Scott River TMDL

The purpose of this website is to provide information on the Scott River TMDLs.
The Klamath Basin TMDL Fact Sheet provides general information about Scott and Klamath Rivers.

Scott River TMDL General Information
The Scott River is listed as impaired on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list of impaired water bodies for sediment and temperature impairments. Sediment and temperature impairments result from multiple human-caused factors. These factors are discussed in detail in the Scott River TMDL Staff Report.
A more succinct summary of the impairments, their drivers, and the actions required to improve water quality and support beneficial uses can be found in Chapter 4 of the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region, Section 4.2.9, beginning on Page 63 of 148.

Upcoming Events

North Coast Water Board Staff will be conducting a staff workshop at the upcoming October 1, 2026
North Coast Water Board meeting to present the public draft of Waste Discharge Requirements for Irrigated Lands in the Scott and Shasta Watershed. More information can be found here.
A hearing to renew the 2018 Waivers of Waste Discharge Requirements will also be held during this meeting. More information can be found here.

Thursday, October 1, 2026. 1PM Best Western Miner's Inn and Convention Center
122 E Miner St
Yreka, CA 96097
and via Video and Teleconference.

Relevant Documents:
Proposed Order renewing 2018 Waiver
2018 Scott Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements
Draft General Waste Discharge Requirements for Irrigated Lands in the Scott and Shasta
Attachment A: Monitoring and Reporting Program
Attachment B: Supplemental Findings
Attachment C: Coalition Requirements
Attachment D: Stewardship Category Requirements
Attachment E: Tailwater Practice Menu
Attachment F: CEQA Mitigation Measures
Attachment G: Templates
Attachment H: Acronyms and Definitions
DEIR Attachment A: Draft Order
DEIR Attachments B-E

 


Current Regulatory Efforts
On May 7, 2025, the North Coast Water Board adopted Order R1-2025-0011, renewing the Scott and Shasta TMDL Conditional Waivers of Waste Discharge Requirements through October 7, 2025. This renewal continues coverage of discharges from agricultural operations under the conditions and requirements of Order R1-2018-0018 while staff continues work on General Waste Discharge Requirements to supersede these Orders. Links to these relevant documents can be found below.

Towards development of General Waste Discharge Requirements, on January 31, 2025, staff issued notice of preparation for an Environmental Impact Report and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) scoping meeting to be held on March 3, 2025. Documents pertaining to that meeting can be found below.

On October 10, 2025, staff presented an update on current efforts to develop Waste Discharge Requirements to the North Coast Water Board. No action was taken. Presentation slides

On January 6, 2026, staff presented information regarding Waste Discharge Requirement development to the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors. Presentation slides

Emergency Drought Regulations and Minimum Instream Flow Targets
The State Water Resources Control Board established emergency minimum instream flow targets for the Shasta River in response to Governor Newsom’s drought emergency declaration in 2021. Efforts are currently underway to establish permanent instream flow requirements. More information on this program, curtailment status, and other details can be found as the Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds Emergency Regulation webpage .

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