RESOURCES

Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Non-industrial Timber Management Plans (NTMPs)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
Proposed Revisions to Categorical Waivers of Waste Discharge Requirements
for Non-Industrial Timber Management Plans

Landowners with a Non-Industrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) can harvest a portion of their land each year pursuant to the Forest Practice Rules. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is the lead agency overseeing timber harvesting in the State.

The California Water Quality Control Board - North Coast Region (Regional Water Board) has two roles in the review of timber harvest plans and NTMPs:

The Regional Water Board issues permits, referred to as Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) and Waivers of WDRs (Waiver), which establish conditions or requirements to control discharges of waste to waters of the State. Discharges associated with timber harvesting activities typically include sediment from erosion and/or increased water temperature from loss of riparian canopy.
As a member of the ‘CAL FIRE Review Team’ the Regional Water Board provides comments on the adequacy of proposed Timber Harvesting Plans (THP) and NTMPs.

NTMPs within the North Coast Region are typically permitted under a Waiver of WDRs adopted in June 4, 2009 (R1-2009-0038). The 2009 Waiver updated enrollment conditions and requirements for new NTMPs and for those that were enrolled under previous Waivers adopted in 2004 (R1-2004-0016) and 2003 (R1-2003-0116).

In response to three petitions asking the State Water Board to review the 2009 Waiver, the Regional Water Board adopted a limited term amendment (R1-2011-0038) to temporarily suspend some of the Waiver conditions for NTMPs through January 2012. During this period, the Regional Water Board staff, in collaboration with CAL FIRE, will evaluate the application of revised Forest Practice Rules to older NTMPs and the adequacy of the Forest Practice Rules to protect water quality. The Regional Water Board staff will conduct three investigations for this evaluation:

A file review to evaluate how older NTMPs are updated in accordance with revised Forest Practice Rules.
A gap analysis to identify sections of the Forest Practice Rules that are inadequate to protect water quality.
Field surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of NTMPs in preventing erosion from roads and to help determine if Erosion Control Plans or Road Plans are necessary for NTMPs to meet water quality standards.

The Regional Water Board staff will be conducting these investigations over the summer and fall of 2011. Regional Water Board staff anticipates having reports of these investigations completed in November 2011, so the Regional Water Board will have the opportunity to make revisions to the waiver in January 2012.

For more information about the study and to sign up on our interested parties list to receive updates via email please select the following link:

Lyris subscription list - Waiver of WDR for Timber Harvesting on Non-Federal Lands

Supporting Documents:

(Updated May 1, 2012)