Topics of Interest

• Watershed Issues
• Non-point Source Pollution
• Best Management Practices
• Permits Regulations & Procedures

• Surf Your Watershed
  A Service of the U.S. EPA to help locate, use and share environmental information about your place.

• EPA, Watershed Approach:

• EPA - TMDL Program - California:

• RCD Watershed Information Sharing Project
  (RCD-WISP)
  Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs), once known as Soil Conservation Districts, are “special districts” of the state of California, set up under California law to be locally governed agencies with their own locally appointed, independent boards of directors. Although RCDs are established locally by the rules of a county's Local Agency Formation Committee (LAFCO), and they often have close ties to county government, they are not county government entities.

• Watershed Management Information (SWRCB):
  Provides information from the State Water Resources Control Board's activities including the California Unified Watershed Assessment, the Watershed Management Initiative, and index map of California watershed boundaries.

• Santa Cruz County Riparian Corridor Ordinance
  An informational brochure for Santa Cruz County residents on defining, protecting and determining boundaries of Riparian Corridors for permits and exemptions.

• Santa Cruz County Sensitive Habitat Protection Ordinance
  An informational brochure for Santa Cruz County residents on defining and understanding the ordinance protecting Sensitive Habitat Areas.

Non-Point Source Pollution Issues:

• Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program:
  The EPA's Non-point Source Pollution Control Program home page with information, links and activities related to NPS.

• Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program - What is NPS? Q & A:
  A page devoted to the Frequently Asked Questions regarding Nonpoint Source Pollution.

• California's Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) Control Program:
  The State Water Resources Control Board's NPS home page.

Best Management Practices (BMPs):

• Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program - What You Can Do:
  Provides several documents which describe different ways you can prevent nonpoint pollution in your home and community from the EPA's Office of Water.

• Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project - Stop Bay Pollution:
  Tells you how to prevent ocean pollution from "stormwater" or "urban runoff." Rain, industrial and household water mixed with urban pollutants creates stormwater pollution. The pollutants include: oil and other automotive fluids, paint and construction debris, yard and pet wastes, pesticides and litter.

• Restaurants and Food Preparation BMPs:
  Provides information for restaurant owners on Best Management Practices. Prepared by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project.

Permits, Regulations, and Procedures:

• California Environmental Quality Act CEQA
  The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires state and local agencies to conduct environmental reviews to consider the consequences of environmental action such as development proposals, and avoid or mitigate negative effect where feasible. This site is a new interactive, step by step road map to help the public through this complex act