Basin Planning
About The Basin Plan
The Water Quality Control Plan for the Colorado River Basin (Basin Plan) is designed to preserve and enhance water quality in the Region and to protect the beneficial uses of all regional waters for the benefit of present and future generations. The Basin Plan contains the Region’s beneficial uses for ground and surface waters, water quality objectives to protect beneficial uses, and implementation programs to achieve water quality objectives. The Basin Plan fulfills state and federal statutory requirements for water quality planning, thereby preserving and protecting ground and surface waters of the Colorado River Basin Region.
Triennial Review
In accordance with state and federal laws, the Regional Water Board is obligated to keep the Region’s Basin Plan current and accurate via periodic review and to update it as appropriate. States are required to review their water quality standards at least once every three years – a process known as “triennial review” [33 U.S. Code Section 1313(c)]. The triennial review may result in amendments to the Basin Plan over the course of the three-year review cycle.
- 2020 Triennial Review
- Timeline
- April 7, 2020 Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- September 25, 2020 Notice of Opportunity to Comment, Public Workshop, and Public Hearing
- Staff Report
- October 8, 2020 Public Workshop Presentation
- December 10, 2020 Public Hearing Presentation
- Resolution
- Documents in Spanish | Documentos en Español
- 2017 Triennial Review
- 2014 Triennial Review
- 2007 Triennial Review
Amendments Under Development
- Basin Plan Amendment to Revise the Septic Tank Prohibition for the Town of Yucca Valley – San Bernardino County
The Basin Plan currently includes a septic tank discharge prohibition for the Town of Yucca Valley in areas that overlie the Warren Valley Groundwater Subbasin (Prohibition) in Chapter 4, Section II.H.2.iii. The Basin Plan amendment adopting the original Prohibition went into effect on November 13, 2012. The Prohibition and a subsequent revision thereto required the Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD) to construct a centralized sewage collection system (collection system) and wastewater treatment and reclamation facility (WRF), and prohibited wastewater discharges from septic tanks in three phases as the collection system and WRF got constructed. Financial, legal, economic, and technical issues have caused delays in the construction of the collection system in Phase 1, and design and construction of the collection system for Phases 2 and 3. HDWD requested that the Colorado River Basin Water Board revise the Prohibition to combine Phases 2 and 3 into a single Phase 2, extend the overall deadlines for the Prohibition, and identify additional deferred parcels. Colorado River Basin Water Board staff also identified other changes that needed to be made to the Prohibition for consistency, clarity, and accuracy, to protect water quality, and to streamline the requirements, where possible, for HDWD and the property owners. The Amendment was adopted by the Colorado River Basin Water Board on June 15, 2021 under Resolution R7-2021-0028. The Amendment and associated administrative record will now be submitted for review and approval to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and then to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). The Amendment will go into effect upon approval by OAL.
Regional Water Board Review
- March 23, 2021 Notice of Opportunity to Comment, Public Workshop, and Public Hearing
- Staff Report
- Attachment 1: Revised Prohibition Map
- Attachment 2: New Deferred Parcels
- Attachment 3: Parcels No Longer Deferred
- Attachment 4: CEQA Addendum
- Basin Plan Amendment to Establish Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels as Groundwater Quality Objectives for Hydrologic Areas with Municipal and Domestic Supply Beneficial Use
To ensure the protection of beneficial uses of groundwater and the prevention of nuisance, the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) proposes amending Chapter 3 (Water Quality Objectives) of the Water Quality Control Plan for the Colorado River Basin Region (Basin Plan).
Chapter 3 of the Basin Plan expressly incorporates by reference health-based drinking water standards known as Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), found in California Code of Regulations, title 22, sections 64431 (inorganic chemicals) and 64444 (organic chemicals), as water quality objectives for groundwater designated with the Municipal and Domestic Supply (MUN) beneficial use. The Basin Plan also expressly references the Primary MCLs found section 64426.1 for bacteria, as well as MCLs for radioactivity (§§ 64442, 64443) and copper and lead (§ 64678).
Drinking water standards (known as MCLs) include primary (health-based) and secondary (aesthetics and/or nuisance-based) classifications. The proposed Basin Plan Amendment would establish regulatory limits in the Basin Plan for aesthetic and nuisance constituents by adding a reference to the Secondary MCLs found in California Code of Regulations, title 22, section 64449, as groundwater quality objectives. The proposed Basin Plan modification would be applicable to all groundwater basins within the region’s hydrologic units designated with the MUN beneficial use.
CEQA Scoping
Contacts
- Cathy Sanford, Engineering Geologist
Email: cathy.sanford@waterboards.ca.gov
Phone: (760) 776-8934
- Basin Plan Amendment to Update Bacteria Water Quality Objectives for Waters Designated for Water Contact Recreation
This is a non-regulatory update of the Basin Plan to incorporate State Water Board’s statewide bacteria objectives for coastal and non-coastal waters designated for water contact recreation (REC I). The amendment will update the numeric bacteria water quality objectives associated with REC I beneficial use to be consistent with the statewide objectives, which are already in effect. The amendment will also make other administrative, non-regulatory changes, including adding a new beneficial use definition for limited contact recreation (LREC I), and consolidating the site-specific objectives for the Colorado River. The Regional Water Board adopted Resolution R7-2020-0028 on September 3, 2020 approving the amendment.
