Lahontan Water Board Requests Public Input for Water Quality Assessment

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is the state agency responsible for protecting water quality in the eastern Sierra and the northern Mojave desert. On behalf of the State Water Resources Control Board, the Regional Board is asking the public to contribute information and data collected since 1997 about the quality of specific lakes, streams, and wetlands in the Lahontan Region for use in statewide water quality assessment and reporting activities. The federal Clean Water Act requires states to report to Congress every two years on the quality of their surface waters. The state assessment process is also used to identify surface waters which require special cleanup strategies under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

The Lahontan Regional Board is requesting input on water quality and support of human, wildlife, and aquatic life uses of water from other agencies, university researchers, citizen monitoring and watershed groups, and the public. Information and data should be submitted by May 15, 2001 to be considered in development of Regional Board recommendations to the State Water Board for update of the statewide water quality assessment. Draft recommendations will be released for public review during the summer of 2001. For further information on how to contribute to the assessment process, see the Regional Board's Internet webpage or contact Judith Unsicker at (530) 542-5462.

The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency.