California Wetland Program Plan 2023

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028

California Wetland Program Plan

2023 - 2028

Prepared by the California Wetland Monitoring Workgroup

Pursuant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's

Enhancing

State and Tribal Wetland Programs (ESTP) Initiative

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028

Acknowledgements

The Plan was made possible with funding from the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

through the Wetland Program Development Grants. We are deeply appreciative of USEPA Region 9 for their

long-standing grant support for the continued development of a strong wetland program in California.

Agency Participants

People from the following agencies and organizations contributed to the California Wetland Program Plan:

California State Coastal Conservancy

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

California Natural Resources Agency

California State Water Resources Control Board

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028

Contents

1. Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Participating Agencies ............................................................................................................................................. 1

3. Overall Goal Statement ........................................................................................................................................... 1

4. State Laws Protecting California Wetlands .............................................................................................................. 1

6. California Water Quality Monitoring Council ......................................................................................................... 3

6.1 California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup ............................................................................................... 3

7. State Agencies Involved in Wetlands Protection ..................................................................................................... 4

7.1 California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) ................................................................................ 4

7.2 California Natural Resources Agency............................................................................................................ 5

8. Plan Components ................................................................................................................................................. 11

9. Attachments ......................................................................................................................................................... 13

10. Acronyms

........................................................................................................................................................... 14

11. Plan Authorization .............................................................................................................................................. 15

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 1

1. Purpose

This California Wetland Program Plan (Plan) serves as a comprehensive five-year strategy to direct and

measure California's progress towards improving its existing wetland programs.

The Plan will also assist California agencies in applying for annual Wetland Program Development Grants

from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for programs, projects, or activities that protect,

manage, restore, and monitor California's wetlands and support the Plan.

This Plan should be considered a "living document'' that will be reviewed and revised by the participating

agencies as needed, in coordination with the California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup (CWMW).

Updates to the Plan will be posted, as needed, on the CWMW website.

2. Participating Agencies

Regulation, funding, and management for wetlands and other aquatic resources falls under numerous

agencies in California. This Plan was jointly developed by staff of the California State Water Resources

Control Board (SWRCB), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California State Coastal

Conservancy (CSCC), Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy (SSJDC), and California Natural Resources

Agency (CNRA) with assistance from USEPA Region 9.

3. Overall Goal Statement

While California has a great diversity of wetlands, including coastal and inland wetlands and vernal pools,

it is estimated that California has lost more than 90% of its historic wetlands overall, and more than 95% of

its coastal wetlands

. The remaining wetlands are vulnerable to development, roads, farming practices,

hydromodification, pollutants, invasive species, climate change, and a host of other potential stressors. The

participating agencies developed the Plan with the shared overall goal of increasing the abundance,

condition and diversity of California's wetlands and riparian areas, and sustaining and enhancing the

delivery of ecosystem services.

4. State Laws Protecting California Wetlands

The California legislature has passed numerous laws to protect valuable aquatic resources within its

jurisdiction, including wetlands. The 1969 Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act broadly defines

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 2

"waters of the state" as "any surface water or groundwater, including saline waters, within the boundaries

of the state."

Wetlands are defined and protected in various laws and regulations, including the California Coastal Act

of 1976, the 1976 Keene-Nejedly California Wetlands Preservation Act

, the 1965 McAteer-Petris Act

, and

the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act

. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

also plays a role in

wetlands protection and management by requiring that project impacts be disclosed and mitigated by

approving agencies before permitting can be finalized. Additional laws have been enacted to provide

further protection for wetlands in coastal counties and the San Francisco Bay area and the Delta.

Governor Pete Wilson signed the State Wetland Conservation Policy in 1993

, which requires agencies to

work together to: (1) ensure no overall net loss and achieve a long- term net gain in the quantity, quality,

and permanence of wetlands acreage and values in California in a manner that fosters creativity,

stewardship, and respect for private property; (2) reduce procedural complexity in the administration of

state and federal wetlands conservation programs; and (3) encourage partnerships to make landowner

incentive programs and cooperative planning efforts the primary focus of wetlands conservation and

restoration.

The Delta Reform Act of 2009

created the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) and established new standards

for groundwater monitoring, statewide water conservation, enforcing Delta diversion and setting state

policy that achieving water supply reliability and restoring the Delta's ecosystems must be applied

coequally. The Delta Plan, required by the Delta Reform Act, is a comprehensive, long-term management

plan for the Delta. It created new rules and recommendations to further the state's coequal goals for the

Delta: Improve statewide water supply reliability and protect and restore a vibrant and healthy Delta

ecosystem, all in a manner that preserves, protects, and enhances the unique agricultural, cultural, and

recreational characteristics of the Delta. The Act also created the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Conservancy to be a lead agency for ecosystem restoration in the Delta and Suisun Marsh.

Cal.Water Code§ 13050(e)

Cal. Pub. Res. Code§ 30121

Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2785

Cal. Gov't Code§§ 66600-66694; Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §§ 10110-11990

Cal. Pub. Res. Code§§ 29000-29612

Cal. Pub. Res. Code§ 21000 et seq.

Office of the California Governor, Executive Order W- 59-93 California Wetlands Conservation Policy (1993), at

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/cwa401/docs/wrapp2008/executive_order_w59_93.pdf

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sbx7_1_bill_20091112_chaptered.html

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 3

6. California Water Quality Monitoring Council

In November 2007, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

was signed by the Secretaries of the Cal/EPA

and the California Natural Resources Agency to establish the California Water Quality Monitoring Council

(CWQMC). The MOU was mandated by CA Senate Bill 1070 (Kehoe, 2006)

and requires the boards,

departments and offices within the Cal/EPA and the California Natural Resources Agency to integrate and

coordinate their water quality and related ecosystem monitoring, assessment, and reporting. On December

22, 2020 a new MOU was signed that replaced the original MOU signed in 2007 and recognized the

continued need for collaboration and coordination across the two agencies.

CA Senate Bill 1070 (Water Code Sections 13167 and 13181) and the MOU require that the Monitoring

Council develop specific recommendations to improve the coordination and cost-effectiveness of water

quality and ecosystem monitoring and assessment, enhance the integration of monitoring data across

departments and agencies, and increase public accessibility to monitoring data and assessment

information. While the Monitoring Council may recommend new monitoring or management initiatives, it

will build on existing effort to the greatest extent possible. The Monitoring Council published its initial

recommendations in December 2008

, and its recommendations for A Comprehensive Monitoring

Program Strategy for California in December 2010.

6.1 California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup

To support the CWQMC, the California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup (CWMW) has

provided periodic updates to the Wetland Program Plan. CWMW's mission is to improve

the monitoring and assessment of wetland and riparian resources by developing a

comprehensive stream, wetland, and riparian area monitoring plan for California and

through increasing coordination and cooperation among local, state, and federal

agencies, tribes, and non-governmental organizations. The workgroup reviews and

coordinates technical and policy aspects of wetland monitoring tool development,

implementation, and data use to improve wetland management in California.

The Wetland and Riparian Area Monitoring Plan (WRAMP) is a plan developed by

CWMW for comprehensive monitoring and assessment of aquatic resources using a

watershed or landscape context. WRAMP, like USEPA's three-tier monitoring and

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/docs/sb1070mou.pdf

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/docs/sb1070chptrd.pdf

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/docs/council_mou_12_2020.pdf

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/docs/sb_1070_full_report_final.pdf

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/docs/comp_strategy_all.pdf

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 4

assessment framework, includes three levels of assessment and analysis, and provides

the framework for making these three levels of assessment work together in the analysis

of the overall condition and viability of aquatic resources within a watershed.

Although WRAMP has been applied to support a watershed approach to wetland and

stream protection in California, the framework can be adjusted to generally support

ecosystem and habitat planning, assessment, monitoring, and reporting.

•

Level 1

assessments consist of map-based inventories of aquatic resources,

including: rivers, streams, and riparian areas, plus related projects that have a direct

effect on the distribution and abundance of aquatic resources. Level 1 maps may

serve as the basis for landscape and watershed profiles and be used as a framework

for Level 2 and 3 assessments.

•

Level 2

assessments are rapid, field-based assessments that provide data on overall

aquatic resource condition. In California, the California Rapid Assessment Method

(CRAM) is the baseline for level 2 data collection. Other level 2 assessment methods

may also be used when needed.

•

Level 3

assessments are usually site-specific measures of specific resources. Plant

species composition, nesting bird surveys, spawning success, and groundwater

recharge rates are examples of level 3 data types. Types of level 3 assessments will

vary from site to site.

7. State Agencies Involved in Wetlands Protection

7.1 California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)

7.1.1 State Water Resources Control Board

The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the nine affiliated Regional

Water Quality Control Boards regulate discharges to wetlands under the Porter-Cologne

Water Quality Control Act and the Clean Water Act.

Organizationally, the Water Boards are under the California Environmental Protection

Agency (CalEPA). The Water Boards carry out regulatory functions, such as Clean Water

Act §401 water quality certifications, monitoring, assessment, enforcement, and

compliance. The SWRCB also develops statewide water quality plans, policies, and

standards and determines water rights. The SWRCB directed staff, in Resolution Number

2008-0026, to develop a wetland protection policy using a phased approach. The first

phase, completed in 2019, includes a wetland definition and a wetland regulatory

mechanism based on the 404 (b) Guidelines (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 5

230-233). Future phases include establishing water quality standards for wetlands where

existing standards may not be appropriate. SWRCB staff participates in wetland

protection and advance mitigation efforts integrated with regional planning approaches

including natural community conservation plans, habitat conservation plans, watershed

plans, integrated water resource management plans, and state climate change

initiatives.

On October 7, 2020, Governor Newsome issued Executive Order N-82-20 to combat

climate change and biodiversity crises, which required implementation of actions to

increase the pace and scale of environmental restoration and land management efforts

by streamlining the State’s process to approve and facilitate these projects. In November

2020, the California Natural Resources Agency, in coordination with CalEPA issued a

report outlining an initiative (the Cutting Green Tape Initiative) which included 14

recommendations to improve regulatory efficiency for restoration projects. The Water

Boards have supported this initiative by adopting in 2022 the Statewide Restoration

General Order, which streamlines permitting for restoration projects.

7.2 California Natural Resources Agency

The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) is a sister agency to CalEPA with 34

departments, boards, commissions, and conservancies under its umbrella, including the

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Conservancy (SSJDC), California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC), California Coastal

Commission (CCC), San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC),

California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR), and California Department of Water

Resources (DWR). CNRA is responsible for implementing the California Wetlands

Conservation Policy, updating the state wetland inventory as outlined in the policy and the

Keene-Nejedly Act, and identifying wetland restoration and enhancement opportunities.

In 2008 CWMW was convened to better coordinate the wetland monitoring activities of

local, state, and federal agencies, tribes and non-governmental agencies involved in wetland

monitoring and regulation (see CWQMC, above). CNRA staff and staff from SSJDC, SWRCB,

CDFW, and CSCC participate in this group and provide technical input on a variety of

monitoring and policy topics, including the development and use of CRAM and CRAM's use

in monitoring and assessment programs in California.

7.2.1 California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The mission of the CDFW is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant

resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 6

their use and enjoyment by the public. CDFW works through both regulatory and

non-regulatory mechanisms to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands and other

aquatic resources.

In addition to the CWMW, CDFW participates in other efforts to assist in the coordination

of wetland monitoring in the state, improve consistency among wetland-related

regulatory efforts, support mapping efforts for the wetland resources of the state, and

carry out wetlands conservation, management, and restoration activities in cooperation

with partner agencies and organizations statewide.

CDFW supports efforts to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands through its various

grant programs, including the Watershed Restoration Grant Program, Wetlands

Restoration for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant Program, and Fisheries Restoration

Grant Program. CDFW also administers the California Waterfowl Habitat Program, which

is an incentive-based conservation program that compensates private landowners for

managing their land in accordance with annual work plans developed by CDFW.

Consistent with its primary waterfowl habitat objectives, the program also endeavors to

enhance habitat for other wildlife species that rely on these same habitat types. ,

CDFW has developed guidelines, policies, and procedures for establishing conservation

and mitigation banks. CDFW is finalizing policies and guidelines for the new Regional

Conservation Investment Strategies (RCIS) program. The RCIS program includes an

advance mitigation mechanism to create compensatory mitigation credits under an

approved RCIS. California's Fish and Game Code further authorizes the CDFW to issue

Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreements for activities that cause impacts to wetlands

associated with rivers, streams, and lakes.

CDFW is also an active participant in wetland restoration and management on its own

lands (e.g., Hill Slough and Eden Landing in Suisun Bay), and as a partner with the

Department of Water Resources under the Fish Restoration Program Agreement (FRPA).

A dedicated program within the CDFW Bay Delta Region monitors the effectiveness of

tidal wetland restoration included in the FRPA for providing food web and habitat

benefits to listed fish species. The program also leads the Interagency Ecological Program

Tidal Wetland Monitoring Project Work Team, which has developed conceptual models,

a monitoring framework, and standard operating procedures for monitoring aquatic

communities and habitat attributes of tidal wetlands in the upper San Francisco Estuary.

Similarly, the CDFW Suisun Marsh Program works with DWR to study and monitor

wetlands.

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 7

7.2.2 Department of Water Resources

DWR is responsible for managing the state's water resources, as outlined in the California

Water Plan, and for constructing, operating, and maintaining the State Water Project.

Impacts to wetlands that result from its activities must be avoided, minimized, or

mitigated based on permit conditions. DWR mitigates water quality impacts to the

Suisun Marsh, manages the Upper Stream Restoration Program to help projects fix bank

erosion and flood problems, provides staff to the Upper Sacramento River Advisory

Council, develops and carries out the San Joaquin River Management Project,

implements a Floodplain Management Program, and also works on establishing

mitigation banks. In 2015, California EcoRestore (EcoRestore) was launched, which is a

multi-agency initiative lead by DWR to advance at least 30,000 acres of critical habitat

restoration and enhancement in California’s Central Valley including the Sacramento-

San Joaquin Delta (Delta), Suisun Marsh, and Yolo Bypass region.

7.2.3 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

The SSJDC leads efforts to protect, enhance, and restore the Delta ecosystem in

coordination with other governmental and non-governmental entities in the Delta. The

SSJDC collaborates and cooperates with local communities to better coordinated

monitoring, ecosystem restoration, and natural resource management that may impact

California's wetlands.

The SSJDC has worked with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and other agencies to

develop Project Tracker (https://ptrack.ecoatlas.org/), which tracks habitat restoration

activity on EcoAtlas (https://www.ecoatlas.org/). Projects are viewable on the

interactive map and summarized on individual project pages. Project Tracker provides

detailed project information, such as acres of distinct habitat types, species benefitted,

progress and status reports, and funding sources. The Project Tracker database provides

visual displays and queries of the tabular and spatial project data. As new projects are

developed and existing projects enter new phases, information is expanded and updated

through the online data entry forms. New spatial data layers, such as "Modern Delta

Habitat Types", allow users to evaluate projects within the context of existing ecological

resources and other landscape characteristics and uses.

SSJDC administers several grant programs that support California wetland conservation,

restoration, and enhancement, including the Proposition 1 Ecosystem Restoration and

Water Quality Grant Program for multi-benefit ecosystem and watershed protection

projects in the Delta, the Nature Based Solutions: Wetland Restoration Program to

support restoration, conservation, and climate resilience for wetlands in the

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and Climate, Access, and Resource funding for projects

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 8

that support climate resilience, community access, and natural resource protection

activities that benefit the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

7.2.4 Delta Stewardship Council

The Delta Reform Act of 2009 created the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC). DSC is made

up of seven members. Of the seven members, four are appointed by the Governor, one

each by the Senate and Assembly, and the seventh member is the chair of the Delta

Protection Commission. DSC’s work advances the State’s coequal goals for the Delta - a

more reliable statewide water supply and a healthy and protected ecosystem, both

achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique characteristics of the Delta

as an evolving place. To do this, the Delta Plan was adopted in 2013, includes both

regulatory policies and non-binding recommendations. The major regulatory tool of the

Delta Plan is the covered actions process that require project proponents to show

alignment with the Delta Plan.

The DSC chair also chairs the Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee. SSJDC

and the Delta Stewardship Council staff the Delta Plan Interagency Implementation

Committee’s Restoration Subcommittee (DPIIC RSC), which focuses on restoration

across the Delta’s ecosystems, including many different wetland types. The DPIIC RSC

formed in 2022 in response to amendments to the Ecosystems chapter of the Delta Plan

and aims to provide forums for meaningful community participation in Delta restoration

efforts, increase interagency collaboration to streamline restoration implementation,

identify opportunities in restoration planning and long-term management efforts, and

increase transparency and coordination around existing, new, and needed restoration

funding.

Part of the Council is the Delta Science Program, charged with providing the best possible

unbiased scientific information to inform water and environmental management

decisions for the Delta. The Council appoints a lead scientist to oversee the program and

also appoints the 10 members of the Delta Independent Science Board. In addition, the

Science Program supports the Interagency Adaptive Management Integration Team,

which discusses and coordinates strategies for implementing adaptive management for

conservation efforts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and related areas.

7.2.5 California Coastal Commission

The California Coastal Act includes requirements related to coastal zone management

and wetlands protection, including coastal development permits, and established the

Coastal Commission as one of California’s coastal regulatory and management agencies.

The California Coastal Act prohibits dredge and fill activities in coastal wetlands, with the

exception of low impact allowable uses such as restoration or research.

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 9

7.2.6 California State Coastal Conservancy

The CSCC works through non-regulatory mechanisms to protect, restore, and enhance

coastal wetlands, as well as other coastal resources. The CSCC may work on wetland

restoration or enhancement projects directly or provide funding and technical assistance

to government agencies and organizations for projects. Since its creation, the CSCC has

built hundreds of miles of trails and preserved hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlife

habitat, coastal farmland, and scenic open space. Many of the most-loved scenic,

natural, and recreational resources of the California coast and the San Francisco Bay Area

have been protected by the work of the Conservancy and its many partners.

CSCC is coordinating restoration activities efforts in the Bay through the San Francisco

Bay Joint Venture and San Francisco Estuary Partnership and is supporting the work of

the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority. It has also been the lead on the recent

update to the Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals which generally guides wetland

restoration activities in the region. Along the Central Coast, the CSCC is involved in

several wetland restoration programs, including the Morro Bay National Estuary

Program, the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Tidal Wetland

Program, and Integrated Watershed Restoration Program, which stretches from

Monterey County north to San Mateo. In the North Coast region, CSCC has helped

establish the Humboldt Bay Initiative, a network of local partner agencies and non-

profits that work to further ecosystem-based management in Humboldt Bay, including

wetland restoration. CSCC also sits on the Pacific Coast Joint Venture Management

Board.

