San Francisco Bay Delta

Strengthen Estuarine Water Quality Standards


One of EPA's highest priorities in the Bay Delta Estuary Watershed is ensuring water quality standards protect aquatic life beneficial uses. Water quality standards for the Delta are found in the 2006 San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary Water Quality Control Plan Exit (Bay-Delta WQCP). Standards in the Bay-Delta WQCP include flow objectives that require specific amounts of freshwater flow through the Delta and out to the Pacific Ocean to support aquatic life in the Bay Delta Estuary. The Bay-Delta WQCP was last updated in 2006 and the State Board is in the process of reviewing and potentially revising standards in the Bay-Delta WQCP. New and revised water quality standards require EPA approval.

EPA is supporting the State's work to update water quality standards by participating in the State Water Board's update process and providing technical support.

Review of the Bay-Delta WQCP Update

Phase 1

Phase 2

Previous Reviews of the Bay-Delta WQCP


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