Clean Water Act Section 401 – Certification and Wetlands Program
Welcome to the web site of the Certification and Wetlands Program. This program regulates discharges of fill and dredged material under Clean Water Act 401 and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.
This program protects all waters in its regulatory scope, but has special responsibility for wetlands, riparian areas, and headwaters because these waterbodies have high resource value, are vulnerable to filling, and are not systematically protected by other programs. We are involved with protection of special-status species and regulation of hydromodification impacts. The Program encourages basin-level analysis and protection, because some functions of wetlands, riparian areas, and headwater streams - including pollutant removal, flood water retention, and habitat connectivity - are expressed at the basin or landscape level.
Most projects are regulated by the Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Boards). The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) directly regulates multi-regional projects and supports and coordinates the Program statewide.
Information is available in the following areas:
- What's New?
- Program Description
- Resources for Applicants
- Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy (WRAPP)
- Proposed Multi-Regional Projects Notices
- General Orders
- State Board Certification Orders
- Reports
- Contracts
- Related Links
- Questions or Comments?
What's New?
-
Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy (WRAPP)
CEQA Scoping Meetings on Phase I of the Wetland & Ribarian area Protection Policy are scheduled for August 18 (Sacramento) and August 20 (Huntington Beach). - Low Impact Development
- Suction Dredge Mining
Program Description
Resources for Applicants
- Staff Directory of the 401 & Wetlands Unit - If you have questions about our program, we invite you to use this directory to call or email our staff at the office in your region.
- Application Form - Use this 401 application form and submit it to the State Water Resources Control Board, Certification and Wetlands Unit, only if proposed project involves two or more Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB). Otherwise, use the application form of the appropriate RWQCB and submit the completed form to that agency.
- Program Regulations - Navigate using the hyperlinks in the Table of Contents, or press Ctrl+F and type in a keyword.
- Statewide Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy Initiative
- Dredge and Fill Fee Calculator
Proposed Multi-Regional Projects
- Public Notices of Application for Water Quality Certification Proposed Multi-Regional Projects.
General Orders
- General Orders that have been issued by the State Water Board for multi-regional projects statewide.
State Water Board Certification Orders
- Individual Certification Orders that have been issued by the State Water Board for multi-regional projects statewide.
Reports
2007
January |
2006
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2005
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2003
2003 Annual Report (5.26MB)
Contracts
- An Evaluation of Compensatory Mitigation Projects Under Clean Water Act Section 401
- Compensatory Mitigation Compliance Monitoring Project, University of California, Los Angeles
Related Links
- California Department of Fish and Game
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HQ Regulatory Program)
Questions or Comments?
Please contact us for more information at (916) 341-5506