California Water Code: Waters of California (2023) | Transect

California WetlandsCalifornia wetlands are defined and regulated by the California State Water Board. The state-level further defines wetlands in addition to the definition provided in the Clean Water Act's description of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The state-level provides additional wetlands definitions to accommodate the ambiguous and constantly changing federal definition.California Wetlands DefinitionCalifornia wetlands are defined as "An area is wetland if, under normal circumstances, (1) the area has continuous or recurrent saturation of the upper substrate caused by groundwater, or shallow surface water, or both; (2) the duration of such saturation is sufficient to cause anaerobic conditions in the upper substrate; and (3) the area's vegetation is dominated by hydrophytes or the area lacks vegetation."Protection for WetlandsState protections did not adopt California wetlands until 2019. Until this point, their protection was dependent upon the interpretation of the Wat...