About Us

Our Mission Statement

Our mission at the Central Coast Regional Board is to preserve, enhance, and restore the quality of California's water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper water resource allocation and efficient use, for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Central Coast Regional Board is comprised of seven part-time volunteer members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The Central Coast Water Board's "Basin Plan" describes the region and board's legal authority, establishes beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for surface water and groundwater, and includes implementation plans for the protection and restoration of water quality.

The Central Coast Water Board protects and restores water quality through the issuance of waste discharge requirements and other orders for various land use activities (i.e., municipal, agricultural, industrial), the implementation of enforcement actions, the implementation of water quality monitoring, and through facilitation and coordination with various other partnering agencies and entities.

The Central Coast Region covers the entirety of the coastal, valley and upland areas of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara Counties, and southern Santa Clara County as well as very small portions of San Mateo, Kern, and Ventura Counties that collectively make up the Central Coast Hydrologic Unit. It includes 378 miles of coastline between San Mateo and Ventura Counties and 3,559 square miles of groundwater basins. The Central Coast Region is primarily a rural agricultural region that also includes urban and industrial land uses. Major industries include agriculture, and associated food processing, oil production, power production, military installations, technology-based and industrial services and manufacturing, and tourism.

Map of CA highlighting Region 3
Click for detailed regional map

Includes land in the following Counties:

  • Santa Clara (south of Morgan Hill)
  • Santa Cruz
  • San Benito
  • Monterey
  • San Luis Obispo
  • Santa Barbara

Water Glance

  • Area Size (Square Miles): 11,274 miles
  • Miles of Streams: 2,360 miles
  • Number of Groundwater Basins: 53
  • Number of Lakes: 99 lakes
  • Acres of Lakes: over 25,000 acres