Utah Wetlands: What you need to know

Wetlands definition: Utah Administrative Rules (R) 317-8-1(58)

Water quality certification: R317-15-1 to 317-15-8

Stream alterations: R655-13-1 to 655-13-7

Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Quality

Utah State Water Quality Board

Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Water Rights

DNR Division of Wildlife Resources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Sacramento District Office Los Angeles District Office

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. Utah's wetlands regulations generally mirror the federal rules. There are state rules regarding stream alteration that affect riparian wetlands. Wetlands in Utah are currently regulated under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) regulations implementing Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

• Administration and enforcement. DEQ's Division of Water Quality and the Utah State Water Quality Board regulate wetlands as waters of the state under Utah's water quality standards, and have the authority to approve, deny, or waive water quality certification under Section 401 of the CWA. The Corps and EPA administer and enforce the federal dredge and fill permits in Utah. The DNR, along with the Corps, oversees the Stream Alteration Program in the state.

WETLANDS DEFINITION

R317-8-1(58)

The state defines "wetlands" as those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under ...