Plans and Policies

An overview of California's water quality control plans and state policies for water quality control may be found in California's continuing planning process report.

• Continuing Planning Process (CPP) Report (May 2001)
• 2024 Review of State Water Quality Control Plans and State Policies for Water Quality Control

Plans

• Bay-Delta Plan - Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary
  • Adopted on December 12, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0059)
  • Program Page
• California Ocean Plan - Except as otherwise noted, the following have been adopted into the Water Quality Control Ocean Plan for Ocean Waters of California (Program Page):
  • State Water Quality Protection Areas & Marine Protected Areas Amendment, adopted on October 16, 2012 (Resolution No. 2012-0056)
    • Program Page
  • Model Monitoring, Vessel Discharges and Non-Substantive Amendments, adopted on October 16, 2012 (Resolution No. 2012-0057)
    • Program Page
  • Trash Control in California's Waters, adopted on April 7, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0019)
    • Program Page
  • Desalination Facilities and Brine Disposal, adopted on May 6, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0033)
    • Program Page
  • Bacteria Provisions and Variance Policy, adopted on August 7, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0038)
    • Program Page
  • State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State
    • Adopted April 2, 2019 (Resolution No. 2019-0015)and on April 6, 2021 (Resolution 2021-0012)
    • Program Page
• California Thermal Plan - Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California
  • Adopted on September 18, 1975 (Resolution No. 75-89)
    • Program Page
• Enclosed Bays and Estuaries Plan - Water Quality Control Plan for Enclosed Bays and Estuaries: Part 1 Sediment Quality Objectives
  • Adopted on September 16, 2008 (Resolution No. 2008-0070)
  • Amended on April 6, 2011 (Resolution No. 2011-0017)
  • Amended on June 5, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0028)
    • Program Page
• Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries (ISWEBE) Plan - The following adopted plan provisions will be incorporated into the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California:
  • Part 1: Trash Provisions, adopted on April 7, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0019)
    • Program Page
  • Part 2: Tribal Subsistence Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions, adopted on May 2, 2017 (Resolution No. 2017-0027)
    • Program Page
  • Part 3: Bacteria Provisions and Variance Policy, adopted on August 7, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0038)
    • Program Page
  • State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State
    • Adopted April 2, 2019 (Resolution No. 2019-0015) and on April 6, 2021 (Resolution 2021-0012)
    • Program Page
  • Aquatic Toxicity Provisions
    • Adopted on December 1, 2020 (Resolution No. 2020-0044) and on October 5, 2021 (Resolution No. 2021-0044)
    • Program Page
• Regional Board Water Quality Control Plans (Basin Plans)
  • Region 1 - North Coast Region
  • Region 2 - San Francisco Bay Region
  • Region 3 - Central Coast Region
  • Region 4 - Los Angeles Region
  • Region 5 - Central Valley Region
  • Region 6 - Lahontan Region
  • Region 7 - Colorado River Basin Region
  • Region 8 - Santa Ana Region
  • Region 9 - San Diego Region

