unit s activities. These activities are described in a quantifiable and qualified format. In each Element s report is a discussion of the BMPs for each reporting work unit. SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF MONITORING RESULTS The City has utilized the services of Pacific Eco Risk to provide the Annual Report monitoring data and analysis required by the Permit. The Permit requires the monitoring to begin with the dry weather monitoring in There was no monitoring activity required in The scope of analysis is limited to the one monitoring event and provides insufficient data to make a comprehensive assessment of total health of the Salinas watersheds. The Monitoring Element of this Annual Report will discuss the City s monitoring program in greater detail. ESTIMATES OF TOTAL POLLUTANT LOADS The monitoring during this review term is limited to the one dry weather monitoring in The scope of this data for analysis of pollutant loads is limited to the one data set and can only be of value for the time and site that the monitoring was performed. 1-15

19 Reporting Year Annual Report Included in this report is the analysis of the total pollutant loads that is provided by Pacific Eco Risk. REPORTS OF WATER QUALITY EXCEEDANCE The Illegal Connection and llicit Discharge Element portion of this Annual report will discuss any water quality exceedances that have been found during this Annual reporting period. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF STORMWATER CONTROLS In assessing the effectiveness of the City s stormwater controls, staff compares a number of factors. Some of the most important stormwater controls include, but are not limited to: Stormwater system maintenance program Stormwater system capital repair program City s Legal Authority, including Administrative Remedies Stormwater and Grading Ordinances Design, Development and Construction Standards Staff training in NPDES topics Public education and outreach The Hotline Emergency response plan for hazardous materials spills The sections of this Annual Report include a discussion of the effectiveness of controls in each program area. This year, a much greater focus has been undertaken to train staff and the community on an expanded understanding of what is required to protect water quality. This includes training and education from the most basic level of individual work groups discussing their responsibilities to best management practices to more in-depth formal workshops on a wide variety of topics which include sediment control, plastic pollution prevention, incident command training, low impact development, pesticide applicator safety training, integrated pest control and storm water maintenance methods. This training has made staff members much more effective in storm water pollution prevention. Public outreach has also been expanded in this reporting period. In many cases where Salinas has had insufficient funds to take on this function with only City resources, agency collaboration has helped to implement this expanded outreach and education effort. An example includes the agency collaboration with Monterey County Environmental Health Department to facilitate a major workshop on Environmental Compliance. The new partnership with Ecology Action has facilitated the Green Gardener Program to train landscape business and staff in Integrated Pest Management. The partnership with the Stormwater Education Alliance has helped to facilitate the storm drain stenciling in critical areas of concern while training students about stormwater 1-16

20 Executive Summary pollution prevention. The Low Impact Development (LID) workshops and strategies to include LID in revised City ordinances and standards, has been ongoing in this reporting period. City projects have been incorporating LID into projects during this year; however, there has been no storm period as yet to assess the effectiveness of these practices. These are primarily related to incorporation of permeable pavement and use of vegetative swales. The City s response to illicit discharges is a very effective control. The coordination of Wastewater Division staff, the Monterey County Environmental Health Department staff, and the Salinas Fire Department is of a high caliber. Not only are spills being received and routed in a more expedited manner, but the response team s efforts continue to become even more effective due to shared training and good after action, on-site debriefing. The City has sufficient legal authority to provide the necessary tools for and enforcement of the NPDES program. The draft revised ordinances and standards are being reviewed by the City Attorney s Office to assess the legality of the policies and the effectiveness of their revised scope. One of the most effective control methods that the City has performed is the aboveground visual inspection of the storm drain system by staff that is trained to observe storm drains and waterways. Now all street sweeper operators, park maintenance workers, street maintenance employees, and other municipal employees are trained to identify potential problems in and near storm drains and waterways. This has reduced the delays in reporting problems from the field related to pollution potential. There are currently ninety employees trained to identify the problem and initiate a rapid response. The other very effective control is that the hotline for reporting problems, (831) , has been very helpful in relaying information to the City s Wastewater Division for an emergency response. The hotline now averages approximately seven calls a month with the annual reporting period having eighty-four calls directly to the hotline number. These calls are received for a variety of issues, not all of which result in a finding that a storm water pollution prevention activity needs to take place. Some of the calls are for a report of water coming from a break in a sidewalk or street that is related to broken potable water lines. Some of the calls are a result of a reporting of spills from private sewer laterals, illegal dumping, and hazardous materials spills. The hotline has proven to be an effective tool of notification to staff to investigate and mitigate stormwater related problems. After hour County Communication Emergency Dispatch receives calls of an emergency nature. The City s Wastewater on call staff member carries a pager and cell phone to facilitate after hours contact to be able to respond to emergencies. During this reporting period, staff has begun using a new form to record the actual responses with details of their actions. There have been forty-eight recorded illicit discharge responses during this period. These will be discussed in greater detail in the Illicit Discharge Element of this report. 1-17

