Tribal Beneficial Use Project
California is home to over 160 Native American Tribes and has one of the highest Native American populations of any U.S. state. Since time immemorial, California Native American Tribes have used water to support their cultural, spiritual, ceremonial, subsistence, and/or traditional practices.
Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBUs) were developed as a result of years of activism, studies, and advocacy by Native American Tribes and are the only beneficial uses that specifically mention California Native American Tribes in their definitions. TBUs were established to take into account activities specific to Native American Tribes’ traditional and cultural uses of California’s waters. California Native American Tribes have potential for increased exposure to water pollutants due to increased ingestion of water, dermal exposure, ingestion of plants, and ingestion of fish and shellfish through tribal traditional and cultural practices and subsistence fishing.
The Central Valley Water Board has conducted, and is continuing to conduct, tribal outreach and engagement regarding TBUs. Tribes may submit TBU designation requests to the Central Valley Water Board at any time.
What's New!
- TBU Designation Request Template
- Updated List of Water Bodies Considered for CUL Designation
- CEQA Public Scoping Meeting Notice and Notice of Opportunity to Comment: Proposed Amendment to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers Basin Plan and the Tulare Lake Basin Plan to Designate CUL and COMM in Certain Waters in the Central Valley Region
Table of Contents
Meetings and Workshops
The Central Valley Water Board will be conducting formal consultation as part of all TBU designations. Early engagement on the designation of waters will include discussion of a Tribe's interest to maintain the confidentiality of traditional and cultural practices at the outset.
Semi-Annual Tribal Beneficial Uses Update Meetings
Invitations for these semi-annual meetings are extended to Tribes, Tribal organizations, and tribally confirmed consultants or representatives. These meetings are not open to the general public.
- March 5, 2026
- May 13, 2024
- November 2, 2023
- April 20, 2023
- November 10, 2022
- April 5, 2022
Public Outreach Meeting - April 28, 2021
A public outreach meeting was held to discuss the development of potential amendments to the Water Quality Control Plans for Tribal Beneficial Use Designations. Meeting materials are below. Note that the "Meeting Recording" is a link to the Central Valley Water Board's YouTube channel.
Email Subscription List
Subscribe to the Tribal Beneficial Uses email list to receive notifications and updates.
Contact Us
- For general inquiries:
RB5S-TBU@Waterboards.ca.gov - Sajleen Phagura
Senior Environmental Scientist
(916) 464-4700
Sajleen.Phagura@waterboards.ca.gov
For More Information
- Central Valley Water Board's TBU Basin Plan Amendment Primer
- Sport Fish Water Quality Objective
- FAQ (2022)
- Part 2 of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California—Tribal and Subsistence Fishing Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions
- Water Boards' Tribal Consultation Policy Statement
- Draft State Board TBU Overview
- Regional Water Boards Map
- Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Realignment
