The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2016-17

REGULATE: WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

GROUP:

401 Water Quality Certifications

MEASURE
1, 2 :

NUMBER OF PROJECTS REGULATED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2016-17
NUMBER APPLICATIONS RECEIVED DURING FISCAL YEAR 2016-17

MESSAGE:

The Water Quality Certification program regulated 5,153 active projects and received new 1,380 water quality certification applications during the fiscal year.

Key Statistics for FY 2016-17
Projects regulated statewide	5,072
Applications received statewide	1,310

MEASUREMENTS - Data Last Updated on: 04-23-2018 (12:46 pm)

Region	Acres	Active Projects	Applications Received
1	12,443,367	639	150
2	2,892,908	1,056	268
3	7,355,824	392	91
4	2,848,718	351	61
5	37,980,338	1,334	307
6	20,986,959	300	81
7	12,712,384	105	17
8	1,791,532	461	129
9	2,484,354	394	178
SB	0	40	28
Statewide	101,496,384	5,072	1,310

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

Statewide, staff regulated 5,153 active projects during the fiscal year and there were 1,380 new applications received. Staff review application information and consult with the applicant and other agencies to ensure project impacts are avoided and minimized to the greatest extent possible and to approve appropriate compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Dredge and fill projects are regulated from the start of project construction through the period of any required on-site monitoring to ensure permit compliance. Work associated with managing active projects includes (but is not limited to): approving mitigation plans, reviewing monitoring reports, conducting site inspections and potential enforcement actions. In addition to managing active projects, staff review certification applications. Each certification application represents a project with potential impacts to waters of the state.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Data Source: CIWQS. Period July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.
Data Definitions: Measure 1: is the number of WQC Program regulatory measures active during any part of the fiscal year, regardless of the effective date of the certification. Measure 2: is the number of applications received during the fiscal year. Both measures 1 & 2 are for all permit types: individual 401, WDR, and general order enrollees.
References:

Glossary

401 Water Quality Certification and Wetlands Program: The State and Regional Water Boards issue water quality certifications for projects that may discharge dredged or fill material into a waterbody. The 401 Water Quality Certification and Wetlands Program protects all California surface waters, but has special responsibility for wetlands, riparian areas, and headwaters because these waterbodies have high resource value, are vulnerable to filling, and are not systematically protected by other programs.
Application: Those seeking a water quality certification file an application with the appropriate regional board, depending on project location.
CIWQS: The California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) is a web-based relational database for core regulatory data. Using this system, both staff and the public can access data related to places of environmental interest, permits and other orders, inspections and violations and enforcement activities.
Discharge of Dredge Material: Discharge of Dredged Material means addition of dredged material, material that is excavated or dredged from waters of the state, including redeposit of dredged material other than incidental fallback within, to the waters of state.
Discharge of Fill Material: Means the addition of fill material has the effect of replacing any portion of a water of the state with dry land or changing the bottom elevation of any portion of a water of the state.
Executive Order W-59-93, commonly referred to as California's "no let loss" policy for wetlands.: In accordance with Executive Order W-59-93, the Water Quality Certification Program works to ensure that the Water Board's regulation of dredge and fill activities will be conducted in a manner "to ensure no overall net loss and long-term net gain in the quantity, quality, and performance of wetlands acreage and values." The Water Boards are committed to increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of wetlands that qualify as waters of the state.
Regulatory Timeclocks: According to state and federal regulation the following regulatory time clocks apply:
30 days-Within 30 days of receipt Water Board staff deem an application complete or incomplete.
60 days-Once an application has been approved, Water Board staff have 60 days to certify the project or ask for a time extension from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
180 days-Water Board staff must certify or deny a project within 180 days after the latest of two events: issuance of a complete application, or 180 days from a lead agency CEQA determination.
Water Quality Certification Program Goals: Goal 1: To provide efficient, reliable and consistent service to the public
Goal 2: To protect the functions and beneficial uses of waters from dredge and fill/excavation activities
Goal 3: To ensure dredge and fill/excavation activities do not cause net loss of wetlands

(Page last updated: 12/21/17)