In Southern California, CSCC works to coordinate and facilitate wetlands restoration

activities through the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project (SCWRP).

SCWRP is a broad-based partnership of 18 state and federal agencies working in concert

to improve coordination, pool resources, and advance the recovery of rivers, streams,

and wetlands in coastal Southern California. SCWRP's Regional Strategy document

guides project prioritization and shapes restoration and enhancement projects

throughout the region. The Regional Strategy was updated in 2018 to include the best-

available science on historical, present, and future changes to tidal wetlands. SCWRP

also participates in CWMW to take advantage of knowledge and expertise from other

portions of the state. SCWRP's participation in CWMW also provides the WRAMP

framework with an excellent case study of regional cooperative monitoring, assessment,

and planning. The CSCC provides staffing and serves as a fiscal agent for the SCWRP.

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 10

7.2.7 San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission

Pursuant to the McAteer-Petris Act, BCDC's regulatory responsibility covers the San

Francisco Bay, being all areas that are subject to tidal action, including all sloughs,

and specifically, the marshlands lying between mean high tide and five feet above

mean sea level; tidelands (land lying between mean high tide and mean low tide);

and submerged lands, salt ponds, and managed wetlands, as well as the an Suisun

Marsh.as provided in the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act. BCDC also has jurisdiction

over a 100-foot shoreline band, extending 100-feet upland of the Bay. BCDC issues

permits for any placement of fill, extraction of material, or substantial change in use

of land or water in the Commission’s jurisdiction. BCDC’s mission is to minimize Bay

fill, ensure appropriate water-oriented development in the Bay, and ensure that

development in and along the Bay provides maximum feasible public access. BCDC

reviews projects for resilience and adaptability to sea level rise and other flood

hazards and provides planning guidance to local governments to support planning

for sea level rise. BCDC is responsible for updating the San Francisco Bay Plan, the

Suisun Marsh Protection Plan and Local Protection Program. BCDC also serves as part

of the state’s Coastal Zone Management Act Coastal Management Program and

reviews federal projects and projects that require federal approval or are supported

with federal funds for consistency with the state coastal program. BCDC coordinates

with partners to plan for protection, restoration, and enhancement of the San

Francisco Bay and Suisun Marsh

7.2.8 California Department of Parks and Recreation

CDPR is responsible for managing wetlands located within the State Park System,

administering the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Habitat

Conservation Fund Grant Programs, and identifying wetlands preservation opportunities

on lands adjacent to state parks.

7.2.9 Wildlife Conservation Board

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) was created by legislation in 1947 to administer

a capital outlay program for wildlife conservation and related public recreation. WCB is

an independent Board with authority and funding to carry out an acquisition and

development program for wildlife conservation. WCB’s three main functions are land

acquisition, habitat restoration and development of wildlife oriented public access

facilities, which are carried out through various grant programs.

WCB manages multiple grant programs that fund wetland restoration statewide,

including:

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 11

• The Inland Wetlands Conservation Program (IWCP): The IWCP was created to assist

the Central Valley Joint Venture in its mission to protect, restore and enhance

wetlands and associated habitats. The IWCP program funds acquisition of land or

water for wetlands, acquisition of conservation easements, and

restoration/enhancement of degraded wetland habitat within the Central Valley.

• The Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Program supports a wide variety of

restoration projects that fall outside of WCB’s other mandated programs and

contributes to the restoration/enhancement of freshwater/coastal wetlands and

riparian habitat statewide.

• The Riparian Habitat Conservation Program develops coordinated conservation

efforts aimed at protecting, preserving and restoring California’s riparian

ecosystems.

7.2.10 Other Agencies

In addition to the various state agencies involved, regional and local agencies also

regulate wetlands. Thus, there are multiple overlapping jurisdictions in regard to

wetlands protection and management in California.

8. Plan Components

In 2007, the USEPA launched the Enhancing State and Tribal Programs (ESTP) Initiative

to enhance

delivery of technical and financial support for wetlands programs. A foundation of the ESTP is the Core

Elements Framework, which outlines the core elements of an effective state or tribal Wetland Program

Plan. Wetland Program Plans describe overall program goals along with broad-based actions and more

specific activities that will help achieve the goals. Wetland Program Plans, approved by the USEPA,

qualify submitters to compete for a larger allocation of the USEPA Wetland Program Development

Grants.

The Core Elements Framework identifies four core elements that comprise a comprehensive wetland

program. The four core elements of an effective Wetland Program Plan are:

Monitoring and Assessment;

Regulatory Activities, including the Water Quality Certification Program;

Voluntary Restoration and Protection; and

Water Quality Standards for Wetlands.

See http://water.epa.gov/grants funding/wetlands/estp.cfm

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 12

This Plan outlines specific activities over the next five years that are related to each core element. The

attached spreadsheet tables below list actions related to each element and responsible agencies.

California Wetland Program Plan 2023-2028 13

9. Attachments

CWMW Project Portfolio

10. Acronyms

California Coastal Commission (CCC)

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)

California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR)

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA)

California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM)

California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC)

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

California Water Quality Monitoring Council (CWQMC)

California Wetland Monitoring Workgroup (CWMW)

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Commission California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)

Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee Restoration Subcommittee (DPIIC RSC)

Delta Stewardship Council (DSC)

Fish Restoration Program Agreement (FRPA)

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Regional Conservation Investment Strategies (RCIS)

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy (SSJDC)

San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development (BCDC)

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

Wetland and Riparian Area Monitoring Plan (WRAMP)

Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB)

11. Plan Authorization

We, the undersigned, have reviewed this Wetlands Program Plan and direct our respective staff to work

cooperatively towards its development and implementation as resources allow.

_________________________

Karen Mogus, Deputy Director

Division of Water Quality

State Water Resources Control Board

_________________________

Campbell Ingram, Executive Officer

Sacramento San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

_________________________

Mary Small, Deputy Executive Officer

State Coastal Conservancy

5/30/2023

Date



%BUF

11. Plan Authorization

We, the undersigned, have reviewed this Wetlands Program Plan and direct our respective staff to work

cooperatively towards its development and implementation as resources allow.

