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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge – Hookton Sough Unit, Long Pond Tidal Wetland Enhancement Project | 1B25063WNHU | Humboldt | 40.6867oN -124.2053oW | The purpose of the Project is to improve stream crossings and fish passage; restore and enhance off channel/side channel habitat; and establish, restore, and enhance stream and riparian habitat and upslope watershed sites. The Project would be completed in two phases. It is anticipated Phase 1 would commence in June 2025 and involves demolition and replacement of the failed tide gate and water control structure at the mouth of Long Pond. Phase 2 would commence in 2026 and end in 2027 and includes assorted habitat improvements focused on restoring the landscape adjacent to Long Pond, including converting upland areas into muted tidal wetlands through the addition of ponds, channels, and large woody debris and root wads. Total Project area would be approximately 4.9 acres and 2,220 linear feet. Approximately 0.35 acres and 657 linear feet of wetland would be impactd by the Project. Approximately 2.53 acres and 1,760 linear feet of wetland will be enhanced and/or created. | June 2, 2025 to June 23, 2025 | Scott Gergus scott.gergus@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2685 |
| SRNF Red Cap Floodplain Restoration Project Phase 3 | 1B25072WNHU | Humboldt | 41.20965, -123.5573 | This Project is the third phase of a larger restoration effort that aims to restore a reach of Red Cap Creek, a tributary of the mid Klamath River. This Project will entail the following actions: 1) Install up to seven engineered log structures (ELJ’s) and add a total of 40 large trees to the Red Cap mainstem and new side channels; 2) Reconnect and grade a 1,000-foot side channel; 3) Re-route seasonal tributary into newly constructed 360 foot long side channel; 4) Excavate and grade high water channel across a floodplain terrace. Remove old levees; 5) Place up to 1,500 cubic yards of sorted spawning gravel into main creek channel to continue gravel injection that was started in phase 1 and 2 of the project; and 6) Project Maintenance. | June 2 through June 23, 2025 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| SRNF Klamath Mountain Meadows Restoration Project | 1B25069WNHU | Siskiyou | 41.494381,- 123.429058; 41.505667, -123.367450; 41.513097, -123.427903; 41.528069, -123.377161 | This Project aims to restore impaired meadows in the Klamath Mountains through implementation of low-tech process-based restoration techniques to address conifer encroachment, channel head cutting, and stream channel simplification. These types of impairments can significantly decrease the meadows’ ability to store and meter water, which can have large effects on downstream temperatures and summer base flows. Additionally, channel incision and head cutting also result in meadows drying out and shrinking. The structures placed into the stream channel or meadow will vary in size depending on the location but will range from one foot in length and height to 20 feet in length and four feet in height. Larger structures will be placed at headcut locations, and smaller structures will be placed throughout smaller existing braids or new channel braids that are created by a larger structure. These smaller structures will be focused on disrupting channel flow and spreading out water across a larger area to avoid channelization. These structures will be placed throughout each of the four meadow systems. Structure type and placement will be determined while on site. Several rounds of treatments will be needed throughout the five-year project span as conditions change or for maintenance needs. All materials that will be placed within the meadow streams will be sourced from each site and all structures will be created to have a natural look. Logs will be carried to minimize ground disturbance. Fir poles (harvested on site) will be driven into the stream channel using a hand post pounder and mauls and then woven with alder, willow, or fir boughs. Soil, rock, and sand will be used to seal some structures and will be gathered from around the site to minimize disturbance. Upwards of 25 cubic yards of sediment, rock, etc. will be placed into the stream channels to provide fine material to plug small gaps in structures. Approximately 250 cubic yards of woody material such as logs, brush, and larger trees will be placed at various locations throughout the meadows to improve hydraulic connectivity and reverse channel incision. The purpose of these small structures will be to raise surface water elevations and impound sediment within the channels to reverse the channel incisions that are occurring throughout the systems. All work will be completed with non-motorized hand tools and hand crews and will start in Mid-July and continue to Mid-October each year. | June 2 through June 23, 2025 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| Wallace Road Bank Repair PM 11.06 | 1B25060WNSO | Sonoma | 38.49610 °N, 122.68328 °W | The purpose of this project is to stabilize an eroded bank adjacent to Wallace Road at Rolling Hills Road intersection. The bank erosion occurred during the winter season of 2024 on Rincon Creek. The project involves placing Rock Slope Protection (RSP) within the stream channel and bank when the creek is dry. The RSP will be interspersed with willow and other native riparian vegetation. Equipment will be operated from the roadway and the project will employ appropriate BMP’s. Permanent impacts include 24 linear feet and 0.008 acres of stream channel/bank. In addition to willow interspersed in the RSP, mitigation includes invasive species removal and additional plantings in the nearby streambanks. Total mitigation for the project's permanent impacts is 0.024 acres. | May 28, 2025 to June 18, 2025 | Emma Tracy, Emma.Tracy@Waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2834 |
| Fulton Road Sewer Main Improvements | 1B24100WNSO | Sonoma | 38.441969°N, 122.769925°W | The City of Santa Rosa will address approximately 300 feet of failing sewer pipe that was first installed in 1969 under Santa Rosa Creek just west of the Fulton Road Bridge. The pipe serves 60 homes and the pipe liner has deformed and caused the sewer to become partially obstructed. The project involves opening a trench through Santa Rosa Creek and placing a new pipe just west of the failing pipe. An approximately 10-foot wide trench would be excavated through the banks and streambed. Depths would vary from about 25 feet at the top of bank to between 2 and 3 feet below the existing stream bottom. To provide protection of the replacement sewer main, it will be installed within a PVC casing and the void between the sewer main and casing will be grouted. This method will entirely separate the grouting material from water. The trench will then be backfilled and compacted to restore the surface to existing grade.Rip rap will be placed up to and on top of the concrete encasement and native streambed material removed during excavation would be used to backfill on top of the rip rap to restore the channel bed. Temporary impacts include 0.024 acre for access and trench work, and 0.008 acre for the cofferdam. Permanent impacts total 0.057 acre of replacement rip rap. Permanent and temporary loss of streambank and riparian habitat will be mitigated off site at a 3:1 ratio at Peterson Park on Forestview Creek. Due to stream maintenance activities, on site mitigation is not feasible. | May 22, 2025 to June 11, 2025 | Kaete King kaete.king@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2848 |
| Drake Gravel Bar Extraction Project | 1B24085WNHU | Humboldt | 40.602828°, -124.178680° | The project would permit extraction and stockpiling of aggregate from the Drake Gravel Bar along the lower Eel River. The proposed extraction plan would be determined annually through multiagency consultation, review, and approval. Mercer-Fraser Company proposes extraction of up to 250,000 cubic yards per year. Aggregate extraction would be performed consistent with the 2015 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Letter of Permission. This includes minimization measures and monitoring. Access to the extraction area would be from the Sandy Prairie gravel bar via temporary access roads and temporary bridge crossings. Stockpiles would be removed prior to October 1st. | May 21, 2025 to June 11, 2025 | Amanda Piscitelli, amanda.piscitelli@waterboards.ca.gov (707) 445-6126 |
