Water Quality Standards Regulations: California

Statewide Plans

• Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (pdf) (715.33 KB)
  Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary
  (Effective May 1995) The purpose of this plan is to establish water quality control measures which contribute to the protection of beneficial uses in the Bay-Delta Estuary. This plan consists of: (1) beneficial uses to be protected; (2) water quality objectives for the reasonable protection of beneficial uses; and (3) a program of implementation for achieving the water quality objectives.
• Water Quality Control Plan for Enclosed Bays and Estuaries - Part 1 Sediment Quality (pdf) (788.19 KB)
  (Effective August 25, 2009) The plan provides narrative sediment quality objectives protecting benthic communities from direct exposure to pollutants in sediments and minimizing human health risk from consumption of fish and shellfish tissue that may pose a risk as a result of contaminants in sediment. The plan also includes a description of the applicable beneficial uses, a description of how the narrative objectives may be interpreted and the means by which these narrative objectives shall be applied to existing water quality protection plans.
  • The following documents are associated with the revisions of these water quality standards:

    Effective Date	Description
    03-11-19	Water Quality Control Plan for Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California; Sediment Quality Provisions (pdf) (1.43 MB)
    03-11-19	Table of EPA Approved Water Quality Standards in Water Quality Control Plan for Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California; Sediment Quality Provisions (pdf) (179.79 KB)

• Part 2 of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California – Tribal and Subsistence Fishing Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions (pdf) (1.05 MB)
  (Effective July 14, 2017) EPA approved water quality standards encompassing specific beneficial uses to account for tribal cultural use and subsistence fish consumption, mercury water quality objectives to safeguard human health and aquatic wildlife, and flexibility to achieve permit compliance. 
  • The following documents are associated with these water quality standards:

    Effective Date	Description
    07-14-17	EPA Approval Letter: Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California - Tribal and Subsistence Fishing Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions (pdf) (572.84 KB, July 14, 2017)
    03-22-19	Approved Bacterial Objectives for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries (pdf) (190.39 KB)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Ocean Waters of California (California Ocean Plan) (pdf) (4.4 MB)
  (Effective April 7, 2016) This plan is applicable, in its entirety, to point source discharges into the ocean.
  • The following amendments are associated with this document:

    Effective Date	Description
    01-12-16	Appendix D: Final Amendment to Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters of California to Control Trash (pdf) (112.67 KB)
    03-22-19	Approved Bacterial Objectives for Ocean Waters (pdf) (190.97 KB)

Statewide Policies

• Resolution 92-49, As amended on April 21, 1994 and October 2, 1996 (pdf) (1.24 MB)
• Resolution 96-079, Amended October 2, 1996 and approved by OAL January 13, 1997 (pdf) (1.24 MB)

• Memorandum from State Water Resources Control Board on Federal Antidegradation Policy (pdf) (1.2 MB)
  (Effective October 7, 1987) This memorandum is intended to provide guidance on the application of the federal antidegradation policy to actions by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) and California Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Boards).
• State Policy for Water Quality Control: Toxicity Provisions (pdf) (1.49 MB)
  (Effective May 1, 2023) This policy establishes aquatic toxicity water quality standards to support aquatic life that apply to most inland surface waters, enclosed bays, and estuaries and coastal lagoons of the state, including both waters of the United States and surface waters of the state.
• Water Quality Standards for Salinity, Colorado River System, October 2005 Review (pdf) (1 MB)
  (Effective June 1, 2006) Prepared by the seven-state Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum, this document is a review of the water quality standards including the numeric criteria and plan of implementation previously developed and adopted by the Forum.
• Policy for Implementation of Toxics Standards for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California (2005) (PDF)
  (Effective October 23, 2006) This document is commonly referred to as the "State Implementation Plan", or "SIP". On October 23, 2006, EPA disapproved portions of Section 2.1 of the Policy related specifically to the granting of compliance schedules up to 15 years from the effective date of the policy to take into account the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for Clean Water Act Section 303(d) impaired waters.
  • The following amendments are associated with this document:

    Effective Date	Description
    08-27-07	State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2008-0025 - Policy for Compliance Schedules in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits (pdf) (70.17 KB)
    01-12-16	Appendix E: Final Part 1 Trash Provisions of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California (pdf) (138.66 KB)

