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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Red Cap Creek Floodplain Restoration Project | 1B26041WNHU | Humboldt | 41.259386, -123.585672 | The proposed project will restore floodplain connectivity and improve aquatic habitat through a series of channel and floodplain enhancements. Existing push-up levees, berms, and approximately 300 feet of gabion walls will be removed and regraded to allow increased floodplain access and reduce high-velocity flows that contribute to channel incision. Suitable excavated gravels will be sorted and redistributed within the stream channel, with up to 3,000 cubic yards placed to enhance spawning habitat. Engineered log jam (ELJ) structures will be installed using large trees and ballast boulders to increase habitat complexity and stabilize channel features. A new approximately 750-foot side channel will be constructed and existing side channels will be enhanced to improve seasonal connectivity and provide additional spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids. Construction access will include temporary gravel pads and a low-water crossing that will be removed or blended into the channel following completion. Limited tree removal may occur, with removed material reused in habitat structures where feasible. Invasive vegetation, including Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom, will be removed across the project area, and disturbed areas will be restored through native planting and reseeding to support long-term habitat recovery. | April 1 through 21, 2026 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| Middle Red Cap Creek Floodplain Restoration Project | 1B26039WNHU | Humboldt | 41.243864, -123.545478 | The proposed project will restore floodplain connectivity and enhance aquatic habitat through a series of channel and floodplain improvements. Existing push-up levees and berms will be pulled back and regraded to reconnect the creek with its floodplain and reduce high-velocity flows that contribute to channel incision. Thirteen engineered log jam (ELJ) structures will be installed in the main channel and a newly constructed side channel using large trees and ballast boulders to increase habitat complexity and improve channel function. A cobble bar and temporary gravel pads will be constructed to facilitate structure installation and improve spawning substrate, with gravel blended into the stream channel after construction. Two tiered off-channel ponds and a connecting channel will be excavated within a historic channel to create approximately 32,000 square feet of off-channel rearing habitat for juvenile fish, while a 360-foot side channel and associated alcove will be constructed to provide additional spawning and rearing habitat for Coho and Chinook salmon. Limited tree removal may occur during construction, with removed material reused within habitat structures or aquatic features. Invasive Himalayan blackberry will be removed and disturbed areas will be restored through native planting and reseeding using locally sourced native grasses to support long-term riparian habitat recovery. | April 1 through 21, 2026 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| Middle Camp Creek Fisheries Restoration Project: Phase II | 1B26040WNHU | Humboldt | 41.315948, -123.564508 | The proposed project is located along an approximately 1-mile reach of Camp Creek, encompassing roughly 20 acres. The project will place approximately 850 logs within the stream channel and adjacent floodplain to enhance aquatic habitat. Floodplain excavation will occur to create side channels, off-channel ponds, and channel relief features. A gabion will be removed from the creek bank, and temporary bridges will be installed to allow equipment access across the channel. Excavated soil will be placed in designated upland areas within the project site. Vegetation management will include grubbing alders and non-native blackberry within the project area. Conifers encroaching into huckleberry patches will be selectively thinned, and these trees will be used to construct the in-stream wood structures. Heavy equipment, including excavators and dump trucks, will be used to complete the work. | April 1 through 21, 2026 | Jake Shannon Jacob.Shannon@waterboards.ca.gov |
| California Department of Transportation CDOT Highway 254 PM 0.0 -43.0 Culvert Rehab Project (01-0H246) |
1B25179WNHU | Humboldt | 40.321944°N, 123.921667 °W |
The Project will construct a structure to provide fish passage at one stream crossing and rehabilitate 32 existing drainage systems determined to be Waters of the State to help decrease risk in loss of roadway due to erosion or embankment failures. Proposed culvert rehabilitation treatments include structure replacement and correcting drainage inlets and outlets. The Project will permanently impact 261 linear feet of streams and 92.16 linear feet of riparian areas and temporarily impact 1,313 linear feet of streams and 1,278 linear feet of riparian areas . Permanent impacts totalling 0.04 acres will be more than offset due to daylighting, upsizing existing culverts, and planting riparian trees and vegetation. Construction will occur over 172 working days from 2027 through 2029. All work within the stream channel (excluding revegetation work and vegetation removal by hand crews) will be conducted between May 15 and October 15. | March 26, 2026 to April 15, 2026 | Shannon Strong Shannon.Strong@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2499 |
| Pacific Shellfish - South Bend LLC Oyster Cultivation Project in Humboldt Bay |
1B01140WNHU | Humboldt | latitude 40.852681°N, longitude -124.139132°W | The Project purpose includes continuation of an existing shellfish aquaculture farming operation within approximately 279 acres of Arcata Bay. Project activities are limited to operation and maintenance and will not result in any increase in the amount mudflat area covered by existing shellfish aquaculture operations. |
March 12, 2026 through April 1, 2026 | Maggie Teicher Margarete.Teicher@waterboards.ca.gov 707-576-2501 |