________

_________________

Karen Mogus, Deputy Director

Division of Water Quality

State Water Resources Control Board

________

_________________

Campbell Ingram, Executive Officer

Sacramento San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

________

_________________

Mary Small, Deputy Executive Officer

State Coastal Conservancy

_________________________

Date

_________________________

Date

_________________________

Date

May 10, 2023

Active Projects

Last Updated: 3/2/2023

Project Name Project Vision Status Lead Agencies Key Team Members

Start

Date

Projected

End

Date

Last Status

Update

EPA Core

Element

Notes:

CWMW Goal 1: Support WQMC

Update the CWMW, WRAMP tools, and

CRAM websites

Ensure websites have most recent information and are easily

understood for the target audience.

Not started

CWMW co-chairs, State Water

Board

Paul Hann, Melissa

Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring

and

Assessment

CWMW Goal 2: Develop and Maintain Tools

Develop New CRAM Modules, including

Delta Channels/Riverine Tidal,

lacustrine, playa, dune, sea grass

Complete field books and associated materials for wetland

habitats not covered by a currently available field book.

Not started

CCWG, SFEI, SCCWRP, State

Water Boad, EPA

Kevin O'Connor,

Sarah Pearce,

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update validated CRAM modules, as

needed. Includes field books, data

sheets, support materials, and eCRAM.

Update validated CRAM modules as needed to address

lessons learned, new science, and administrative needs.

Not started

CCWG, SFEI, SCCWRP, State

Water Boad, EPA

Kevin O'Connor,

Sarah Pearce

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update eCRAM to reflect latest version

of the field books, including updating to

the stressor index and removing the

stressor checklist.

Ensure eCRAM reflects the most up to date field book for each

validated module

Not started

SFEI

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update eCRAM to allow batch uploads

from a spreadsheet

Modify eCRAM database to allow upload of multiple

assessment areas from a spreadsheet. This will simplify and

speed up entries for projects with many assessment areas.

Not started SFEI Cristina Grosso

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Establish CRAM regional ambient

assessment curves for each wetland

type.

Develop curves depicting regional ambient CRAM scores for

available modules. These data will allow agencies and public

to evaluate changes in wetland condition on a regional scale

over time, and will allow better comparison of project specific

scores to regional ambient data.

Not started

CCWG, SFEI, SCCWRP, Coastal

Conservancy, State Water Boad,

Regional Boards, EPA

Kevin O'Connor,

Sarah Pearce, Evyan

Sloane

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Complete CRAM habitat development

types for all wetland types.

Develop curves to predict how CRAM scores change over time

at restoration sites. These curves will allow comparison of

project specific CRAM scores to anticipated scores over time

to evaluate whether projects are developing properly.

Not started

SFEI, CCWG, Coastal

Conservancy, State Board, EPA

Kevin O'Connor,

Sarah Pearce, Evyan

Sloane, Katie Nichols

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Establish methodology to use CRAM

development curves to forecast

mitigation project success

Develop a methodology to use the habitat development curves

to predict habitat development over time at compensatory

mitigation sites, including how the curves can be incorporated

into site specific performance standards.

Not started State Board, EPA, USACE

Monitoring

and

Assessment

CRAM customer support

Investigate ways to provide ongoing support for CRAM

trainees, agencies, and consultants.

Not started CCWG, SFEI, SCCWRP

Kevin O'Connor,

Sarah Pearce

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update EcoAtlas to better meet open

data standards and communicate with

other databases.

Ensure that EcoAtlas can efficiently share data with other key

databases in CA

Not started

CDFW, State Water Board,

Natural Resources, SFEI,

CCWG, SCCWRP, SSJDC

Cristina Grosso, Jim

Falter, Paul Hann

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Includes BIOS, CWIQS,

EMPA databases

EcoAtlas Training

Develop how-to-guides, case study examples, and training

tools for agency staff and permittees/constulants

In progress EPA, SFEI

Cristina Grosso,

Melissa Scianni

Jan 2022

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Initial work funded EPA

contract money. Additional

work/funding will be

needed

EcoAtlas Dashboards

Identify what new dashboards are needed by federal, state,

and local agencies

Not started SFEI

Cristina Grosso

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Project Tracker Updates

Update Project Tracker to make it more user friendly, including

modifying the pick lists to be more concise

Not started

SFEI, SSJDC, Coastal

Conservancy, CDFW, EPA,

BCDC

Cristina Grosso,

Rachel Wigginton,

Evyan Sloane, Hildie

Spautz, Melissa

Scianni

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Establish Water Board 401 online

application system with ability to share

certain permit application information

(e.g. delineation maps) to CARI and

EcoAtlas

The water boards are developing an online application system

that will collect detailed delineation mapping information that

can be compiled and used to improve/enhance CARI/EcoAtlas

data

In progress State Water Board Paul Hann

Monitoring

and

Assessment

CWMW Goal 3: Achieve consistent monitoring and assessment

Agency CRAM training

Provide agency specific CRAM training. Identify ways to fund

trainings for staff from multiple agencies.

Not started CDFW, State Water Board, OPC

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Complete Coastal Watershed maps and

incorporate maps into CARI.

Estimate baseline acreages of coastal habitats through an

update to CARI database. Explore incorporation of remote

sensing datasets into the coastal habitats base map.

In progress Ocean Protection Council, SFEI

Cristina Grosso,

Sreeja Gopal

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update watershed maps for Regional

Water Board 9 and incorporate the maps

into CARI.

Build capacity for a Wetland Regional Monitoring Program in

the San Diego Region by updating the CARI base map for

Regional Water Board 9. Project includes site verification visits

led by Water Board staff, the use of the CARI Editor tool to

maintain the accuracy of the base map, and incorporation of

the geospatial dataset into CARI and EcoAtlas.

In progress

Regional Board 9, SFEI Cristina Grosso, 8/1/2022 3/31/2024

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Update Russian River watershed aquatic

resources map and incorporate map into

CARI

Produce a new basemap of the aquatic resources for the

Russian River Watershed and Sonoma County, and

incorporate the geospatial dataset into CARI and EcoAtlas.

Project includes training to technical staff at Regional Water

Board 1 on how to use Project Tracker, the Landscape Profile

Tool, and the Mitigation Planning Tool of WRAMP.

