Total Maximum Daily Load Survey- East Fork San Gabriel River
On Monday, September 19, 2022, six Fisheries Resource Volunteer Corps volunteers, spent 9.0 hours completing another Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Survey at 4 locations on the East Fork San Gabriel River. ThebTotal Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) survey is an important tool for assessing the total maximum daily loads (TMDL’s) for trash on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in California. This survey measures the amount of trash that can be present in the river Trash can cause water quality impacts in the waterbody, including but not limited to reduced habitat for wildlife and aquatic life, direct harm to wildlife and aquatic life from ingestion or entanglement, and health impacts to people recreating in the water
Based on the results of the data from the TMDL survey, agencies can develop a plan to improve the health of the East Fork of the San Gabriel River. This might involve implementing new regulations to reduce the amount of pollutants that are allowed to enter the river, or implementing restoration efforts to improve the habitat for fish and other aquatic species.
One of the key benefits of the TMDL survey is that it provides a comprehensive, science-based assessment of the river. This allows decision makers to make informed decisions about how to address any issues that are identified, and to prioritize the most important actions to improve the river's health.
Volunteers were also able to talk with and educate the forest visitors about the importance of recreating safely, carrying out their trash and disposing of it properly. Volunteers removed and carried out hundreds of pounds of trash removed from the stream during each survey.
