SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND IMPACTSD. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITYexample, road grading, slide repair, and controlled burning could result in excess erosion andsedimentation in runoff that could eventually reach the water supply reservoirs. Improper use ofchemicals, such as the vehicle fuels or pesticides required for standard maintenance, could resultin release of contaminants to groundwater or stormwater runoff that could eventually reach thewater supply reservoirs.Under the Management Plan, Policy F11 allows for prescribed burns as part of regular firemanagement. Action wil7 calls for use of vegetation treatments or prescribed fire to enhancehabitat. Action sun10 calls for improving the Sunol maintenance facility, which would continueto use and store fuels and other hazardous materials on the Watershed, in turn increasing the riskof spill. Unless a wide range of interrelated policies and management actions were implemented,Watershed operations and maintenance activities could inadvertently but substantially degradewater quality and result in potentially significant water quality impacts.The first three bullets of Table III.D-4 list those policies and management actions related towatershed operation and maintenance activities that could result in potentially significant waterquality impacts, while the remainder of the table lists the full range of impact-reducing policiesand management actions which, on a program-level, could be required to reduce the potentialimpacts. Implementation of these policies and management actions would ensure that Watershedoperations and maintenance activities were consistent with the primary goal of protecting waterquality and would minimize potential water quality impacts associated with Watershedoperations and maintenance activities. These impact-reducing policies and management actionsare briefly summarized below. Not every action would be necessary to mitigate the effects of theassociated potential impact-causing management action. Because implementation information isnot yet known, the table indicates a program-level maximum number of measures that couldpossibly be required to avoid significant impacts. Management actions would be reviewed at thetime they area proposed for implementation to determine the potential for project-specificimpacts and to identify appropriate mitigation measures (see Section II.E.5.0, MitigationMonitoring and Reporting).Water Quality Policies WQ1 through WQ8, WQ14, WQ15, WQ16, WQ18, WQ20, WQ23,WQ25, WQ26, WQ30, and WQ31 address potential water quality impacts associated withWatershed operations and maintenance activities by managing use of pesticides, metals,hazardous materials, and other chemicals; minimizing nutrient loading; preventing introductionof asbestos into the water supply; minimizing introduction of pathogens to the water supply;optimizing use of the existing road system; controlling sedimentation and erosion; protectingwetland and stream channels; coordinating with agencies to protect water quality; and requiringongoing monitoring of activities and water quality. Policies WS5, WS6, and WS7 generallyprohibit water yield activities that could adversely affect water quality. Policies V1 and V2address pest management and chemical use. Aquatic Resources Policies AR5 and AR10minimize the introduction of chemicals into reservoirs and streams and prohibit certain activitieswithin high water-quality vulnerability zones. Fire Policies F5, F6, F12, F13, and F14 andAction fir1 through fir14 provide for fire suppression needs and regulate fuel managementactivities, while Policies S8 and S9 reduce potential water quality impacts associated withNOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan III.D-24 ESA / 930385January 2001