In progress Regional Board 1, SFEI Cristina Grosso 3/1/2022 12/31/2024

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Contribute to development of a cross

agency priority list for restoration

activities

Provide a venue collaboration across agencies so that we can

identify where programs can be leveraged to support multiple

agencies (e.g. RCIS, Caltrans RAMNA, Corps Banking PDT)

Not started

State Water Board, Caltrans,

CDFW, EPA, SSJDC, DSC

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Priority for Healthy

Watersheds Committee,

need to coordinate

Contribute to development of cross

agency approach for coordinating

watershed planning activities

Funding opportunities in the water boards require connection

to watershed based plans. The Water Boards are interested

in collaborating with other agencies to provide greater visibility

of where watershed planning documents are and to help

planners develop programs that can better qualify for funding.

Not started State Water Board

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Increase the number of general

certifications available to 401

Certification Applicants

Water Boards Staff would benefit from a larger suite of general

orders for routine projects so that staff resources can be

focused on non-routine permits and inspections.

In progress State Water Board Paul Hann Regulatory

Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise

Adaptation Plan

Build on the completed sea level rise vulnerability assessment

to identify specific adaptation approaches and projects for the

region's resources

In progress

Coastal Conservancy Joel Gerwin

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Promote reuse of Humboldt Bay

Dredged Materials

Work with Humboldt Bay Harbor District to plan for the reuse

of dredged materials for specific tidal marsh restoration and

sea level rise adaptation projects.

In progress Coastal Conservancy Joel Gerwin

Voluntary

restoration,

Regulatory

Central Coast Joint Venture W atershed

Assessment

Using Watershed assessment tools (e.g. RIPRAM and

CRAM), evaluate wetland and riparian extent, condition and

habitat restoration and protection needs, across the C3JV

region (prioritizing the Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Salinas,

Pajaro) to inform habitat and conservation objectives for

wetland and riparian conservation target, in concert with focal

species population objectives and human wellbeing goals.

Not started

Central Coast Wetlands Group,

Coastal Conservancy, Central

Coast Joint Venture

Tirsh Chapman/ Hilary

Walecka

Monitoring

and

Assessment,

Voluntary

Restoration

CWMW Goal 4: Outreach

Tribal Marine Steward Network Discuss opportunities for coordination with CWMW. Not started CWMW co-chairs

Melissa Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring

and

Assessment

General Order/Permit availability

Conduct outreach on availability of general permits and CEQA

documents.

In progress State Water Board Paul Hann Regulatory

Meet with state agencies not currently

involved with CWMW, including DWR,

Coastal Commission, and Department of

Conservation

Discuss opportunities for collaboration with CWMW. Not started CWMW co-chairs

Paul Hann, Melissa

Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Meet with State Parks

Discuss opportunities to collaborate on projects identified in

their Estuary Workplan

Not started CWMW co-chairs Kevin O'Connor

Monitoring

and

Assessment

Ongoing Activities

Last Updated: 3/2/2023

Ongoing Activity Name Project Vision

Lead Agency Key Team Members EPA Core Element Notes:

CWMW Goal 1: Support WQMC

Support the WQMC

Provide technical and policy input

to support agency coordination,

cost- effective water quality and

ecosystem monitoring, information

sharing and public access to

collected data.

Co-chairs

Paul Hann, Melissa

Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support the CWMW

Actively engage in meetings,

review documents in advance of

discussion, and provide technical

and policy input on behalf of the

member agency

Co-chairs All members

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support the Level 1 Committee

Research, develop and coordinate

use of standard methods aquatic

resource mapping, including data

collection, management and

analysis. Ensure that these

methods comply with State

policies, and are compatible with

CEDEN.

SFEI, OPC, CWMW co-

chairs

Cristina Grosso

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support the Level 2 Committee

Coordinate the review,

development and implementation

of rapid assessment tools for all

state agencies

State Water Board,

CWMW co-chairs

Stephen Barrlow

Monitoring and

Assessment

Engage with other CWMC

Committees

Coordinate CWMW work with

other Committees, as appropriate,

including Healthy Watersheds.

CWMW co-chairs

Paul Hann, Melissa

Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring and

Assessment

CWMW Goal 2: Develop and Maintain Tools

Continue support and

maintenance of the CA Aquatic

Resources Inventory (CARI)

SFEI Cristina Grosso

Monitoring and

Assessment

CWMW Goal 3: Achieve consistent monitoring and assessment

Contribute to Project Tracker

Contribute habitat project data

from regulatory and grant

programs. Require projects

funded by Prop 1 grant programs

to provide their data.

Coastal Conservancy,

CDFW, SSJDC

Evyan Sloane, Hildie

Spautz, Rachel

Wigginton

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support development of

Regional restoration goals.

Participate in efforts and identify

specific projects to bring to the

CWMW. Known efforts include

SF Bayland Goals, SF Subtidal

Goals, SCWRP Regional

Strategy, and Central Coast

Regional Goals.

Coastal Conservancy,

SSJDC, DSC

Evyan Sloane (SCC),

Rachel Wigginton,

Dylan Chapple, EPA

Monitoring and

Assessment

Assist in assessing progress

toward regional goals.

Assist in the reporting of progress

toward meeting the SF Bay and

Southern CA regional goals.

Coastal Conservancy,

SSJDC, BCDC, DSC

Evyane Sloane (SCC),

Rachel Wigginton,

Dylan Chapple, EPA

Monitoring and

Assessment

Participate on mitigation bank

interagency teams

Participate in the IRTs, PDT,

NCCPs/HCPs, IWRPM, and

Regional Advance Mitigation

efforts to ensure consistent

approaches and effective

compensatory mitigation.

State and Regional

Water Boards, CDFW,

EPA, USACE

IRT members Regulatory

Participate on and support the

Joint Ventures, including

Central Valley, SF Bay, Central

Coast, and Pacific Coast.

Advance the goals of the Joint

Ventures and ensure consistent

monitoring, including regional

strategic planning, prioritizing

implementation efforts, performing

monitoring and research, and

capacity building.

Coastal Conservancy,

CDFW , Central Coast

Wetlands Group,

Wildlife Conservation

Board, SSJDC, BCDC

Voluntary Restoration

Support San Francisco Bay

Restoration Authority

Engage with Authority on their

strategic planning, development of

Measure AA grant program,

progress reporting, and external

oversight of grants

Coastal Conservancy,

BCDC

Evyan Sloane, Jessica

Davenport

Monitoring and

Assessment, Voluntary

Restoration

Support wetland, stream, and

ocean protection and

restoration and monitoring

Engage with partners through

agency programs to support

restoration, protection, and

monitoring of aquatic habitats.