Policies

• Antidegradation Policy - Statement of Policy with Respect to Maintaining High Quality of Waters in California
  • Adopted on October 24, 1968 (Resolution No. 68-16)
  • Antidegradation Policy Implementation for NPDES Permitting (APU 90-004)
  • Program Page
• Aquatic Toxicity Provisions
  • Adopted on December 1, 2020 (Resolution No. 2020-0044 ) and on October 5, 2021 (Resolution No. 2021-0044 )
  • Program Page
• Cannabis Policy - Cannabis Cultivation Policy: Principles and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation 
  • Adopted on October 17, 2017 (Resolution No. 2017-0063)
  • Program Page
• Compliance Schedule Policy - Policy for Compliance Schedules in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits
  • Adopted on April 15, 2008 (Resolution No. 2008-0025)
  • Program Page
• Consolidated Cleanup Plan - Consolidated Toxic Hot Spots Cleanup Plan (Water Quality Control Policy)
  • Adopted on June 17, 1999 (Resolution No. 99-065)
  • Amended on January 22, 2004 (Resolution No. 2004-0002)
  • Program Page
• Enclosed Bays and Estuaries Policy - Water Quality Control Policy for the Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California
  • Policy originally adopted on May 16, 1974 (Resolution No. 74-43)
  • Amended on November 16, 1995 (Resolution No. 95-84)
• Enforcement Policy - Water Quality Enforcement Policy
  • Amended August 24, 2024 - Amendments to Appendix D - (Resolution No. 2024-0027)
  • Amended December 5, 2023 - Amendments to the Water Quality Enforcement Policy - (Resolution No. 2023-0043)
  • Policy originally adopted on February 3, 2009 (Resolution No. 2009-0083)
  • Amended on April 4, 2017 (Resolution No. 2017-0020)
  • Program Page
• Guidance on Toxic Hot Spot Policy - Water Quality Control Policy for Guidance on Development of Regional Toxic Hot Spot Plans
  • Adopted on September 2, 1998 (Resolution No. 98-090)
  • Program Page
• Impaired Waters Policy - Water Quality Control Policy for Addressing Impaired Waters: Regulatory Structure and Options
  • Adopted on June 16, 2005 (Resolution No. 2005-0050)
  • Program Page
• Investigation and Cleanup and Abatement of Discharges Under Water Code Section 13304   
  • Policy originally adopted on June 17, 1992 (Resolution No. 92-49)
  • Amended on April 21, 1994, effective on July 8, 1994 (Resolution 94-27)
  • Amended on October 2, 1996 (Resolution No. 96-079 – Containment Zone Policy), effective on January 13, 1997
  • Program Page
• Listing Policy - Water Quality Control Policy for Developing California’s Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List
  • Adopted on September 30, 2004 (Resolution No. 2004-0063)
  • Amended on February 3, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0005)
  • Program Page
• Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Closure Policy (UST Low-Threat Closure Policy)
  • Adopted on May 1, 2012 (Resolution No. 2012-0016)
  • Program Page
• Municipal Solid Waste Policy - Policy for Regulation of Discharges of Municipal Solid Waste
  • Adopted on June 17, 1993 (Resolution No. 93-62)
  • Amended on July 21, 2005 (Resolution No. 2005-0058)
  • Program Page
• Nonpoint Source Pollution Enforcement Policy - Policy for Implementation and Enforcement of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program
  • Adopted on May 20, 2004 (Resolution No. 2004-0030)
  • Program Page
• North Coast Instream Flow Policy- Policy for Maintaining Instream Flows in Northern California Coastal Streams
  • Adopted on October 22, 2013 (Resolution No. 2013-0035)
  • Program Page
• Once-Through Cooling Water Policy for Coastal and Estuarine Waters - Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling
  • Adopted on May 4, 2010 (Resolution No. 2010-0020)
  • Amended on July 19, 2011 (Resolution No. 2011-0033)
  • Amended on June 18, 2013 (Resolution No. 2013-0018)
  • Amended on April 7, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0018)
  • Amended on August 15, 2017 (Resolution No. 2017-0047)
  • Amended on September 1, 2020 (Resolution No. 2020-0029)
  • Amended on October 19, 2021 (Resolution 2021-0048) (Resolution forthcoming)
  • Amended on August 15, 2023 (Resolution 2023-0025)
  • Program Page
• Once-Through Cooling Water Policy for Inland Waters - Water Quality Control Policy on the Use and Disposal of Inland Waters Used for Powerplant Cooling
  • Adopted on June 19, 1975 (Resolution No. 75-58)
• Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) Policy - Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
  • Adopted on June 19, 2012 (Resolution No. 2012-0032)
  • Amended on April 17, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0019)
  • Amended on April 18, 2023 (Resolution No. 2023-0012 )
  • Program Page
• Pollutant Policy Document for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Appendices)
  • Adopted on June 21, 1990 (Resolution No. 90-67)
• Recycled Water Policy
  • Adopted on February 3, 2009 (Resolution No. 2009-0011)
  • Amended on January 22, 2013 (Resolution No. 2013-0003)
  • Amended on December 11, 2018 (Resolution No. 2018-0057)
  • Program Page
• Shredder Waste Disposal Policy – Policy on the Disposal of Shredder Waste
• Adopted on March 19, 1987 (Resolution No. 87-22)
• Program Page: Note that this Policy has largely been superseded by subsequent legislative and regulatory reforms, including the adoption of California Code of Regulations, title 27, section 20690(b)(6).
• Sources of Drinking Water Policy - The Sources of Drinking Water Policy includes the following resolution and amendments, except the January 20, 2015 amendment:
  • Adopted on May 19, 1988 (Resolution No. 88-63)
  • Amended on February 1, 2006 (Resolution No. 2006-0008)
    • Revision to the Sources of Drinking Water Policy to Establish a Site-Specific Exception for Old Alamo Creek
  • Amended on January 20, 2015 (Resolution No. 2015-0002)
    • Revision to the Sources of Drinking Water Policy to Establish a Site-Specific Exception for the Royal Mountain King Mine Site
  • Program Page
• State Implementation Policy (SIP) - Policy for Implementation of Toxics Standards for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California
  • Adopted on February 24, 2005 (Resolution No. 2005-0019)
  • Program Page
• State Policy for Water Quality Control
• Adopted on July 6, 1972
• State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Materials to Waters of the State
  • Adopted on April 2, 2019 (Resolution No. 2019-0015) and on April 6, 2021 (Resolution 2021-0012)
  • Program Page
• Supplemental Environmental Projects Policy (SEP Policy)
  • Adopted on December 5, 2017 (Resolution No. 2017-0074)
  • Program Page
• Underground Storage Tank Pilot Program Policy – Adoption of the Policy Regarding the Underground Storage Take Pilot Program
• Adopted on February 18, 1988 (Resolution No. 88-23)
• Program Page
• Water Reclamation Policy - Policy with Respect to Water Reclamation in California
  • Adopted on January 6, 1977 (Resolution No. 77-1)
  • Program Page

Plans and Policies Under Development

• Cyanotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Provisions
• Policy for the Standardization of Cost Reporting in Municipal Stormwater Permits
• Bay-Delta Plan Updates
• Biostimulation, Cyanotoxins, and Biological Conditions Provisions
• Policy to Support Development of Site-Specific Water Quality Objectives for Copper and Zinc in Freshwater of California

Triennial and Periodic Reviews In Progress

• 2024 Review of State Water Quality Control Plans and State Policies for Water Quality Control

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