Regulation of Timber Harvest and Vegetation Management Projects in the Lahontan Region

Overview

The Region's Timber Harvest Program resources are 2.5 PY from the State General Fund and the program uses a conditional waiver (Timber Waiver) to implement the State of CA Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. The Timber Waiver applies to vegetation management projects that range from homeowner defensible space operations to local Fire Protection Districts' community protection plans, to large Wildland Urban Interface projects proposed by the CA Dept. of Parks and Recreation, the BLM, and the USFS. Commercial timber harvest conducted by small landowners, industrial timber companies, and the USFS are also covered under the Timber Waiver categories.

The Timber Waiver structures the enrollment conditions and implementation and monitoring requirements based on levels of increasing potential risk to water quality. The primary impacts to water quality from timber harvesting are sedimentation from disturbed land and solar/thermal heating of surface waters after vegetation is removed.

For commercial logging projects the State of CA has developed a Review Team process that involves the Water Boards, the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, the CA Department of Conservation, and CALFire. The Review Team process satisfies the California Environmental Quality Act requirements, and CALFire is the lead agency.

The Timber Harvest Program Fact Sheet provides more information on the Goals, Accomplishments, and Performance Targets.

2024 Timber Waiver

An Administrative Draft of the 2024 Timber Waiver will be released on September 25th, 2023, with a Comment Period extending from September 25th, 2023, through October 5th, 2023.

To request a copy of the Administrative Draft and to submit your written comments, please email RB6-Timber@waterboards.ca.gov include "2024 Timber Waiver" in the subject line. If you do not have access to the Internet, please submit your written comments to:

Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board
Attention: Adam Henriques
2501 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Water Board staff will review all comments previously submitted during earlier iterations of the Timber Waiver, in addition to comments submitted during this Administrative Draft public comment period. In order for Water Board staff to consider comments towards the proposed 2024 Timber Waiver, please submit comments by October 5th, 2023, at 5:00 pm.

2019 Renewal of 2014 Timber Waiver - R6T-2019-0240

On March 13, 2019, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan Region (Water Board) adopted Board Order No. R6T-2019-0240, which renews the 2014 Timber Waiver for 5 years unless it is rescinded, renewed, or superseded before the expiration date.

PLEASE NOTE: Dischargers enrolled under Board Order No. R6T-2014-0030 at the time of the adoption of this Renewal of the 2014 Timber Waiver Order shall be automatically enrolled and covered under the Renewal of the 2014 Timber Waiver, so there is no requirement for those Dischargers to submit forms for re-enrolling.

2014 Timber Waiver - R6T-2014-0030

On April 10, 2014, the Water Board adopted Board Order No. R6T-2014-0030, which waives waste discharge requirements for discharges resulting from timber harvest and vegetation management activities in the Lahontan Region (2014 Timber Waiver). The 2014 Timber Waiver, including application and monitoring forms, can be downloaded from this webpage.

Learn more about Water Board regulation of Timber Harvest and Vegetation Management Activities under the 2014 Timber Waiver, and how the Timber Waiver applies to your project.

PLEASE NOTE: The 2009 Timber Waiver (Board Order No. R6T-2009-0029) was replaced by the 2014 Timber Waiver on April 20, 2014. If your ongoing project is still enrolled under the 2009 Timber Waiver, you may continue under that Timber Waiver or re-enroll under the 2014 Timber Waiver. Please see below for additional information on re-enrollment.

Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Waste Discharges Resulting from Timber Harvest and Vegetation Management Activities in the Lahontan Region “2014 Timber Waiver," Board Order No. R6T-2014-0030

1. Definitions and List of Acronyms
2. Waterbody Buffer Zones
3. Category 4 Application Form and Monitoring and Reporting Program (eForm)
4. Category 4 Implementation Monitoring Form (eForm)
5. Category 4 and 6 Daily Winter Period Monitoring Program (eForm)
6. Category 5 Application Form and Monitoring and Reporting Program (eForm)
7. Fall Implementation Monitoring Form (Category 5 & 6) (eForm)
8. Winter Implementation Monitoring Form (Category 4, 5, & 6) (eForm)
9. Forensic Monitoring Form (Category 5 & 6) (eForm)
10. Effectiveness Monitoring Form (Category 5 & 6) (eForm)
11. Category 6 Application Form and Monitoring and Reporting Program (eForm)
12. Photo-Point Monitoring Form (eForm)
13. Notice of Project Completion Form (eForm)
14. Waste Discharge Prohibition and Exemption Information for the Little Truckee, Truckee River and Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Units
15. USFS Monitoring and Reporting Program (No longer in use)
16. Summary of Monitoring and Reporting Required for Categories 4, 5, and 6
17. Example Design Features for Pile Burning within Waterbody Buffer Zone

2009 Timber Waiver - Board Order No. R6T-2009-0029

The 2009 Timber Waiver, Board Order R6T-2009-0029, was replaced by the 2014 Timber Waiver on April 10, 2014.  If your ongoing project is currently enrolled under the 2009 Timber Waiver, you may continue under the provisions of the 2009 Timber Waiver, or you may re-enroll under the 2014 Timber Waiver. To re-enroll, submit to the Water Board a new 2014 Timber Waiver application (Attachment C, F, or K above) along with a 2009 Timber Waiver Notice of Project Completion Form (provided below) to terminate coverage under the 2009 Timber Waiver. In the application please note that the project was previously enrolled under the 2009 Timber Waiver. Please email Adam Henriques at Adam.Henriques@waterboards.ca.gov if you have questions on re-enrolling your project.

Attachments:

4. Category 4 Implementation Monitoring Form (eForm)
5. Categories 4 and 6 Daily Winter Period Monitoring Program (eForm)
   Categories 4 and 6 Daily Winter Period Monitoring Program (Spanish) (eForm)
6. None
7. Fall Implementation Monitoring Form (Categories 5 & 6) (eForm)
8. Winter Implementation Monitoring Form (Categories 4, 5, & 6) (eForm)
9. Forensic Monitoring Form (Categories 5 & 6) (eForm)
10. Effectiveness Monitoring Form (Categories 5 & 6) (eForm)
11. Photo - Point Monitoring Form (eForm)

• 2009 Timber Waiver Notice of Project Completion Form

2009 Timber Waiver Environmental review pursuant to CEQA

Water Board staff prepared an Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration to analyze and disclose potential environmental impacts associated with adopting the Timber Waiver. 

• Initial Study with attachments and late revisions
• Notice of Determination

2007 Timber Waiver – Resolution No. R6T-2007-0008

• Attachment A - General Conditions, Category-Specific Conditions, and Termination of Waivers
• Attachment 2 - Monitoring and Reporting Program
• Inspection Form
• Notice of Waiver Termination Form

Questions about this Policy?

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