CICWQ-MARCH 2024 Recap
1) State Water Resources Control Board - Construction General Permit for Stormwater - Training Materials and Computer Tools Available
The State Water Resources Control Board released a new mapping tool for use in complying with the Construction General Permit (CGP) for Stormwater. The CGP requires construction stormwater dischargers to determine the potential risk the project may have on receiving waters. State Water Board staff prepared the 2022 CGP High-Risk Receiving Water Map Tool to assist dischargers with determining if the project is located in these sensitive watersheds.
Learn more about the new mapping tool and other helpful resources from the State Water Board.
Also, if you manage or work on the SWPPP compliance process, review new resources available from the State Water Board for updated Qualified SWPPP Developers and Practitioner (QSD/QSP) prerequisite courses and new resources for training QSP delegates who work on your job sites.
2) Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board – Santa Ana Watershed Regional MS4 Permit Development and Renewal Process
After many years under development, the Santa Ana Water Board just released a proposed region-wide Phase I Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System Permit (MS4) for public review and comment. The proposed permit combines three (3) existing Phase I MS4 permits for north Orange, western Riverside, and western San Bernardino counties into one regional permit, encompassing the Santa Ana River watershed area. Several new permit elements are proposed, which will change how the three counties implement the provisions of the permit. Most notable are new requirements for watershed planning and more stringent on-site requirements for roadways to manage and treat stormwater runoff as part of new and redevelopment projects.
Read the draft permit/public notices.
3) California Outdoor Water Conservation Rules Modifications - Making Conservation a Way of Life
The State Water Resources Control Board formally opened a second public comment period for the proposed Making Conservation a Way of Life regulation. The comment period is open from March 12 until March 27, 2024. The revised draft of the regulation sets water conservation targets for large suppliers in California, including extending timelines, broadening compliance pathways, and increasing flexibility based on public input from the first comment period. The State released a Fact Sheet, which provides a summary of the rulemaking, who is impacted, and why the rule is important to Californians.
Learn more about the proposed regulation and how to participate in the rulemaking.
4) California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Releases Results of Third Snow Survey Winter 2024
The third manual survey for winter 2024 recorded 47.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 18 inches, which is 77 percent of the average for the Phillips Station location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast.
Read the press release.
