Water Quality Certification Public Notices

Water Quality Certification Actions - Applicants for federal permits that involve dredge or fill activities in surface waters (including wetlands) are required to obtain certification from the state verifying that the activity will comply with state water quality standards. Most of these federal permits are referred to as 404 permits (in reference to Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act). Applicants for some other types of federal license or permits (ex. FERC licenses) that authorize activities that may result in discharges to waters of the United States are also required to obtain state certification. This state certification is called 401 Certification (in reference to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act). In California, 401 certification actions are the responsibility of the State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. It is the policy of this Regional Board to provide public notice of pending 401 Certification actions in order to gather comments from concerned agencies and the public. The following list contains notification of pending 401 Certification actions.

 Project Name WDID County  Location Description Comment period Contact Info
Little Mill Creek Groundwater Recharge Project 1B26019WNME Mendocino 39.143920, -123.487047 The project will repair the incised channel by installing rock grade control and log sill structures and soil to develop a series of low-gradient reaches. Soil will be placed to raise the channel bed to the same level as the floodplain benches. The restoration of the incised channel extends over approximately 600 linear feet of channel with the majority of the fill ranging from 3 to 5 feet deep. Log sill structures and soil will be installed in channel sections with gradual and rock grade control structures will be placed where slopes steeper. The resulting channel form will increase the number and length of relatively flat stream reaches and will create a number of pools, which will slow the velocity of flow to encourage infiltration and groundwater recharge. The rock structures will allow stream flow to pass through steeper channel reaches with reduced likelihood of erosion and channel incision. Rock grade control structures will include a clay barrier on the upstream side to minimize water leakage through the structure and maximizing upstream water retention and groundwater recharge. An existing 36-inch culvert on the downstream end of the project site will be removed and replaced with a rocked stream crossing. February 26 through March 18, 2026 Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov
East Fork Scott River Restoration Project 1A26021WNSI Siskiyou 41.309604, -122.762751 This Project will (1) enhance habitat complexity and reconnect historic floodplains on all 6.7 miles of aquatic habitat on the Preserve along the East Fork Scott River, Big Mill Creek, and Noyes Valley Creek, (2) replace the undersized, perched culvert conveying Big Mill Creek under Highway 3 with a channel spanning bridge, (3) construct a new stream simulation channel to restore volitional fish passage to 1.4 miles of pristine over-summer rearing habitat that has been blocked for decades, (4) install riparian fencing and Beaver Dam Analogs (BDA) along 4 miles of Noyes Valley Creek - one of the largest tributaries to the East Fork Scott River - to increase groundwater recharge, release cold-water during summer baseflow conditions, and encourage recolonization of beaver, and (5) promote inclusion of tribal and underserved communities through education, outreach, and partnership. February 26 through March 18, 2026 Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov
Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank Project 1B25167WNSO Sonoma 38.421436°N, 122.8000737°W The project is located in Sonoma County along the south side of Occidental Road between Hepworth Road and a vineyard. The project site includes approximately 100 acres within the greater Kelly Farm property that is owned and operated by the City of Santa Rosa for recycled water irrigation and leased to local farmers for hay production. The purpose of the project is to perform restorative actions to the property to serve the establishment of a single-client mitigation bank to mitigate impacts from City of Santa Rosa project. Project activities will include rehabilitating and enlarging degraded seasonal wetlands and re-establishing historic vernal pools tha thave been destroyed. Some existing seasonal wetlands will be deepened to create California tiger salamander (CTS) breeding ponds. CTS upland habitat will be enhanced by the cessation of farming and enactment of a grazing and vegetation management plan. Impacts to aquatic resources include 4.223 acres of temporary impacts to seasonal wetlands. Certification through the Statewide General Restoration Order (SRGO) authorizes ground disturbing restoration activities and does not authorize or establish the mitigation bank. The City of Santa Rosa circulated an intent to adopt an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH 2026010340) for the project beginning January 16, 2026. February 19 to March 12, 2026 Kaete King kaete.king@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2848
Laguna Treatment Plant Flood Protection Project 1B22085WNSO Sonoma 38.367281°N, 122.766685°W The purpose of the project is to protect the Laguna Treatment Plant from flooding and risks to City staff, damage to physical assests, and releases of raw or partially treated wastewater to the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The project involves installing a flood berm, flood gate, warning system and barrier arms, pier and lagging retaining wall, Llano Road improvements, and modifications to the existing stormwater system. Part of the earthen berm will necessarily be placed within riparian habitat and wetlands, installation of the retaining wall will impact riparian habitat, and the removal of five existing stormwater outfalls will impact wetlands. Permanent impacts to waters of the state total 0.71 acre. Temporary impacts total 0.05 acre. Compensatory mitigation will be provided with the purchase of a minimum of 0.71 acre of wetland creation credits from an approved mitigation bank. Credits are expected to be purchased from the Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank initial credit release, which is expected to occur in 2026. February 12 to March 5, 2026 Kaete King kaete.king@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2848