Water quality control plans: alternative measures.

Existing law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards as the principal state agencies with authority over matters relating to water quality. Existing law requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policy for water quality control. Existing law requires each regional board to formulate and adopt water quality control plans for all areas within the region and prohibits a water quality control plan, or a revision of the plan, adopted by a regional board from becoming effective unless it is approved by the state board. Existing law authorizes the state board to adopt certain water quality control plans. This bill, if a water quality control plan or any amendment to a water quality control plan is adopted that has an impact on stream flow, would require the state board or a regional board to analyze the contribution that nonflow measures and adaptive management can provide to the achievement of relevant water quality objectives and ensure those contributions are accounted for in the water quality control plan or amendment to the water quality control plan.