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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsook Creek Fish Passage Project | 1B25159WNHU | Humboldt | 40.01032, -123.79071 | This Project proposes to remove a barrier to fish passage on Hartsook Creek by replacing a deteriorated drainage system with signs of damage with a bridge at post mile (PM) 0.88, along US 101 in Humboldt County. The method of restoring this drainage system is to remove the existing box culvert and replace it with a concrete bridge structure. Engineered Streambed material will also be added to the widened stream channel. | November 7 through November 28, 2025 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| California Department of Transportation CDOT Highway 299 PM 49-72 Poker Bar to Buckhorn Culverts (02-4H750) |
1A25153WNTR | Trinity | PM 49.10 PM 49.12 PM 49.20 PM 53.31 PM 53.35 PM 53.42 PM 54.05 PM 64.50 PM 66.63 PM 67.70 PM 68.48 PM 71.76 |
The Project will restore or replace 72 culverts, including 12 jurisdictional culverts along 23 miles of SR 299 in Trinity County. Construction will include cut and cover methods, installation of cement liners, and placement of rock slope protection (RSP). A temporary stream diversion plan and water quality monitoring plan will be required. Approximate temporary impacts include 0.014 acres of wetlands, 0.079 acre to ponds, 922.5 linear feet (LF) to streams, and 0.098 acres to riparian areas including removal of approximately 49 riparian trees. Approximate permanent impacts include 0.0001 acres to riparian areas, 0.0004 acre to ponds, and 30 LF to streams. Offsets include upsizing 95 LF of culvert and daylighting 8 LF of streams. Mitigation includes planting 0.1198 acres native riparian vegetation and re-establishment of a total of 0.0139-acre temporarily impacted seasonal 3-parameter wetlands. Construction is planned over two years from approximately May 15, 2026, to October 30, 2027. Drainage work would occur during the dry season. | November 6, 2025 through November 26, 2025 | Susan Stewart Susan.Stewart@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2657 |
| Elk River Estuary (Planning Area 1) Restoration Project | TBD | Humboldt | 40.747745, -124.189293 | The Elk River Estuary Restoration Project is one phase of a watershed-scale effort to restore beneficial uses of water; improve water quality conditions; reduce nuisance flooding; rehabilitate habitat for focal fish species, including Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, steelhead, Coastal Cutthroat Trout, Tidewater Goby, and Longfin Smelt; expand riparian habitat; and improve overall ecosystem health in the Elk River. The Project restoration scope includes the following elements: remove and/or upgrade drainage infrastructure; reduce or remove levees; breach an abandoned railroad grade; restore tidal sloughs and tidal creek channels and their connectivity to mainstem channels; create backwater features for seasonal waterfowl and winter salmonid rearing habitat (primarily for federally listed Coho Salmon); manage invasive vegetation; expand native plant communities; and recontour portions of the floodplain to guide winter flood-flows across the floodplain and back into the slough channel network toward suitable aquatic habitat. | November 5 through November 25, 2025 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| California Department of Transportation CDOT Highway 96 Somes Bar CAPM Repair Project (02-4H080) |
1A25144WNSI | Siskiyou | PM 1.29 41.393099°N, 123.496301°W PM 1.36 41.394159°N, 123.496440°W PM 3.46 41.422905°N, 123.500956°W PM 9.79 41.495699°N, 123.520739°W PM 10.40 41.503514°N, 123.523861°W PM 10.56 41.505898°N, 123.523493°W PM 10.60 41.506527°N, 123.523523°W PM 13.67 41.547238°N, 123.525266°W PM 13.77 41.548862°N, 123.524089°W PM 14.51 41.558293°N, 123.524311°W PM 14.74 41.561746°N, 123.523968°W PM 14.93 41.564217°N, 123.525043°W PM 14.99 41.564943°N, 123.525343°W PM 15.34 41.568477°N, 123.529902°W |
The Project will reduce maintenance and landslides by constructing a retaining wall to stabilize the slope near Junction Elementary School, restoring the roadway that has been disturbed by earth movement and replacing 13 jurisdiction culverts. The Project includes hot mix asphalt (HMA) overlay for 18.8 miles of State Route 96 in Siskiyou County near Somes Bar, and will install 10 biofiltration strips for Stormwater Treatment. Approximate temporary impacts will include 0.047 acres of wetlands, 0.273 acres to riparian areas, and 1,410 linear feet (LF) to streams. Approximate permanent impacts will include 0.016 acres to riparian areas, and 59 LF to streams. Upsizing 112 LF culvert and daylighting 4 LF of streams plus planting willow along 65 LF of stream bank will mitigate for permanent stream impacts. Temporary impacts will be restored with planting and hydroseeding with native species. Construction is planned over two years from approximately May 2026 through October 2027. Drainage work would occur during the dry season. | November 3, 2025 through November 24, 2025 | Susan Stewart Susan.Stewart@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2657 |
| California Department of Transportation CDOT Highway 96 PM 26.05, 61.47, & 81.84 Oak Bar Culverts II (02-1K810) |
1A25147WNSI | Siskiyou | PM 26.05 PM 61.47 PM 81.84 |
The project will improve drainage facilities along SR 96 by replacing three jurisdictional culverts postmiles (PMs) 26.05, 61.47, and 81.84, including improved end treatments at culvert inlets and placing rock slope protection (RSP) at the outlets. Temporary impacts to streams of 236 linear feet (LF) (0.0108 acres) will result due to culvert replacement, and 60.60 LF (0.0028 acre) of permanent impacts will occur due to RSP, end treatments, and extending a culvert. The culvert diameters will be upsized for a total of 233 LF and this will fully offset the permanent impacts. Any disturbed soil or vegetation will be stabilized or re-established per the erosion control plan. Diversion and dewatering plans will be submitted when applicable. Construction will be scheduled over 40 working days from approximately April 29 to June 24, 2026. | October 28, 2025 through November 11, 2025 | Susan Stewart Susan.Stewart@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2657 |
| California Department of Transportation CDOT Highway 101 PM 39.8 – 40.4 Ridgewood Grade Safety Project (01-0L380) |
1B25142WNME | Mendocino | PM 39.72 PM 39.77 PM 39.84 PM 39.97 PM 40.11 PM 40.21 |
The Project will increase inside and outside shoulder widths on both sides of the 4-lane divided expressway to reduce collisions. The Project will create four maintenance vehicle pullouts, replace the median barrier, and install new shoulder rumble strips and high friction surface treatment on curves. Work will include construction a new roadway section, pavement delineation, guardrail reconstruction, extension or replacement of six jurisdictional culverts, and installation of an underdrain parallel to the NB lane that spans three postmiles (PMs). The Project will result in temporary impacts of 239.1 linear feet (LF) to streams and 0.0551 acres to riparian areas. Permanent impacts will include 0.1492 acres of wetland, 252.1 linear feet (LF) to streams and 0.0666 acres to riparian areas. Culvert upsizing and daylighting will offset 77.6 LF of stream impacts onsite. Due to the lack of suitable restoration areas within the project limits, mitigation for the remaining temporary and permanent impacts would occur through offsite mitigation at the Jacobs Parcel adjacent to the Willits Bypass Mitigation Lands near Willits. Construction is planned to occur over approximately 135 working days in 2027. | October 22, 2025 through November 12, 2025 | Susan Stewart Susan.Stewart@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2657 |
