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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/10 MinutesCity of Newport Beach Coastal/Bay Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee Minutes Date: December 9, 2010 Time: 3:00 p.m. Location: Fire Conference Room 1. Welcome/Self Introductions Committee Members present: Chairwoman/Council Member Nancy Gardner Dennis Baker George Drayton Tom Houston Jim Miller Janet Rappaport Randy Seton Guests present: Monica Mazur, Newport Beach Resident Nancy and Jack Skinner, SPON Staff present: Larry Honeybourne, OC Healthcare Agency Mike Fennessy, OC Healthcare Agency Chris Miller, Harbor Resources Manager John Kappeler, WQ Manager Shari Rooks, Public Works Specialist 2. Approval of Previous Meeting's The minutes from the August 12, 2010 meeting were approved. 3. Old Business (a) Bay and Ocean Bacteriological Test Results Monica Mazur reviewed the latest bacti reports. 4. New Business (a) Presentations by Larry Honeybourne: Larry Honeybourne presented the Newport Beach Coastal/Bay 2009 Water Quality Annual Update to the committee. Please see PowerPoint presentation attached. Mr. Honeybourne also presented an update on the Same Day Water Quality Testing and Notification Pilot Program (Rapid Indicators Project). • The Healthcare Agency has been tracking sewage spills for the past 23 years. We are seeing a reduction in the number of spills reported over the past 10 years which is believed to be attributed to the increased public awareness, increased regulations and generally a better job being done by the wastewater agencies. • Heal the Bay issues report cards and in 2010 Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor got an "A" - picking up bird droppings may have influenced the improved rating. • Doheny got better ratings as well Poche Beach. The fact that gardeners have ceased dumping grass clippings at Poche may have influenced the improved rating. • The QPCR Method was used this summer (8-week demonstration project from July through August testing for DNA replication) as well as the standard culture methods. It is likely the QPCR rapid detection and reporting method will be the one the EPA will approve. The QPCR method provides test results within 2-4 hours compared to 24 hours previously. • Public notification of test results was accomplished using beach signs, the telephone hot line, the website, Twitter and 5 LCD monitors funded by MiOcean. (Two monitors currently in Newport Beach at CDM Beach and Newport Pier). • The LCD monitors cost $20-25K each and include satellite internet capability, power and development of necessary software. One monitor was placed at the entrance to Huntington State Beach at Magnolia St and two monitors at the entrance to Doheny State Beach, but State Parks asked MiOcean to remove them because they didn't have the money to maintain the monitors. ACTION: Larry Honeybourne suggested Dennis Baker contact Supervisor Bates or Pat Fuscoe at Fuscoe Engineering to find out if the City could get those monitors and possibly install them on lifeguard towers or bay beaches. (b) Regional General Dredging Permit Chris Miller presented an update on the status and renewal process for the City's Regional General Dredging Permit (RGP 54). • This permit is managed by the city on behalf of the waterfront residents who want to dredge in front of their docks, and covers the area along the harbor shoreline. • Every 5 years the city needs to test sediment samples at various locations around the harbor and submit the results as part of the process for applying to renew this permit. The current permit expires in the fall of 2011. • Chris proposed a spot re -test of the former hot spot areas rather than re -testing every location, and hopes that all agencies involved will approve this new testing procedure. (c) NPDES Annual Water Quality Report John Kappeler presented an update and review of the Executive Summary for the City's Annual (NPDES) Water Quality Report. • Chair Nancy Gardner said they had such a good meeting recently with the Harbor Commission and Planning Commission, and she wondered if it might be a good idea to have a joint session with the Harbor Commission and the Water Quality Committee. ACTION: John Kappeler research the possibility of a arranging a joint meeting with the Harbor Commission. S. Public Comments on Non -Agenda Items Dennis Baker brought up Steve Rosansky's idea of connecting the Rhine Channel through to the West Lido Channel. Chair Nancy Gardner said that both Steve Rosansky and Ed Selich seemed to like the idea. She said there was a presentation earlier today and the issue of water quality was raised - particularly the possibility of contamination from the Rhine. After the dredging of the Rhine it will be one of the cleanest parts of the bay. Chair Gardner said she believes the issue will come back on January 11, 2011. Randy Seton commented on the unusually large algae growth in the Grand Canal on Balboa Island within the past week. Jack Skinner said the Regional Board is focusing on the high levels of selenium runoff in Big Canyon and other areas and has estimated a price of $10M to remedy that problem. Mr. Skinner talked with the city and said the city is aware that we'll have to work with our upstream partners. Chair Gardner advised that there are plans for a project that will help with the selenium upstream although she wasn't sure if the coalition will hold together because of the large price tag. She said Dave Kiff met with other city managers recently and she hasn't had a chance yet to discuss that meeting with him. Mr. Skinner also said the "Gutter Buddies" presented their findings at the Beach Water Quality Workgroup conference in November and it garnered quite a bit of interest. John Kappeler added that the Santa Ana Regional Board went on record saying they recognize the issue and will look into it. He said it also captured SCCWRPs interest and in particular Donna Ferguson at SCCWRP is working on the issue. Ms. Ferguson wants to look specifically at AB411 exceedences to see if biofilm plays a part in that and/or if there is a human health risk. Jim Miller talked about ordinance change for walking dogs on the beach and the problem of enforcement. Chair Gardner said if anyone notices one particular area to let her know and the enforcement officer can follow up and spend more time in that particular area. 6. Topics for Future Agendas (a) Bacteriological Dry -Weather Runoff Gutter Study (Phase III) (b) OCTA Measure M (c) Coastal Dolphin Research Program (d) 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (e) Banning Ranch Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (0 Shelter Island Copper TMDL (g) Harbor Area Management Plan (HAMP) (h) Big Canyon Project (i) Cienega Project (j) Shark Mobile (k) Prop 84 ASBS Grant Program 7. Set Next Meeting Date The next meeting was set for January 13, 2011. 8. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at approximately 5 p.m.