Coastal Conservancy,

State Water Board,

CDFW, Ocean

Protection Council,

Wildlife Conservation

Board, SSJDC, DSC

Voluntary Restoration

Support implementation of Fish

Restoration Program, a

biological monitoring program

for fish and foodweb resources

in restored tidal wetlands in the

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

and Suisun March.

Engage with partners through

agency programs to support

restoration and monitoring of

wetlands and aquatic habitats in

the Delta and Suisun Marsh.

CDFW. DWR, SSJDC,

DSC

Regulatory, Monitoring

and Assessment

Ongoing Activities

Sea-level Rise and Climate

Change Assessment

Support assessments and

monitoring plans related to climate

change, sea level rise, and carbon

sequestration.

Coastal Conservancy,

State Water Board,

CDFW, Ocean

Protection Council,

SSJDC, DSC, BCDC

Monitoring and

Assessment

Improve 401 enforcement

coordination, tracking and

monitoring.

Improve internal processes and

coordination procedures.

State Water Board Paul Hann Regulatory

No Net Loss Performance

Metrics

Develop performance metrics to

evaluate no net loss of aquatic

habitat area, and eventually

function.

State Water Board

Paul Hann

Regulatory

Support Santa Cruz and

Monterey Counties Integrated

Watershed Restoration

Program

Continue support and work to

expand programs in Santa Cruz

and Monterey County.

Coastal Conservancy

Trish Chapman/Hilary

Walecka, Central Coast

Wetlands Group

Voluntary Restoration

Support the National Estuary

Programs and National

Estuarine Research Reserves.

Support implementation of

conservation programs at the

NEPs and NERRs.

Coastal Conservancy,

SSJDC

Evyan Sloane, Central

Coast Wetlands Group

Voluntary Restoration

Support the Perennial Stream

Assessment Program and

Reference Condition

Management Program in their

efforts to expand

bioassessment into other

stream or wetland types and to

enhance systems to track and

share resulting data

Continue long-term statewide

survey of the ecological condition

of wadeable perennial streams

and rivers throughout California.

CDFW, State Water

Board

Hildie Spautz, Andy

Rehn

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support dissemination of data

pertaining to State's wetlands

and other aquatic resources.

Public data/metadata will be

available for viewing and

downloading through CDFW's

Biogeographic Information and

Observation System (BIOS)

website.

Support dissemination of data

pertaining to State's wetlands and

other aquatic resources.

CDFW Hildie Spautz

Monitoring and

Assessment

Contribute to development of a

cross agency priority list for

restoration activities

Provide a venue collaboration

across agencies so that we can

identify where programs can be

leveraged to support multiple

agencies (e.g. RCIS, Caltrans

RAMNA, Corps Banking PDT)

State Water Board,

Caltrans, CDFW, EPA

Monitoring and

Assessment

Priority for Healthy Watersheds

Committee, need to coordinate

Contribute to development of

cross agency approach for

coordinating watershed

planning activities

Funding opportunities in the water

boards require connection to

watershed based plans. The

Water Boards are interested in

collaborating with other agencies

to provide greater visibility of

where watershed planning

documents are and to help

planners develop programs that

can better qualify for funding.

State Water Board

Monitoring and

Assessment

CWMW Goal 4: Outreach

Engage with CWMW partners

Reach out to partners with work

that overlaps with CWMW to

achieve CWMW Goals.

CWMW co-chairs

Paul Hann, Melissa

Scianni, Kevin

O'Connor

Monitoring and

Assessment

Support landowners with

restoration, management, and

monitoring of aquatic habitats.

Work through existing agency

programs to conduct outreach,

education, and support for

landowners.

Coastal Conservancy,

SSJDC, CDFW, Ocean

Protection Council,

Wildlife Conservation

Board

Rachel Wigginton Voluntary Restoration

Bay Resources Regulatory

Integration Team (BRRIT)

BCDC along with other regional

regulators to coordinate permitting

for restoration projects in the Bay

that have been funded by

Measure AA.

BCDC, Coastal

Conservancy, EPA

Regulatory

Cutting the Green Tape

Engage with the Cutting the Green

Tape program to promote new

environmental permitting tools,

such as the CDFW Restoration

Management Permit (RMP), State

Board Restoration General

Orders, and CEQA Statutory

Exemption for Restoration

Projects.

CDFW, State Water

Board

Hildie Spautz, Paul

Hann

Voluntary Restoration

Ongoing Activities

30x30 California

California has committed to the

goal of conserving 30 percent of

our lands and coastal waters by

2030. Engage with the CA Natural

Resource Agency on

implementation of the Pathways to

30x30 strategy, which prioritizes

conserving wetlands through

aquisition and land easement

arrangement with willing sellers,

increase natural flood protection

by reconnecting hydrological

systems, and restoring coastal

wetlands.

CDFW Hildie Spatuz Voluntary Restoration

Backlog Projects

Last update:

3/2/2023

Backlog Project Name

Project Vision Status CWMW Goal Lead Agency Key Team Members

Date

Last Status Update EPA Core Element

Notes:

Develop and Maintain a Level

3 Committee

Level 3 Committee meets

regularly to discuss L3

monitoring needs and

protocols, similar to how the

L1 and L2 committees

function.

Not

started

1 TBD TBD

Monitoring and

Assessment

Previous L3

Committee no

longer meeting,

Estuaries MPA

group may provide

a starting point for

a new committee.

Wetland Status and Trends

Program

CA regularly conducts an

assessment of wetland

acreage in the state to report

on net change over time.

Program

Plan

developed

2 TBD TBD

Monitoring and

Assessment

Plan developed by

SCCWRP under

previous EPA

grant. Not been

picked up by an

agency yet. DSC

doing some S&T

for Delta and

Suisun Marsh.

Dylan Chapple

project lead.

Update SCWRP Regional

Strategy to include

assessment of non-tidal

wetlands.

Regional Strategy is update

to provide an assessment of

historical losses, existing

acreage, and updated

quantitative restoration

targets similar to what was

done for tidal wetlands in

2018.