• Statement of Policy with Respect to Maintaining High Quality Waters in California (Resolution 68-016) (pdf) (249.25 KB)
  (Effective October 24, 1968) The purpose of this policy is to state that whenever the existing quality of water is better than the quality established in policies that such existing high quality will be maintained.
• Water Quality Control Policy for the Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California (pdf) (515.79 KB)
  (Effective April 1979) The purpose of this policy is to provide water quality principles and guidelines to prevent water quality degradation and to protect the beneficial uses of waters of enclosed bays and estuaries.[
• Water Quality Control Policy on the Use and Disposal of Inland Waters Used for Powerplant Cooling (Resolution 75-58) (pdf) (70.76 KB) (Effective June 19, 1975) The purpose of this policy is to provide consistent statewide water quality principles and guidance for adoption of discharge requirements, and implementation actions for powerplants which depend upon inland waters for cooling. In addition, this policy should be particularly useful in guiding planning of new power generating facilities so as to protect beneficial uses of the State’s water resources and to keep the consumptive use of freshwater for powerplant cooling to that minimally essential for the welfare of the citizens of the State.
• Policy with Respect to Water Reclamation in California (Resolution 77-001) (pdf) (176 KB) ]
  (Effective January 6, 1977) The purpose of this policy is to set forth principles that foster the coordination of the development of reclamation potential in California including data collection, research, planning, and implementation programs for water reclamation and reclaimed water uses.
• Adoption of Policy Entitled "Sources of Drinking Water " (Resolution 88-63) (pdf) (77.98 KB)
  (Effective May 19, 1988) This policy gives exceptions to the statement that all surface and ground waters of the State are considered to be suitable, or potentially suitable, for municipal or domestic water supply and should be so designated by the Regional Boards.
• Policies and Procedures for Investigation and Cleanup and Abatement of Discharges Under Water Code Section 13304 (Resolution 92-49 as amended by Resolution 96-79) (pdf) (1.24 MB)
  (Effective October 2, 1996) These policies and procedures apply to all investigations, and cleanup and abatement activities, for all types of discharges subject to Section 13304 of the WC

  • The following amendments are associated with this document:

    Effective Date	Description
    10-02-1996	Amendment to the Policies and Procedures for Investigation and Cleanup and Abatement of Discharges Under Water Code Section 13304, Resolution 96-079 (pdf) (1.16 MB)

• Policy for Regulation of Discharges of Municipal Solid Waste (pdf) (379.23 KB)
  (Effective June 17, 1993) This policy identifies policies, implementation, implementation schedule, and containment parameters and standards with regards to the regulation of discharges of municipal solid waste.
• Adoption of the Water Quality Control Policy for Guidance on Development of Regional Toxic Hot Spot Cleanup Plans (Resolution 98-90) (PDF)
  (Effective September 2, 1998) The Water Quality Control Policy for Guidance on Development of Regional Toxic Hot Spot Cleanup Plans is intended to provide guidance on the development of the Regional cleanup plans. The Policy contains a specific definition of a toxic hot spot, general ranking criteria, the mandatory contents of the cleanup plans, and issues to be considered by the SWRCB in the development of the consolidated toxic hot spot cleanup plan. The principles contained in this Policy apply to all enclosed bays, estuaries and coastal waters.

Basin Plans with listed water quality standards amendments for the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards are included under the other tabs on this webpage. Please note that the Basin Plans also include provisions outside the scope of water quality standards. The dates provided generally reflect the most recent effective date for the water quality standards portions of the plans.

Regional Water Quality Control Board 1 (North Coast)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region (pdf) (4.23 MB)
  (Effective April 9, 2012)

Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region

Effective Date	Description
04-09-12	Low Threat Discharges Action Plan and Revision of Action Plan for Storm Water Discharges (pdf) (80.65 KB)
04-24-17	Strikeout/Underline Version of the Proposed Revisions to the Section 3 of the Water Quality Control Plan for the North Coast Region, Resolution No. R1-2015-0018 (pdf) (324.52 KB)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 2 (San Francisco Bay Region)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay Region as of May 4, 2017 (pdf) (18.56 MB)
  (Effective May 4, 2017)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 3 (Central Coast)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coast Region (pdf) (91.92 MB)
  (Effective September 27, 2017)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 4 (Los Angeles)

•   Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region (pdf) (22.71 MB)

Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region

Effective Date	Description
01-27-97	Amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Region (pdf) (3.97 MB)
09-25-02	Update to bacteria objectives for waterbodies designated for Water Contact Recreation (pdf) (54.49 KB)
06-19-03	Update to ammonia water quality objectives and implementation procedures for inland surface waters, enclosed bays, and estuaries which are characteristic of freshwater and support aquatic life (pdf) (114.79 KB)
06-19-03	Incorporates (1) implementation provisions for the bacteria objectives; (2) the Santa Monica Bay Beaches wet-weather TMDL; and (3) the Santa Monica Bay Beaches dry-weather TMDL, Resolution 2002-022 (pdf) (399.17 KB)
02-10-04	Amendment for the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties that incorporates language authorizing the inclusion of compliance schedules in NPDES permits, Resolution 2003-001 (pdf) (65.92 KB)
02-17-06	Update to Beneficial Uses (pdf) (62.84 KB) These amendments incorporate 1) the removal of the potential REC-1 beneficial use associated with the Swimmable Goal - as expressed in the federal Clean Water Act Section 101(a)(2) - for "Ballona Creek," replace the potential REC-1 beneficial use for "Ballon Creek to Estuary" with an Existing Limited REC-1 Use, and 2) add bacteria objectives to protect the new limited REC-1 use. Amended Beneficial Use Table 2.1 (pdf) (87.97 KB)
02-16-07	Amendment for revised early life stage implementation provision for inland surface water ammonia objectives for freshwaters, Resolution 2005-014 (pdf) (565.27 KB)
03-30-09	Amendment incorporating site-specific objectives for ammonia, Resolution 2007-005 (pdf) (200.91 KB)
05-18-09	Amendment subdividing Santa Clara River reach 4 into two Reaches, 4A and 4B, Resolution R4-2007-018 (pdf) (649.83 KB)
04-21-15	Chloride Site-Specific Water Quality Objectives Amendment (pdf) (69.01 KB)
12-12-16	Attachment A to: Revision of Lead Water Quality Objectives for Los Angeles River and Tributaries, Resolution No. R15-004 (pdf) (469.64 KB)
05-11-17	Attachment A to: Implementation Plan for the Total Maximum Daily Loads for Metals and Selenium in the San Gabriel River and Impaired Tributaries, Resolution No. R13-004 (pdf) (1.22 MB)
9-10-24	Amendments to Incorporate a TMDL for Indicator Bacteria in Los Cerritos Channel and Estuary, Alamitos Bay, and Colorado Lagoon, and to Suspend the Recreational Uses in Los Cerritos Channel During Unsafe Wet Weather Conditions, Res No. 2022-0053 (pdf) (1.04 MB) Amended Table 2-1a. Recreational Beneficial Uses of Inland Surface Waters (pdf) (179.77 KB)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 5 (Central Valley)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Tulare Lake Basin, Third Edition (pdf) (9.84 MB)
  (Effective November 2, 2020)
• Water Quality Control Plan, Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins, Fifth Edition (pdf) (11.87 MB)
  (Effective November 2, 2020)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 6 (Lahontan)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region, North and South Basins (pdf) (12.61 MB)
  (Effective November 17, 2020) Note that not all provisions are in effect for Clean Water Act purposes. Please refer to the cover letter for more information.

Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region, North and South Basins

Effective Date	Description
04-29-02	Table 2-1: Removes the potential Municipal and Domestic Supply (MUN) use designation (pdf) (61 KB)
01-12-04	Editorial revisions that pertain to restatements of existing water quality standards for the purpose of clarity and corrections of formatting or typographic errors in the Basin Plan (pdf) (80.56 KB)
09-10-15	Replacement of a Pesticide Water Quality Objective with a Waste Discharge Prohibition on Pesticides with Exemption Criteria (pdf) (240.94 KB)
11-17-20	Modification of Mojave River Beneficial Use Designations and Other Minor Revisions (pdf) (3.91 MB)
12-09-24	Revisions to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Lahontan Region to Clarify Beneficial Uses for the Mojave River, Update Site Cleanup, Land Disposal and Bishop Underground Tank Policy Sections, and Other Editorial Revisions (pdf) (4.45 MB)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 7 (Colorado River Basin)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Colorado River Basin (pdf) (2.29 MB)
  (Effective January 28, 2013)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 8 (Santa Ana)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin (pdf) (14.77 MB)
  (Effective July 17, 1997)

Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin

Effective Date	Description
07-15-02	Incorporates language to authorize the inclusion of compliance schedules in NPDES permits under specified circumstances (pdf) (57.22 KB)
06-20-07	Resolution Amending the Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin to Incorporate an Updated Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Nitrogen Management Plan for the Santa Ana Region (pdf) (2.79 MB)
04-08-15	Revises recreational standards for inland fresh surface waters in the Santa Ana region (pdf) (916.23 KB) Note that not all changes are effective for Clean Water Act purposes; please refer to cover page for additional information.
02-06-18	Revises beneficial uses, definitions, antidegradation targets, and other editorial changes related to Newport Bay (pdf) (563.08 KB)
06-20-19	Establishes authorized compliance schedule for waste load allocations in Newport Bay watershed Selenium TMDL (pdf) (285.61 KB)

Regional Water Quality Control Board 9 (San Diego)

• Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin (pdf) (6.95 MB)
  (Effective May 17, 2016) This is the 1994 Edition, which includes water quality standards amendments effective on or before May 17, 2016. Basin Plan on the State of California website.

Federally Proposed or Promulgated Standards

• Proposed Rule: Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta, State of California (July 15, 2016)
• Proposed Rule: Establishment of a Numeric Criterion for Selenium for the State of California (December 13, 2018)
• 40 CFR §131.36  Toxics criteria for those states not complying with Clean Water Act section 303(c)(2)(B)
• 40 CFR §131.37  California
• 40 CFR §131.38  Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California (California Toxics Rule)