Regional Water Board Approval
State Water Board Approval
Recent Fully Approved Amendments
- Basin Plan Amendment to Make Editorial Changes that Update Language and Graphics Related to the Salton Sea and Correct General Errors
This non-regulatory Amendment administratively updated the Basin Plan. On June 15, 2018, the Regional Water Board adopted Resolution R7-2018-0018 approving the Amendment with errata. On January 8, 2019, the State Water Board adopted Resolution 2019-0001, approving the amendment. This administrative non-regulatory amendment does not require any further approvals and is now in effect. The Basin Plan documents on this page have been updated to reflect all editorial changes made by this Amendment.
Regional Water Board Approval
- Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment
- Staff Report
- Public Comments | Response to Comments
- Errata
- Memo - minor, non-substantive corrections to the language of the non-regulatory amendment (June 29, 2018)
- Resolution R7-2018-0018 – adopted on June 14, 2018
- Attachment A – Amendment Description
- Attachment B – Proposed amendment in underline and strikeout format with errata, board member changes and minor, non-substantive corrections incorporated
- Attachment C – Proposed amendment as a "clean copy" with errata, board member changes and minor, non-substantive corrections incorporated
State Water Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- Public Comments
- Response to Comments
- Resolution - January 8, 2019
- Public Hearing Presentation
Contacts
- Maria Davydova, Environmental Scientist
Email: maria.davydova@waterboards.ca.gov
Phone: (760) 776-8947
- Basin Plan Amendment to Revise the Septic Tank Discharge Prohibition in the Town Of Yucca Valley
Regional Water Board Approval
- Notice of Public Workshop
- Notice of Public Hearing
- Amendment
- Staff Report
- Appendix A – Deferred Parcels
- Appendix B – Parcels to be moved from Phase 1 to Phases 2 and 3
- Appendix C – Parcels to be moved from Phase 2 and 3 to Phase 1
- CEQA Checklist
- Resolution – March 10, 2016
State Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment /// No Comments Received
- Agenda Item
- Resolution – September 20, 2016
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Approval
- Concise Summary of Regulatory Provisions
- OAL Approval Letter – January 30, 2017
- Notice of Decision – March 7, 2017
- Basin Plan Amendment Regarding the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Implementation Program
Regional Water Board Approval
- Staff Report
- Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment /// No Comments Received
- Resolution and Amendment
- Statewide OWTS Policy adoption related documents
State Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- Responses to Comments to State Board
- Agenda and Draft Resolution
- Resolution – December 3, 2013
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Approval
- OAL Approval Letter – March 11, 2014
- Concise Summary of Regulatory Provisions
- CNRA Notice of Decision – Dated March 17, 2014
- Basin Plan Amendment to Correct or Update Language, Tables and Figures
Regional Water Board Approval
- Amendment
- Staff Report - September 2010
- CEQA Checklist
- Comments and Responses
- Resolution – January 20, 2011
State Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- Responses to Comments to State Board
- Agenda and Draft Resolution
- Resolution Change Sheet
- Resolution – December 6, 2011
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Approval
- Concise Summary of Regulatory Provisions
- OAL Approval Letter – November 13,2012
- Notice of Decision – November 26, 2012
- Basin Plan Amendment to Prohibit Septic Tank Discharges in the Town of Yucca Valley
Memorandum of Agreement
- MOA between Town of Yucca Valley, HDWD, and Regional Water Board – Signed June 25, 2008
Regional Water Board Approval
- Staff Report
- Peer Review Documents
- CEQA Checklist
- Comments
- Responses to Comments
- Resolution and Amendment – Adopted May 19, 2011
State Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- Responses to Comments to State Board
- Agenda and Draft Resolution
- Resolution – Adopted November 1, 2011
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Approval
- Concise Summary of Regulatory Provisions
- OAL Approval Letter – April 9, 2012
- CNRA Notice of Decision – April 10, 2012
- Amendment with OAL fixes
- Basin Plan Amendment to Revise Indicator Bacteria for a 17-Mile Reach of the Coachella Valley Storm Water Channel
Regional Water Board Approval
- Amendment
- Staff Report
- CEQA Checklist
- Comments and Responses
- Resolution – Adopted May 20, 2010
State Board Approval
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment /// No Comments Received
- Agenda and Draft Resolution
- Resolution Change Sheet
- Resolution – Adopted December 6, 2011
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Approval
- OAL Approval Letter – Dated August 8, 2012
- Concise Summary of Regulatory Provisions
- CNRA Notice of Decision – Dated August 13, 2012
Questions or comments about Colorado River Basin Planning?
Nadim Shukry-Zeywar, Senior Environmental Scientist
Email: Nadim.Shukry-Zeywar@waterboards.ca.gov
Phone: (760) 776-8982Subscribe to our Region 7 Basin Planning email list to receive notifications and the latest updates. After subscribing, you will need to check your email host for a confirmation email to complete the subscription.
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Quick Links
Basin Plan
- Entire Basin Plan - Bookmarked by chapters, sections and paragraphs
- Appendix: Maps
(Page last updated 01/31/2022)
Water is a precious resource in California, and maintaining its quality is of utmost importance to safeguard the health of the public and the environment.