Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin (Basin Plan)
The Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin (Basin Plan) is the Board's master water quality control planning document. It designates beneficial uses and water quality objectives for waters of the State, including surface waters and groundwater. It also includes programs of implementation to achieve water quality objectives.
Basin Plan
The current Basin Plan consists of the 2019 Basin Plan edition and all of the following amendments approved after March 2019 and as listed below:
- Basin Plan 2019
- NEW! Approved amendments in effect but not in 2019 Basin Plan document yet:
- Add Section 4.9.21 Pinto Lake catchment TMDL addressing cyanobacterial blooms — Resolution No. R3-2020-0034 and Basin Plan amendment
- Amendments to the Waste Discharge Prohibition Language, including:
- Section 4.8.5.1 – Land Disturbance Prohibitions
- Section 5.4.1 – Discharge Prohibitions to all Waters
- Section 5.4.2 - Discharge Prohibitions to all Inland Waters
- Add Section 4.9.22 Gabilan Creek Watershed Turbidity TMDL — Resolution R3-2022-0002 and Basin Plan Amendment Language
- Addition information about the 2019 Basin Plan
Amendments Under Development
Amendment to Incorporate Applicable Provisions of Statewide Water Quality Control Plans and Policies
Basin Plan documents available for review and comment (February 16, 2024 – April 3, 2024):
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment (English | Spanish)
- Proposed Resolution
- Proposed Basin Plan Amendment Project Report
- CEQA Checklist
Historical Editions of the Basin Plan
- Basin Plan 2017
- Basin Plan 2016
- Basin Plan 2011
- Basin Plan 1994
- Basin Plan 1989
- Basin Plan 1975
- Basin Plan 1971 (interim)
Historical Basin Plan Amendments
Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin to Improve and Clarify Waste Discharge Prohibition Language.
Adopted by Regional Board on February 18, 2022. Approved by State Board on June 7, 2022. Approved by Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on November 2, 2022 (effective date).
- Attachment 1: Resolution No. R3-2022-0001
- Attachment A: Strikeout and underline version of the proposed Basin Plan amendments
- Attachment 2: Project Report including the CEQA Checklist
- Attachment 3: Notice of CEQA Scoping Meeting – Oct 2018
- Attachment 4: Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment – Jan 2020
- Attachment 5: Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment – Sept 2021
- Attachment 6: Public comments and staff responses
State Water Board Resolution No. 2022-0022
Amendment to Revise Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units
- USEPA Action
- Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Action
- State Water Board Action
- July 14, 2017 - Central Coast Water Board approves Basin Plan amendment
- Regional Board Resolution No. R3-2017-0014
- Basin Plan Amendment Technical Memo Updating Basin Plan Turbidity Water Quality Objective Units of Measurement
- Public Comments and Staff Responses
- USEPA 1971 Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes - Turbidity Methods (excerpt)
- USEPA 1983 Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes - Turbidity Method 180.01: Determination of Turbidity by Nephelometry
- July 3, 2017 - Link to Board Meeting Agenda Item #17
- April 19, 2017
- Notice of Opportunity to Comment
- Staff Report
- Attachment 1 Resolution No. R3-2017-0014
- Attachment 2 Technical Memo
Amending the Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coastal Basin to Revise Beneficial Use Designations and to Make Editorial Changes.
- USEPA Action
- USEPA Region IX Approval Letter (September 27, 2017)
- Office of Administrative Law (OAL) Action
- State Water Board Action
- July 28, 2016 - Central Coast Water Board approves Basin Plan amendment
- Staff Report
- Attachment 1 Resolution No. R3-2016-0030
- Attachment 1a Basin Plan showing all proposed amendments
- Attachment 2 Project Report including the CEQA Checklist
- Attachment 3 Notice of CEQA Scoping Meeting April 5, 2016
- Attachment 4 Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment April 26, 2016
- Attachment 5 Comment Letters
- July 13, 2016 - Link to Board Meeting Agenda Item #9
- April 26, 2016 - Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment. Public Hearing scheduled for July 28-29, 2016.
- Staff Report Describing Basin Plan Amendments
- Draft Resolution
- Attachment A of Draft Resolution - Revised Basin Plan (strikeout/underline) of Basin Plan amendments
- April 18, 2016 - Scoping Meeting
Triennial Review
The California Water Code and the Clean Water Act and require Basin Plans to be reviewed and updated periodically (at a minimum every three years).
Go to the Central Coast Basin Plan Triennial Review Process page.
Information Tools and Links
- Basin Plan Information Tools:
Glossary | Acronyms - Basin Planning Links
California Plans and Policies for water quality control | California Code of Regulations (CCR) | California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines | Water Board regulations for implementation of CEQA (CCR, Title 23, sections 3775 - 3781) | California Water Code | Office of Administrative Law | Porter-Cologne | Water Quality Protection Program for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary | Central Coast Regional TMDL Projects | Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) | Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40 Protection of Environment