21 Reporting Year Annual Report The City of Salinas NPDES Program continues to undergo changes that are focused on improving all program activities. As the technologies change and as more is learned about stormwater, opportunities continue to be available to incorporate changes to the program. Many of the program improvements require funding and diversion of funds from vital City programs and services. Recognizing funding constraints, Salinas will continue to seek collaborative opportunity for program implementation. PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS TO THE SWMP/MONITORING PROGRAM The Draft SWMP has been posted to the City website for public review. The SWMP is a comprehensive document and a responsible program commitment. The monitoring program has begun and will be most successful as the CCAMP data and the Ag Waiver data are compared with City monitoring data to determine the full scope of pollutant sources. The City suggests that the RWQCB make efforts with the three monitoring groups to facilitate an open and timely sharing of data. This is likely to be the most effective way of encouraging an open and joint collaboration on information sharing. SUMMARY OF ACTIONS Each section of this Annual Report contains an accounting of the actions that have been taken by the various work units as well as a work plan for the next reporting term. 1-18

22 Executive Summary EFFECTIVENESS OF SWMP The current Storm Water Master Plan has been rewritten during this Permit term to incorporate all the requirements of Attachment 6 of the Permit. Although the Draft SWMP has not yet been approved by the City Council or the RWQCB, the Permit continues to require the City to implement the stormwater pollution prevention activities that are in the Permit Order. Staff believes that the Salinas NPDES program is an effective program, responsive to the requirements of the Permit and effective in preventing pollution and mitigating pollution. Continuing effectiveness of the SWMP will also depend on a commitment of participation from the Ag Waiver Program and the RWQCB staff. Recognizing the resource limitations of individual agencies and the necessity of a collaborative approach, Salinas will engage key stakeholders in a mutual solution to the area s pollution prevention issues ACTIVITY SUMMARY The activities performed during this Permit term are provided in summary form for purposes of this Annual Report. Each activity is numbered to correspond with Attachment 6 of the Permit. The details of the activities are provided in the narrative that follows. 1. Review and Modify SWMP- Draft Stormwater Master Plan posted to the City Website on September 1, 2006 for public review and input. August 10 th LID Workshop- an announcement was made to attendees that the Plan would be available for public review on September 1. On October 17, 2006, the Salinas City Council will consider action on the Draft SWMP. 2. Parking/Road Inventory and Maintenance-Complete inventories of public parking areas and the City s roadways has been prepared. Maintenance is being performed, consistent with City standards. BMP manual is available for staff reference and staff is receiving ongoing training to incorporate this information into their daily maintenance efforts. The new parking garage has vortex continuous deflective separators to protect the storm drains. The street sweeping program is the most effective means of removing the City s pollutants from paved areas. The sweepers cover approximately 17,000 curb miles annually. They remove approximately 525 cubic yards (12 month average) of dirt, trash, debris and leaves. The two redevelopment areas of Salinas have trashcans for public 1-19

23 Reporting Year Annual Report litter. In other areas of Salinas, 37 trashcans are placed in public areas in addition to the public building and parks cans to collect trash. Approximately 2400 catch basins are inspected and cleaned as needed to remove pollutants. 3. Demonstration of Adequate Legal Authority- As part of its 2005 Annual Report, the City of Salinas provided verification that it possesses legal authority to prohibit unauthorized non-stormwater discharges and the contribution of pollutants in discharges of runoff associated with industrial and construction activity to its MS4, and to regulate the quality of runoff from industrial and construction sites. As a charter city with corporate powers derived directly from the California Constitution, the City of Salinas has the power and authority to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations with respect to municipal affairs, subject only to conflicting provisions of state law. Pursuant to such authority, the City has adopted and implemented a municipal code which includes grading and stormwater ordinances, and which regulates unauthorized discharges and illicit connections to the City s MS4. And, to the extent illicit state law or the City s municipal code does not already regulate activities, the City has authority to adopt additional regulations to meet the requirements of the City s NPDES Permit. Revised grading and stormwater ordinances have been drafted by Kennedy/Jenks with comments returned to them by City staff. 4. Develop a QAPP-Based on the recommendation of RWQCB staff, the City Contracted with Pacific Eco Risk to prepare its QAPP. Salinas signed a contract in June 2005 with that firm to prepare the QAPP. Since that time, issues about water quality sampling locations have delayed plan completion. Recent collaborations between the City, RWQCB staff and the Ag Waiver Program staff have come to a resolution on the sampling site concerns. The QAPP is now complete and has been delivered to the City on August 2 nd for inclusion in the SWMP. 5. Inventory of active construction projects-all construction sites are inspected daily and findings are recorded in the inspector s written work notes and each week reviewed for SWPPP compliance. On August 8 th, the Salinas City Council approved staff s recommendation to contract with a computer software firm to install a tracking software program for inspection and permitting documentation. This will improve the current process to better track and document findings and improve efficiency. Installation and implementation of the improved software program is scheduled to occur in early

