Grazing Regulatory Program

Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board’s grazing regulatory program website. We regulate water quality impacts from grazing operations in the north San Francisco Bay region, including the Tomales Bay, Sonoma Creek, Petaluma River, and Napa River watersheds, and the west side of Point Reyes National Seashore.

 

***NEW*** For new enrollees in the Petaluma River watershed and Point Reyes National Seashore, please click on the ‘Program News’ tab for more information about the program and how to enroll.

In July 2025, the San Francisco Bay Water Board adopted the Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Grazing Operations in the North San Francisco Bay Region (Napa River, Sonoma Creek, Petaluma River, and Tomales Bay watersheds, and all grazing operations in Point Reyes National Seashore). This new Grazing Permit renewed existing permits for grazing operations in the Tomales Bay, Napa River, and Sonoma Creek watersheds and expanded the regulatory program to the Petaluma River watershed and to all grazing operations at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Click on the tabs above for more information about the following:

Program News - announcements, upcoming due dates and workshops, etc.

Permit Documents – all permit documents and forms are located here.

Resources - resources for education and compliance with the Grazing Permit.

Web Links - organizations that collect water quality data used by the Grazing Program.

Click on the link to the right to subscribe to the Grazing Program email list and receive program updates.

***NEW*** If you are a landowner or operator with a grazing operation in the Petaluma River watershed or Point Reyes National Seashore that may qualify for enrollment in the Grazing Permit, please read this fact sheet for more information about the program, enrollment eligibility, and more.

**Important Due Dates**

November 15 – Annual Certifications are due each year for current Grazing Permit enrollees. Annual Certification forms are available for download under the ‘Permit Documents’ tab.

February 15, 2026 – Notice of Intent (enrollment forms) are due from new enrollees in the Petaluma River watershed and Point Reyes National Seashore. Notice of Intent forms are available for download under the ‘Permit Documents’ tab.

February 15, 2027 – Ranch Water Quality Plans for new enrollees in the Petaluma River watershed and Point Reyes National Seashore must be completed by this date. Stay tuned for future workshop dates in 2026.

The following links list organizations that collect water quality data used by the Water Board to evaluate water quality in the area regulated by the Grazing Permit.

  Region 2 Contact

René Leclerc
Rene.Leclerc@waterboards.ca.gov
Phone: (510) 622-2410

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