From the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board:
The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) is beginning the process of reviewing its Water Quality Control Plans for the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River Basins and for the Tulare Lake Basin (Basin Plans). The Basin Plans cover all the watersheds of the Central Valley from the Oregon state border to the northern tip of Los Angeles County. The Basin Plans identify beneficial uses of surface water and groundwater, establish water quality objectives to protect beneficial uses, and describe an implementation plan to achieve water quality objectives.
The Central Valley Water Board staff will hold two public workshops to receive comments on basin plan elements that may need amendment. The purpose of the triennial review is to identify high priority basin planning issues that the Central Valley Water Board will direct basin planning efforts over the next three years. Amendments to the basin plan may occur as a result of the triennial review priorities but are not part of the triennial review process. The triennial review process does not include consideration of waste discharge requirements, waivers of waste discharge requirements, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, or other regulatory matters.
While Central Valley Water Board members may be present, no action will be taken on the triennial review during these workshops. Time limits may be imposed on interested persons. The public workshops are scheduled as follows:
Date: 16 August 2017
Time: 1:00 pm
Place: Central Valley Water Board office 1685 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Date: 23 August 2017
Time: 1:00 pm
Place: Central Valley Water Board office 11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200 Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
The workshop facilities will be accessible to persons with disabilities. Individuals requiring
special accommodations are requested to contact Ms. Betty Yee at (916) 464-4643 at least 5 working days prior to the meeting. TTY users may contact the California Relay Service at 1-800-735-2929 or voice line at 1-800-735-2922.
Written comments recommending issues to consider during the Triennial Review process should be submitted by 30 August 2017. Staff will provide an update to the Central Valley
Water Board as an information item during its August 2017 Board meeting and will include a summary of written comments submitted by 31 July 2017. Comments should be submitted to Betty Yee, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region, 11020 Sun Center Drive, #200, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 or to Bethany Soto, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region, 1685 E Street, Fresno, CA 93706. In the comments, please provide a detailed description of the issue, a brief statement of reasons for the addition or deletion of an issue, and recommendation on the priority that should be given to that particular issue. At the workshops, interested persons will be provided the opportunity to present oral comments. Comments on either Basin Plan may be presented at either workshop.
Following the workshops, staff will review oral and written comments and prepare final
recommendations in work plans for Central Valley Water Board consideration at a future public hearing. Staff will identify which issues are expected to be addressed in the next three years with existing resources and which require additional resources. The work plans will be available for comments prior to the future hearing.
Additional information regarding the triennial review is available in PDF format from the Central Valley Water Board’s Internet website at:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/water_issues/basin_plans/triennialreviews.shtml
