Water Quality Certification Public Notices

Water Quality Certification Actions - Applicants for federal permits that involve dredge or fill activities in surface waters (including wetlands) are required to obtain certification from the state verifying that the activity will comply with state water quality standards. Most of these federal permits are referred to as 404 permits (in reference to Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act). Applicants for some other types of federal license or permits (ex. FERC licenses) that authorize activities that may result in discharges to waters of the United States are also required to obtain state certification. This state certification is called 401 Certification (in reference to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act). In California, 401 certification actions are the responsibility of the State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. It is the policy of this Regional Board to provide public notice of pending 401 Certification actions in order to gather comments from concerned agencies and the public. The following list contains notification of pending 401 Certification actions.

 Project Name WDID County  Location Description Comment period Contact Info
Johnson's Beach Resort Seasonal Beach Grooming & Maintenance 1B11090WNSO Sonoma 38.49999°N, 122.9932°W The purpose of this Project is to prepare the beach for the Summer season by grading gravel at the beach and installing a consession stand and boardwalk, and then removing the concession stand and boardwalk at the end of the Summer season. The work consists of beach preparation work from May 1 to June 15, and beach winterization work from October 1 to October 15. The Project will temporarily impact 0.16 acres and 284 linear feet of river channel. March 13, 2024 through April 3, 2024 Paul Nelson
707-570-3767 paul.nelson@waterboards.ca.gov
Mad River Slough Shellfish Nursery Project 1B23162WNHU Humboldt 40.899578°N, 124.136931°W This Project would restart a shellfish nursery that was previously operated at the project site. The project would use existing upwelling tanks and a new 20-foot by 24-foot floating upwelling system (FLUPSY) and a 14-foot by 16- foot water intake raft attached to existing anchors in Mad River Slough. Slough water would be sent through pipes to an existing upland larvae setting facility and upwelling tanks. The water would then be discharged into an existing ditch which is connected to an estuarine wetland and to the Mad River Slough by a culvert with a tide gate. Discharge from the proposed facility would maintain estuarine conditions within the ditch, wetland, and slough. Compensatory mitigation is not required because this project does not propose to dredge, excavate, or fill any waters. The proposed start date is April 1, 2024 and the nursery would be operated 5 years or more with appropriate permitting requirements. March 5, 2024 through March 25, 2024 Shannon Strong
shannon.strong@waterboards.ca.gov
707-576-2499
Yreka Creek Flood Hazard Reduction Lennox Reach Project 1A23075WNSI Siskiyou 41.737506°, -122.631033°

The Project consists of construction of an approximately 0.26-mile side channel to Yreka Creek for the purpose of reducing flood risk through a bioengineering approach and creating habitat for salmonids. The site would be accessed from Lennox Road to the south. The side channel would be excavated approximately 10 to 15 feet below existing ground level so that the elevation of the side channel bed would be located just above the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) of Yreka Creek to reduce the potential for fish stranding.

The side channel would include constructed riffle and pool complexes. An existing culvert that captures runoff from Interstate 5 and discharges water directly into Yreka Creek would be shortened and a sediment trap would be constructed at the outlet. During excavation of the floodplain, existing riparian vegetation would be avoided to the extent feasible. The excavated floodplain would be planted with native riparian vegetation after construction is completed.

March 4, 2024 to March 25, 2024 Amanda Piscitelli,
amanda.piscitelli@waterboards.ca.gov
(707) 445-6126
Tenmile Creek Streambank Erosion Prevention & Riparian Restoration Project 1B22057WNME Mendocino 39.678, -123.486; 39.677, -123.487; and 39.745, -123.529 The overall goals of the Project are to enhance salmonid habitat, reduce erosion and fine sediment delivery to watercourses, increase floodplain connectivity, and re-establish healthy riparian vegetation, which will be achieved the construction of multi-benefit restoration features comprised of large woody debris and boulders, bioengineered coir and soil lifts, and riparian planting.
February 28 through March 19, 2024 Jake Shannon
Jacob.Shannon@Waterboards.ca.gov
California Department of Transportation
CDOT Highway 1 PM 6.4 - 6.8 & 9.2 - 9.5 Gualala Shoulders Project (01-0F710)
1B23177WNME Mendocino

Location 1:
38.8201˚N, 123.6014˚W

Location 2:
38.8455˚N, 123.6386˚W

The project will realign the roadway, widen travel lanes and shoulders, install retaining walls and guardrail, replace and extend culverts, place rock slope protection to prevent erosion, and relocate utility poles on State Route 1 (SR 1) at two locations: north of Gualala in Mendocino County, between the intersection of Havens Neck Dr and Gypsy Flat Rd (postmiles (PM) 6.40 to 6.80), and between Signal Port Creek Rd and Iversen Point Rd (PM 9.20 to 9.50). The project will result in 0.0097 acres of temporary impacts and 0.1246 acres of permanent impacts to wetlands, 129.4 linear feet (LF) of temporary impacts and 174 LF of permanent impacts to streams, and 0.0109 acres of permanent impacts to riparian areas. Temporary wetland impacts will be restored, and permanent riparian impacts will be mitigated onsite. Permanent impacts to wetlands and streams will be mitigated offsite with credits at the Mendocino Coast Mitigation Bank, or other approved project. The project will be constructed over approximately 80 working days in 2024 and 2025. February 20, 2024 through March 11, 2024 Susan Stewart
Susan.Stewart@waterboards.ca.gov
707-576-2657
City of Rohnert Park Dowdell Avenue Extension Project 1B23030WNSO Sonoma 38.358425°N, 122.721124°W Project would widen and extend Dowdell Avenue 1600 feet and install a water utility line. Project would provide fire code access to the proposed Holiday Inn Hotel off site at the southern end of the project. Project would also help meet the needs of future development near the Dowdell Avenue right of way. Project involves constructing 1600 feet of paved road approximately 20 feet wide with a sidewalk 6 feet wide on the east side of the road. A bioretention feature for retention and treatment of stormwater runoff will be installed along the most of the length of the road. Temporary impacts involve trenching through Labath Creek for installation of the water utility. 0.32 acre of wetlands would be permanently filled and 0.58 acre of wetland would be indirectly impacted due to the lack of buffer to remaining wetlands. Compensatory mitigation includes the purchase of 0.9 acre (39,290 square feet) of wetland creation credits from an approved mitigation bank. February 14, 2024 though March 5, 2024 Kaete King
kaete.king@waterboards.ca.gov
707-576-2848