BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Update on the State Water Resources Control Board's Amendments to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
A. Receive an update on the State Water Resources Control Board's Amendments to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan; and
B. Direct staff to participate in voluntary settlement agreement discussions.
Body
SUMMARY:
On July 6, 2018, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) released its third and final draft proposed amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta Plan) relating to water quality and flow objectives for the Lower San Joaquin River and its tributaries. This agenda item provides an overview of the Bay-Delta Plan; its purpose, history, and periodic review process. It also describes the currently proposed updates, including State Water Board and District staff assessments of the water supply and biological effects, public comments submitted by various entities, and future steps to implementation. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) are responsible for meeting most of the water quality and flow objectives in the current Bay-Delta Plan as terms and conditions in their water rights permits for the State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project (CVP). The currently proposed updates could have significant impacts on the District's and Santa Clara County's imported water supplies.
1. Overview of Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan
1.1. Authority and Purpose
The State and Regional Water Boards develop water quality control plans to meet their obligations under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and federal Clean Water Act. A water quality control plan establishes the beneficial uses of water within a region, the water quality objectives to ensure the reasonable protection of those beneficial uses, and a progra...
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