Available Documents

General Information

Water Laws and Regulations

  • Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Amended January 2008)
  • California Water Code
  • California Code of Regulations
  • Clean Water Act, etc.

On April 5, 2004, the Executive Officer requested persons required to submit monitoring reports to use the new transmittal form. The transmittal forms list pertinent information to be submitted with monitoring data including contact information, description of violations and corrective actions taken.

Storm Water Best Management Practices References

Sediment Source Control Handbook

  • Developed by the California Alpine Resort Environmental Cooperative (CAREC). Members of CAREC include the Lahontan Regional Board, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Sierra Business Council, US Forest Service, Alpine Meadows Ski Area, Heavenly Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, and Northstar-at-Tahoe. The Handbook promotes a science-based approach to planning, implementing and assessing erosion control projects that improve water quality in ski areas.

Lahontan Basin Plan (includes a text-only version, full version, as well as relevant amendments

Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401

  • Under federal Clean Water Act (CWA) section 401 every applicant for a federal permit or license for any activity which may result in a discharge to a water body must obtain State Water Quality Certification (Certification)

Reporting Spills & Releases

Report of Waste Discharge Form 200

  • Application/Report of Waste Discharge - Waste Discharge Requirements or NPDES Permit. This new form has text fields. Just fill it out and print it.

Discharges of Treated Ground Water

  • Information to Support a Report of Waste Discharge for Discharges of Treated Ground Water to Land or Surface Waters

Monitoring Programs

  • Lahontan Monitoring Webpage: Includes links to reports, protocols, data and other information about the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP); Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, Clean Water Team (citizen monitoring), etc.

Water Quality Monitoring Protocols and Sampling Guidelines for Lake Tahoe

  • From the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Lahontan Water Board and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

  • This MOU identifies the types of projects and activities each entity has primary responsible for in the California portion. (8/03)

Administrative Civil Liability Issues


Nonpoint Source Program

Nonpoint Source Control Program Website

  • A SWRCB Website dedicated to disseminating information about the Nonpoint Source Control Program.

California Rangeland Water Quality Management Act

  • (7/95) - As integrated into the nonpoint source program, this document addressed water quality impacts on all non-federal rangelands, pasture and other grazed lands in California, including private lands and public lands not owned by the federal government.

Plan for California’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program

  • (12/99) - Brought the State into compliance with the requirements of section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 (CZARA).

Fact Sheet on the NPS Implementation and Enforcement Policy

Policy for the implementation and enforcement of the nonpoint pollution control program

  • (5/20/04) - Explains how the NPS Program Plan will be implemented and enforced and, in so doing, fulfills the requirements of California Water Code (CWC) section 13369 (a)(2)(B).

Lahontan Region General Permits

Table of General Permits

  • The Table of General Permits Applicable to the Lahontan Region describes the general permits available for many types of projects and waste discharges. The Table provides links to the general permits, describes the general permits and the information necessary to obtain the permits, including the required fees.

No. 91-31

  • Construction of Small Commercial, Multi-Family Residential, Utility and Public Works Projects, Lake Tahoe Basin (erosion control)

R6T-2003-0004

  • Establishes Waste Discharge Requirements for small construction projects, including utility and public works projects, that are conducted in certain sensitive watersheds of the Lahontan Region other than the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit. The General Order also includes Waste Discharge Requirements for minor streambed/lakebed alteration projects throughout the Lahontan Regional that are not regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers under Clean Water Act Section 404. Proponents of small construction projects that involve at least 10,000 square feet of land disturbance, but less than one acre, are required to obtain coverage under the General Order if they are located in the following water sheds:
    • Little Truckee River Hydrologic Unit (HU No. 636.00)
    • Truckee River Hydrologic Area (HU No. 635.20)
    • West Fork Carson River Hydrologic Unit (HU No. 633.00)
    • East Fork Carson River Hydrologic Unit (HU No. 632.00)
    • Mono Hydrologic Unit (HU No. 601.00)
    • Long Hydrologic Area (HU No. 603.10)

R6T-2004-0015

  • Land Disposal of Treated Ground Water (i.e. discharges from site cleanups)

R6T-2004-0025

  • NPDES Permit for Surface Water Disposal of Treated Ground Water

R6T-2011-0019

  • Updated NPDES Permit for Discharges of Storm Water Runoff Associated with Construction Activity Involving Land Disturbance in the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit - Alpine, El Dorado and Placer Counties - Remainder of 2016

R6T-2011-0101

  • NPDES Permit for the City of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, and Placer County Storm Water/Urban Runoff Discharge

R6T-2014-0049

  • NPDES Permit for Limited Threat Discharges to Surface Waters (i.e., stream diversions, pump/well testing, dewatering, hydrostatic testing, water treatment plant maintenance, and fire hydrant testing and flushing).

R6T-2016-0010

  • NPDES Permit for Discharges of Storm Water Runoff Associated with Construction Activity Involving Land Disturbance in the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit - Alpine, El Dorado and Placer Counties - Effective January 1, 2017.

R6T-2016-0038

  • General Waste Discharge Requirements and NPDES Permit for Storm Water Runoff Associated with Marina Operations in the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit

R6T-2020-0015

  • General Waste Discharge Requirements for Limited Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems

R6T-2020-0017

  • General Waste Discharge Requirements for Small Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems

Statewide Permits

Didn’t find a General Permit that applies to your project/discharge? Here are two online resources for statewide permits.