Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin (Basin Plan)

The Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin (Basin Plan) is the Board's master water quality control planning document.  It designates beneficial uses and water quality objectives for waters of the State, including surface waters and groundwater.  It also includes programs of implementation to achieve water quality objectives.

Basin Plan

The current Basin Plan consists of the 2017 Basin Plan edition and all amendments fully-approved after March 2017 as listed below:

• Basin Plan 2017
  • Notes about the 2017 Basin Plan edition
• Basin Plan 2017 (strikeout/underline showing changes since 2016)

Basin Plan amendments approved and in effect (approved by Office of Administrative Law) since March 2017:

• Resolution No. R3-2016-0003. Amendment for TMDL for Sediment Toxicity and Pyrethroid Pesticides in the Lower Salinas Watershed. July 14, 2017. (Project Page)
• Resolution No. R3-2017-0014. Amendment to Update the Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units. July 14, 2017. (See Below - Amendment to Revise Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units)

Previous Editions of the Basin Plan

• Basin Plan 2016
  • Notes about the 2016 Basin Plan edition
• 2011
• 1994
• 1989
• 1975
• 1971 (interim)
• Historical amendments of the Basin Plan from 1969 to 2015 (Note: PDF file size is 109 MBs)

Adopted Amendments Pending Further Approval

Basin Plan amendments do not become effective until sequentially adopted by the Regional Water Board, and approved by the State Water Board and the California Office of Administrative Law. Amendments containing new or revised water quality standards also require the approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Basin Plan Amendments Approved by the Central Coast Regional Water Board:

• Resolution No. R3-2018-0006. Amendment for TMDL for Nitrogen and Phosphorous Compounds in Streams of Franklin Creek Watershed. March 22, 2018.

Amendments Under Development

Amendment to Improve and Clarify Prohibition Discharge Language

• November 15, 2018 - Scoping Meeting
  • Scoping Meeting Notice
  • Scoping Document
  • Scoping PowerPoint Presentation

Amendment to Revise Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units

• USEPA Action
  • Informational Submittal Letter to USEPA

• Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Action
  • Notice of OAL Approval of Regulatory Action
• State Water Board Action
  • State Water Board Approval - Resolution No. 2018-0012
• July 14, 2017 - Central Coast Water Board approves Basin Plan amendment
  • Regional Board Resolution No. R3-2017-0014
  • Basin Plan Amendment Technical Memo Updating Basin Plan Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units of Measurement
  • Public Comments and Staff Responses
  • USEPA 1971 Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes - Turbidity Methods (excerpt)
  • USEPA 1983 Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes - Turbidity Method 180.01: Determination of Turbidity by Nephelometry
• July 3, 2017 - Link to Board Meeting Agenda Item #17
• April 19, 2017
  • Notice of Opportunity to Comment
  • Staff Report
  • Attachment 1 Resolution No. R3-2017-0014
  • Attachment 2 Technical Memo

• USEPA Action
  • USEPA Region IX Approval Letter (September 27, 2017)
• Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Action
  • Notice of OAL Approval of Regulatory Action
• State Water Board Action
  • State Water Board Approval - Resolution No. 2016-0058
  • Agenda Nov. 15, 2016 Meeting
  • Agenda Item Document
  • Response to Comments
  • Comment Letter - Santa Clara Valley Water District
  • Comment Letter - KMI
  • Comment Letter - Grower Shipper Association
  • Notice of Opportunity to Comment
• July 28, 2016 - Central Coast Water Board approves Basin Plan amendment
  • Staff Report
  • Attachment 1 Resolution No. R3-2016-0030
  • Attachment 1a Basin Plan showing all proposed amendments
  • Attachment 2 Project Report including the CEQA Checklist
  • Attachment 3 Notice of CEQA Scoping Meeting April 5, 2016
  • Attachment 4 Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment April 26, 2016
  • Attachment 5 Comment Letters
• July 13, 2016 - Link to Board Meeting Agenda Item #9

• April 26, 2016 - Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment. Public Hearing scheduled for July 28-29, 2016.
  • Staff Report Describing Basin Plan Amendments
  • Draft Resolution
    • Attachment A of Draft Resolution - Revised Basin Plan (strikeout/underline) of Basin Plan amendments
• April 18, 2016 - Scoping Meeting
  • Scoping Meeting Notice
  • Scoping Meeting PowerPoint Presentation

Triennial Review

The California Water Code and the Clean Water Act and require Basin Plans to be reviewed and updated periodically (at a minimum every three years).

Go to the Central Coast Basin Plan Triennial Review Process page.

Information Tools and Links

• Basin Plan Information Tools:
  Glossary  |   Acronyms
• Basin Planning Links
  California Plans and Policies for water quality control | California Code of Regulations (CCR)  |   California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines | Water Board regulations for implementation of CEQA (CCR, Title 23, sections 3775 - 3781) |  California Water Code  |    Office of Administrative Law  |   Porter-Cologne  |   Water Quality Protection Program for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary  |   Central Coast Regional TMDL Projects  |  Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) | Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40 Protection of Environment