Not

started

3 CSCC

Evyan Sloane,

Melissa Scianni

Monitoring and

Assessment

Develop and bring forward for

State Water Board

consideration: (a) new

beneficial use definitions, (b)

water quality objectives, and

implementation to achieve the

water quality objectives, as

necessary, to protect wetland-

related functions (Phase II of

Water Quality Resolution

2008-0026

Water quality within wetland

areas can be substantially

different from adjacent waters

and existing beneficial uses

and water quality criteria do

not adequately reflect the

diversity of wetlands. This

project would update

statewide beneficial uses and

water quality objectives for

wetland waters

Not

started

2 SWRCB Paul Hann NA

Water Quality

Standards

Develop, and bring forward

for State Water Board

consideration: (a) new

beneficial use definitions, (b)

water quality objectives, and

implementation to achieve the

water quality objectives, as

necessary, to protect riparian

area-related function (Phase

III of Water Quality

Resolution 2008-0026)

The State Water Board lacks

a uniform definition of riparian

zone and regulatory

protections for riparian zones

vary from region to region.

This project would establish a

consistent statewide riparian

definition for use in water

board program, and clarify

applicability of beneficial uses

and water quality objectives.

Not

started

Humboldt Bay Native Oyster

Restoration Study

Work with partners to

evaluate sites for native

oyster restoration and

implementation of living

shoreline restoration projects

utilizing constructed native

oyster reefs to mitigate

effects of SLR.

Not

started

3 SCC Joel Gerwin NA

Monitoring and

Assessment

State of the State's Wetlands

Report

Develop report on the state of

CA's wetland acreage and

condition.

Not

started

3 TBD

Monitoring and

Assessment

Some regional

reporting occuring

(e.g., SF Bay,

Delta, Susuin

Marsh).

Finalize techninal advisory

Team memo for

recommenation on how to

identify non-wetland waters of

the state

The Technical Advisory Team

that developed the Wetland

definition adotped by the

Water Board also developed

a draft technical memo for

non-wetland waters.

Complete this memo for use

by agencies.

Started,

on hold

2 SWRCB Paul Hann Regulatory

Completed Projects

Last updated:

3/2/2023

Closed Project Name

Project Vision

CWMW Goal

Lead Agency

Key Team Members Year Completed EPA Core Element Notes:

CRAM Module development

and verification: Riverine,

Estuarine, Depressional,

Slope, Vernal Pool, and

Episodic Riverine modules

Update CRAM modules to

version 6.1/6.2

SFEI, Central

Coast

Wetlands

Group, State

Water Board

Sarah Pearce, Kevin

O'Connor, Brendan Reed

Monitoring and

Assessment

CRAM users survey

Evaluate how agencies are

using CRAM in their programs.

EPA Melissa Scianni

2022

Monitoring and

Assessment

Dredge and Fill Procedures

Adoption and Approval

A policy to provide a statewide

water board definition of

wetland waters of the state and

procedures on how discharges

of waste to wetlands and other

waters of the state will be

regulated (including

procedures for 401

certifications).

State Water

Board

Paul Hann

2019 Regulatory

Develop and carry out staff

training for Procedures

implementation

Guidance and training

materials were developed to

support implementation of the

Statewide Dredge or Fill

Procedures. Training

materials can be accessed at

https://bit.ly/3QwGM3Q

State Water

Board

Paul Hann

2020 Regulatory

Develop and update General

Orders for restoration

projects

General 401 certification for

certain restoration orders

(supports the multi-agency

Cutting Green Tape Initiative

State Water

Board

Paul Hann

2022 Regulatory

Update the San Francisco

Estuary Partnership's

Comprehensive

Conservation Management

Plan

The San Francisco Estuary

Blue Print is a collaborative,

consensus-driven five-year

roadmap for the San Francisco

Estuary. The Blueprint

identifies

the top actions needed for: 1)

increased climate resilience; 2)

improved water quality for

animals and people; 3)

healthier habitats and wildlife,

and 4) thriving human

communities. The Blueprint

updates the Comprehensive

Conservation and

Management Plan.

Coastal

Conservancy

Evyan Sloane 2022

Monitoring and

Assessment

Develop an assessment

framework to support

integration of NCCP/HCP

and 401/404 permitting.

Develop a framework based

on WRAMP that can guide

integration of 404/401

permitting for HCP/NCCPs,

including mitigation planning,

evaluation and compliance

monitoring.

State Water

Board, CDFW,

EPA

Paul Jones, Joe Morgan,

Josh Collins, Cliff Harvey

Regulatory, Monitoring &

Assessment

Assessing Sediment

Dynamics and Salt Marsh

Sustainability in Humboldt

Bay

Asses sediment supply,

sediment contaminants, water

quality, and salt marsh

sustainability in Humboldt Bay.

Coastal

Conservancy

Joe Gerwin 2021

Monitoring and

Assessment

Delta Aquatic Resource

Inventory (DARI)

Update CARI in the Delta to

reflect unique ecological

conditions and create SOPs for

updating DARI as needed

3 SSJDC, SFEI

Rachel Wigginton,

Cristina Grosso

2022

Monitoring and

Assessment

Statewide Restoration Genera

General 401 certification for

certain restoration orders

(supports the multi-agency

Cutting Green Tape Initiative

State Water

Board

Paul Hann 2022 Regulatory

Definitions

Project:

Short name for project

Active Tab: List of projects that currently have resources allocated, or are high priority for receiving funds in the next couple of years.

Ongoing Tab: List of projects and activities that have resources allocated but do not have defined start and end dates.

Backlog Tab: List of pending projects on hold or awaiting prioritization.

Completed Tab: List of projects that have been completed or cancelled.

Last Updated: The date this portfolio was last updated.

Project Name: Short name for the project

Vision: Short description of the vision for the project

Status:

General stage of the project

CWMW Goal Put in the number code for the CWMW Goal that this project addresses. Note that the Active and Ongoing tabs are organized by Goal.

Lead Agency

Agency taking lead for directing project

Project Manager (PM)

Person responsible for tracking and reporting to CWMW

Key Team Members

members. Often include Business Analysts, Architects, or any

Start Date:

The date the project started

Projected end date

The date the project is expected to be completed

Last Status Update:

the date is older than one year.

EPA Core Element

Notes:

Any comments on issues, risks, or changes.

CWMW Goals

Goal 1 Support the Goals of the Water Quality Monitoring Council

Goal 2 Develop and maintain tools to monitor, assess, and track data for wetlands and riparian areas throughout California

Goal 3 Work with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local entities to implement consistent monitoring and assessment tools to improve compatibility among wetland programs

Goal 4 Outreach to and coordinate with agencies, programs, and partners that are involved in wetland management, regulation, or funding