California Water Quality Monitoring Council (CA Senate Bill 1070)

Background

In November 2007, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Secretaries of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the California Natural Resources Agency to establish the California Water Quality Monitoring Council (Monitoring Council). The MOU was mandated by CA Senate Bill 1070 (Kehoe, 2006) and requires the boards, departments and offices within the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the California Natural Resources Agency to integrate and coordinate their water quality and related ecosystem monitoring, assessment, and reporting.

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 efforts 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.

Monitoring Council Governance - Amended on 5/6/21

On July 1, 2020 the Monitoring Council approved a Strategic Plan to help visualize and describe the overall vision and mission of the Monitoring Council and its Workgroups. Along with a Strategic Plan Summary the Monitoring Council also put together a Strategy Map and Community Map to utilize as common communication tools.

The Monitoring Council also approved a New Logo.

On December 22, 2020 the Secretaries of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) signed a new MOU supporting the formation and work of the California Water Quality Monitoring Council. This new MOU replaces the original MOU signed in 2007 and recognizes the continued need for collaboration and coordination across the two agencies and the sectors contributing to collection and use of water quality and ecosystem health data.

Membership

The Membership of the Monitoring Council is intended to represent a variety of water quality related interests. Monitoring Council members are selected by the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). The Monitoring Council has allowed each Member to designate an Alternate who can participate on those occasions when the Member is unable to participate in person. For more information about the current Council Members please click on their name below or navigate to our Member Page.

California Environmental Protection Agency (Chair)
- Phil Crader, Deputy Director
  Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board
- Alternate: Greg Gearheart, Deputy Director
  Office of Information Management and Analysis
  State Water Resources Control Board
California Natural Resources Agency (Chair)
- Jenn Eckerle, Executive Director
  Ocean Protection Council
- Alternate: Kaitlyn Kalua, Deputy Director
  Ocean Protection Council
California Drinking Water Program
- Andrew Altevogt, Assistant Deputy Director
  Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board
- Alternate: Christine Sotelo, Manager
  California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program
Public Health
- Anthony Chu, Division Chief
  Division of Radiation Safety & Environmental Management
- Alternate: David Mazzera, Manager
  Division of Food and Drug Safety, California Department of Public Health
Regulated Community - Publicly Owned Treatment Works
- Lorien Fono, Executive Director
  Bay Area Clean Water Agencies
- Alternate: Sam Choi, Manager
  Environmental Laboratory and Ocean Monitoring Division, O.C. Sanitation District
Regulated Community - Storm Water
- Grant Sharp, Manager
  Southern OC Watershed Management Area
  Orange County Public Works
- Alternate: Brian Laurenson, Executive Vice President
  Larry Walker Associates
Agriculture
- Mark Cady, Supervisor
  California Department of Food and Agriculture
- Alternate: Vacant
Community Monitoring Groups
- Helen Fitanides
  The Sierra Streams Institute
- Alternate: Mary Anne Viney,
  Friends of Buena Vista Reservoir
Public
- Ray Hiemstra, Associate Director
  Orange County Coastkeeper
- Alternate: Fred Briones, Tribal Member
  Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians

Scientific Community - Non-Academic
- Steve Weisberg, Executive Director
  Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
- Alternate: Ken Schiff, Deputy Director
  Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
Scientific Community - Academic
- Krista Kamer, Director
  California State University COAST
- Alternate: Steve Blumenshine, Executive Director
  California State University - WATER
Water Supply
- Peter Vroom, Deputy Director
  City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department
- Alternate: Adam Quinonez, ACWA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Liaison (non-voting)
- Eric Dubinsky
  U.S. EPA Region 9

Meetings

Meetings of the Monitoring Council are open to the public. There are four meetings held during the year. At the moment, three are held in Sacramento, CA and one in Costa Mesa, CA. Actions of the Monitoring Council are advisory to CalEPA and the National Resources Agency. Please visit our Meetings web page for details.

Receive updates by email regarding activities of California Water Quality Monitoring Council. Subscribe online to the "SB 1070 - Water Quality Monitoring Council" email list under General Interests and Monitoring Council Workgroups & My Water Quality Portals.

Products

Please visit our Products webpage for details.

Workgroups

More Information

For additional information on the California Water Quality Monitoring Council, please contact Director, Nick Martorano

Email: mywaterquality@waterboards.ca.gov

Join the Water Quality Monitoring Council
Email List