24 Executive Summary 6. Inventory of all industrial facilities. The City has had an inventory of all it s Industrial Waste Treatment Plant customers. In addition to that inventory, staff has now completed a more thorough and expanded list of industrial facilities. Due to the dynamic nature of business occupancy of industrial sites, this inventory will be reviewed and revised periodically to provide quality information. Inspectors assigned to each sight will make the revisions to the inventory by deleting industries that are no longer doing business in Salinas. The Finance Department will provide Maintenance Services staff information to help track new industrial businesses taking out a business license in Salinas. 7. Coordinate with SVSWA-This activity was conducted and is on-going. Moreover, Salinas has initiated several joint programs with the SVSWA regarding reducing potential pollutants from residential and commercial sources. Salinas is a member of the SVSWA. The Salinas Maintenance Services Department Director is a contributing member of the Regional Integrated Waste Management Task Force and the 3Rs Committee (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) to carry out the City s commitment to these issues. Work of all three of these agency bodies is consistent with pollution prevention through waste reduction and the safe handling of waste products that have the potential for pollution of storm water. The work in 2005 was focused on plastic pollution prevention. It included participation in community outreach events at local grocery stores, media information, two county fairs, and numerous community clean-up events. The City and its franchise waste hauler, BFI, sponsor two free trash turn in days at three locations in Salinas. Hazardous waste, including tires, e-waste, and now universal waste is sorted and disposed of in such a way as to eliminate their potential for pollution of storm water. In 2006, the focus has been to vigorously address illegal dumping and the safe disposal of universal waste. This has included public outreach events to inform tri-county residents how to safely dispose of universal waste. The City Council has also received a public presentation on the safe disposal of batteries. Staff has received training and containers to facilitate the safe disposal of universal waste in the workplace. An exhibit was presented in August at the Monterey County Fair for public outreach on waste reduction and pollution prevention. The Salinas Water Resource Planner were on hand with other solid waste professionals to provide the information to the public. 8. Development Standards Plan-New/re-development. The Development Standards are being prepared by Kennedy Jenks on behalf of the City of Salinas and the RWQCB. It is anticipated that this template will have applicability for other regional Development Plans. This and two Low Impact Development, LID, public workshops have been funded by the RWQCB through its Guadalupe Environmental Clean-Up Funds. The Development Standards will incorporate some of the more traditional Standards necessary for development, but will also incorporate new LID strategies for implementation, to address Salinas Permit requirements to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). 1-21

25 Reporting Year Annual Report 9. Implement storage and maintenance facility BMPs. Salinas has prepared BMPs of all individual sites including storage facilities on these sites. The details of these BMPs are site specific and are included in the Management Plan. Staff has received training to help them better identify sources of potential pollution and methods to prevent pollution. This has also been incorporated into the training of pesticide applicators annually and is supplemented throughout the year in focused training events and tailgate meetings within individual divisions. Staff is required to inspect their facilities as a daily routine. More in-depth inspections are documented on their NPDES Facility Inspection sheets at least quarterly. The Wastewater Division of Maintenance Services is also intensively trained to identify potential pollution sites and to respond effectively to spills of pollutant containing materials. A Hazardous Response Plan, Business Response Plan and an Evacuation Plan is also in place to help identify problem areas and to implement effective responses to these issues that are frequently a result of a workplace that has stored materials which could be dangerous to staff and that have the potential to pollute. Staff is provided with personal protective equipment and spill clean-up materials for all sites. The main storage area for larger quantities of these types of materials is at the City s Corporation Yard at 426 Work Street. The Corporation Yard and all other sites that store hazardous materials are inspected annually by the Monterey County Environmental Health Department. NPDES inspections of the Corporation Yard division storage areas also receive managerial or supervisory second checks for compliance. The City of Salinas provides public refuse containers in the Redevelopment areas to reduce on street commercial litter from entering nearby stormdrains. These same sites will receive storm drain stenciling in the commercial redevelopment sites through Salinas collaboration with the Save the Whales group, which is funded by the Bay Areas Watershed Education and Training Program (BWET) Grant. 10. Minimum BMPS- Salinas has developed minimum BMPs and has included them within its SWMP. Implementation of the BMPs is conducted as part of routine municipal maintenance. Further, Salinas has revised its Pesticide Management program by including integrated pest management IPM principles. Maintenance staff members have attended training on IPM and are incorporating new training into its maintenance operations. The City implemented a stormwater pollution prevention training module for the Environmental Compliance Workshop on September 27 of The module was focused on training facility maintenance and landscape professionals in the area of IPM as an effective BMP. Salinas staff attended the training as part of their ongoing training on this topic. 11. Construction Brochure- Staff of the Development and Engineering Department has completed a construction industry BMP brochure. The brochure was produced in both English/Spanish. 1-22