Contact Person: Ruth Kolb
Address: P.O. Box 120488, San Diego, CA 92112-0488
Telephone: (619)686-6534
Fax: (619)686-6467
Email: rkolb@portofsandiego.org
Purpose:
Promote commerce, navigation, recreation, and fisheries
Authority:
State Legislature; Port Act of 1962
Top 5 Watershed Issues to be Resolved:
1. Reduce pollutant loadings to San Diego Bay
2. Improve cooperation and collaboration between the municipalities
3. Improve public awareness of water quality issues under their control
4. Improve the consistent implementation of monitoring objectives
5. Resolution between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the Receiving Waters Language in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits
Organizational Contributions:
Challenges:
meeting all of the permits and their requirements with the limited resources available
Lessons Learned:
include all interested stakeholders and obtain their input
Remaining Questions: how will the new Municipal Stormwater NPDES Permit fit into the existing watershed efforts
Accomplishments:
spearheaded and currently coordinating the San Diego Bay Watershed Task Force; provided Erosion Control Training to municipal employees within the San Diego Bay Watershed; Created the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Task Force which will also provide training to municipal employees within the watershed.
Display Materials:
None
David Merk's Speech
The Port of San Diego is a special district that was created in 1962 by the legislature upon approval of the voters to manage 5,287 acres of public tidelands. The Port has a seven member Board of Port Commissioners (BPC) and the chairperson rotates annually.
The major inputs into San Diego Bay are the Sweetwater River, Otay River, Switzer Creek, Chollas Creek, Paradise Creek, downtown and Point Loma surface drainage, and approximately 200 storm drains.
The San Diego Bay Watershed includes 415 square miles, starting at Cuyamaca Peak. This watershed contains approximately 50% of the county's population. The activities vary from urban residential to industrial to rural agricultural uses. According to the EPA approximately 80% of the pollution to San Diego Bay is caused from urban runoff.
David Malcolm, the 1998 chairman of the BPC stated in his State of the Port Address that the Port should become a leader in urban runoff for San Diego Bay. The first San Diego Bay Watershed Task Force meeting was held on May 21, 1998. This meeting was attended by majors, city managers, Board of Supervisors, CAO, stormwater managers, environmental organizations, U.S. Navy, Caltrans, and other interested stakeholders. At this meeting there was a consensus to discuss the need for a collaborative effort within the watershed. The Port was asked to meet with the technical staffs for municipal and other key stakeholders to determine the need.
A second meeting was held on September 14, 1998 and there was a consensus to continue the process and to use the watershed management approach, which includes all sources of nonpoint source pollution. At this meeting, the Port made a commitment to: coordinate activities; arrange for and conduct meetings with key stakeholders's technical staffs; review existing reports with the purpose to identify information gaps and prepare a report; coordinate 1-2 workshops in January and February to develop watershed goals, objectives, priorities, funding opportunities, and assign committees.
At this time the next San Diego Bay Watershed Task Force will be held on December 17, 1998 from 1:30 - 3:30 at the North Embarcadero Planning Center.