Gualala River Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
Announcements
To assess aquatic habitat conditions in the Gualala River watershed since development of the Gualala River TMDL in 2001, Regional Water Board staff conducted a statistical analysis of instream monitoring data collected by the Gualala River Watershed Council (GRWC). The Gualala River Watershed Monitoring Data Assessment can be found at the following link:
Gualala River Watershed Monitoring Data Assessment
Regional Board staff are currently drafting the Gualala TMDL Action Plan and the supporting environmental documentation (Staff Report). The Action Plan and Staff Report will be available for public review by June 2025. The Action Plan will be considered for Board adoption by March 2026.
Regional Board staff are also developing an Order, or Orders, that will require the inventory, assessment, and prioritization of the treatment of roads to control sources of sediment. These orders will be a part of the implementation strategy for the TMDL. Draft Orders will be prepared by April 2025 and will be brought to the Board by April 2026. Information regarding the Orders will be provided through the project mailing list.
To be placed on the project mailing list, sign up under the Stay Informed section of this webpage. Information will be provided to the public through the mailing list approximately every three months which will include project status updates and relevant information, including notices of public meetings and other water quality information.Quarterly Project Status Updates
- January 2025 Project Status Update
- October 2024 Project Status Update
- July 2024 Project Status Update
- April 2024 Project Status Update
- January 2024 Project Status Update
- October 2023 Project Status Update
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Documentation
The North Coast Water Board hosted two public California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) scoping meetings for the Gualala River TMDL Action Plan. The first meeting was online on Monday June 3, 2024, and the second meeting was in-person on Wednesday June 5, 2024. The public comment period for comments related to CEQA closed on July 8, 2024.
Presentation slides from these meetings can be found at the following link:
CEQA Scoping Public Meeting Presentation
Additional meeting information can be found in the Meeting Notice linked below:
Gualala River Sediment TMDL Action Plan CEQA Scoping Meeting Notice
An initial draft CEQA checklist has been prepared (linked below) which includes project background information, the proposed project description, potential reasonably foreseeable compliance measures, and an initial draft of potential environmental impacts (checklist). This list may be updated considering public comments received during CEQA Scoping:
Gualala River Sediment TMDL CEQA Draft Environmental Checklist
Gualala River TMDL Overview
The Gualala River is included on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for impairments associated with excessive sediment and high temperatures. A TMDL addressing sediment impairments was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in December 2001. The Regional Water Board prepared a Technical Support Document (TSD) that addressed sources of sediment and temperature impairments, loading capacities, and load allocations necessary to restore sediment and temperature conditions supportive of beneficial uses related to the cold water fishery in the Gualala River Watershed. The TSD served as the basis for the USEPA's TMDLs.
The Gualala River Sediment TMDL was included in Resolution R1-2004-0087, Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Policy for Sediment Impaired Receiving Waters in the North Coast Region, adopted by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board in November 2004. The text of the resolution may be viewed by clicking here.
Regional Water Board staff are currently developing an action plan to address continuing water quality impairments in the Gualala River watershed. The goal of this action plan is to improve the quality of waters in the Gualala River watershed so that water quality standards are attained and beneficial uses of those waters are fully supported.
- Final TMDL (PDF) (22 pp, 108K)
- Summary of Comments and Responses (11 pg, 26K)
Contact Us
- Nick Fetherston, Project Manager
(707) 570-3761
Nicholas.Fetherston@waterboards.ca.gov - Lisa Bernard, Planning Unit Supervisor
707-576-2677
lisa.bernard@waterboards.ca.gov
Stay Informed
To receive notices and information on the Gualala River TMDL via e-mail, please subscribe to our mailing list here: GovDelivery Sign-up
Resources
TMDL Projects
- Albion River
- Big River
- Coastal Pathogens
- Eel River, North Fork
- Eel River, Upper Main
- Eel River, Middle Main
- Eel River, Middle Fork
- Eel River, Lower Main
- Eel River, South Fork
- Elk River
- Freshwater Creek
- Garcia River
- Gualala River
- Klamath River
- Laguna De Santa Rosa
- Lost River, Upper
- Lost River, Lower
- Mad River
- Mattole River
- Navarro River
- Noyo River
- Redwood Creek
- Russian River
- Salmon River
- Scott River
- Shasta River
- Stemple Creek
- Ten Mile River
- Trinity River
- Trinity River, South Fork
- Van Duzen River
(Page last updated 1/28/25)
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.
Statewide Campaigns
EPA Water Sense
File an Environmental Complaint
Save Our Water
Flex Alert
Register to Vote
