16101
. (a) Each county, city, or special district that is a
permittee or copermittee under a national pollutant discharge
elimination system (NPDES) permit for municipal separate storm sewer
systems may develop, either individually or jointly with one or more
permittees or copermittees, a watershed improvement plan that
addresses major sources of pollutants in receiving water, stormwater,
urban runoff, or other surface runoff pollution within the watershed
or subwatershed to which the plan applies. The principal purpose of
a watershed improvement plan is to implement existing and future
water quality requirements and regulations by, among other things,
where appropriate, identifying opportunities for stormwater
detention, infiltration, use of natural treatment systems, water
recycling, reuse, and supply augmentation; and providing programs and
measures designed to promote, maintain, or achieve compliance with
water quality laws and regulations, including water quality standards
and other requirements of statewide plans, regional water quality
control plans, total maximum daily loads, and NPDES permits.
(b) The process of developing a watershed improvement plan shall
be open and transparent, and shall be conducted consistent with all
applicable open meeting laws. A county, city, special district, or
combination thereof, shall solicit input from entities representing
resource agencies, water agencies, sanitation districts, the
environmental community, landowners, home builders, agricultural
interests, and business and industry representatives.
(c) Each county, city, special district, or combination thereof
shall notify the appropriate regional board of its intention to
develop a watershed improvement plan. The regional board may, in its
discretion, participate in the preparation of the plan. A watershed
improvement plan shall be consistent with the regional board's water
quality control plan.
(d) A watershed improvement plan shall include all of the
following elements relevant to the waters within the watershed or
subwatershed to which the plan applies:
(1) A description of the watershed or subwatershed improvement
plan area, the rivers, streams, or manmade drainage channels within
the plan area, the agencies with regulatory jurisdiction over matters
to be addressed in the plan, the relevant receiving waters within or
downstream from the plan area, and the county, city, special
district, or combination thereof, participating in the plan.
(2) A description of the proposed facilities and actions that will
improve the protection and enhancement of water quality and the
designated beneficial uses of waters of the state, consistent with
water quality laws and regulations.
(3) Recommendations for appropriate action by any entity, public
or private, to facilitate achievement of, or consistency with, water
quality objectives, standards, total maximum daily loads, or other
water quality laws, regulations, standards, or requirements, a time
schedule for the actions to be taken, and a description of
appropriate measurement and monitoring to be undertaken to determine
improvement in water quality.
(4) A coordinated economic analysis and financing plan that
identifies the costs, effectiveness, and benefits of water quality
improvements specified in the watershed improvement plan, and, where
feasible, incorporates user-based and cost recovery approaches to
financing, which place the cost of managing and treating surface
runoff pollution on the generators of the pollutants.
(5) To the extent applicable, a description of regional best
management practices, watershed-based natural treatment systems,
low-flow diversion systems, stormwater capture, urban runoff capture,
other measures constituting structural treatment best management
practices, pollution prevention measures, low-impact development
strategies, and site design, source control, and treatment control
best management practices to promote improved water quality.
(6) A description of the proposed structure, operations, powers,
and duties of the implementing entity for the watershed improvement
plan.