Section 13240 of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and Section 303(c)(1) of the Clean Water Act require a review of water quality standards and applicable water quality control plans each three-year period to keep pace with changes in regulation, new technologies, policies, and physical changes within the region. The North Coast Water Board is responsible for reviewing the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (Basin Plan) and is required to: 1) identify those portions of the Basin Plan, which are in need of modification or new additions; 2) adopt standards as appropriate; and 3) recognize those portions of the Basin Plan, which are appropriate as written.  The North Coast Water Board solicits written and oral public input on a continual basis, which it considers prior to adopting by resolution a prioritized list of basin planning projects.  The highest priority projects establish the workplan of the North Coast Water Board’s Planning Program for the next three year period.
The proposed list of priority projects for a Triennial Review is based on best professional judgement and includes consideration of several factors. Those factors include:

• Relevance to human health protection
• Relevance to threatened and endangered species protection
• Stated priorities of the North Coast Water Board, State Water Resources Control Board, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including:
• Tribal interests
• Disadvantaged community interests
• Climate change adaptation and resilience
• Importance to the implementation of other North Coast Water Board programs
• Availability of necessary expertise, funding, and other resources
• Ongoing projects with allocated resources

On September 1, 2026, Planning staff will begin reviewing the Basin Plan, recent changes to regulations, and Basin Plan amendment proposals received as part of the three-year 2027 Triennial Review solicitation period. The review process will include an initial assessment phase from September to December 2026, followed by public engagement and resulting in final staff recommendations to the North Coast Water Board for consideration in June 2027.

Both ongoing projects and new proposals will be reviewed and considered based on factors like: statutory or regulatory requirements, existing commitments, importance to implementation of North Coast Water Board programs, opportunities to improve clarity or consistency within the Basin Plan, stated priorities of the North Coast or State Water Boards and US EPA, and the availability of staff and external resources to support the project. Several of the high priority projects identified in the 2023 Triennial Review are still underway and staff resources are committed to completing those projects. Staff recommendations to the North Coast Water Board for newly proposed projects must consider the availability of necessary expertise, funding, and other resources available to pursue planning work. Staffing available to initiate new projects is limited until the ongoing high-priority efforts have been completed.

The Planning Unit will develop a draft Staff Report summarizing the status of existing projects and any proposals received by July 31, 2026. The draft Staff Report will also document the results of Planning staff’s review, and staff’s initial recommendations for the 2028-2030 Planning Program workplan. The draft Staff Report will be published for a 45-day public review and comment period near the end of December 2026. Prior to publication of the public review draft Staff Report, Planning staff will present an Information Item on the Triennial Review Process at the December 3-4, 2026, Board Meeting.

To receive future notice of 2027 Triennial Review activities and other Basin Planning Project updates please subscribe to our email list at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/reg1_subscribe.html

For further information or assistance with the 2027 Triennial Review, please contact Joel Bisson, Environmental Scientist in the Planning Unit at Joel.Bisson@waterboards.ca.gov  or (707) 576-2703.

2023 Triennial Review

The 2023 Triennial Review of the Basin Plan was adopted by the North Coast Water Board at a public hearing on June 14, 2024.
Adopted Documents

• Adopting Resolution
• Adopted Planning Program Workplan FY 2024-2027
• Final Staff Report 2023 Triennial Review

2018 Triennial Review

The 2018 Triennial Review of the Basin Plan was adopted by the North Coast Water Board at a public hearing September 6, 2018.
Adopted Documents

• Adopting Resolution
• Adopted Planning Program Workplan for FY 2018-2021
• Final Proposed Staff Report