WHEREAS:

1. The National Marine Fisheries Service listed coho salmon and steelhead trout as Threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act) in the Russian River watershed.
2. Water quality standards adopted by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region (North Coast RWQCB), must comply with the Act.
3. The North Coast RWQCB adopted Resolution 97-96 authorizing the Executive Officer to proceed with negotiations and processing of an agreement to accept funds from the Sonoma County Water Agency for the review and modification, as appropriate, of water quality standards for compliance with the Act.
4. The review and modification of water quality standards is a necessary and important component of the State Water Resources Control Board's continuous planning process and standards development program.
5. The North Coast RWQCB needs to execute the contract with the Sonoma County Water Agency to support its continuous planning process and standards development program.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The State Water Resources Control Board authorizes the Executive Director or his designee to negotiate, execute, and further amend, if necessary, a three-year (3) contract with the Sonoma County Water Agency to support the review and modification of water quality standards in the North Coast RWQCB for compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 in an amount not to exceed $600,000.

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the Board, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on November 18, 1997.

/s/

Maureen Marché

Administrative Assistant to the Board