Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance
The Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance recognizes the importance of strong tribal water quality programs and the EPA-tribal government to government relationship that supports Tribes in implementing those programs. This guidance reflects advances in tribal water quality programs over the last 15 years and provides Tribes with more accurate, comprehensive, and up to date information to support tribal water quality programs.
The Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance recommends all tribal water quality programs develop and establish competency in a set of activities that are common across all Section 106 tribal programs. Conducting these activities is necessary to manage a water quality program before considering expanding into other Section 106-funded activities or seeking other CWA authorities. A foundational Section 106 tribal program effectively conducts activities in three areas:
- Program initiation, planning, and administration.
- Water quality monitoring and data management, assessment, and analysis.
- Grant and programmatic reporting.
The scale and complexity of these activities will vary across tribal programs depending on a variety of factors, such as the Tribe’s goals and priorities, extent of water resources, interest in pursuing other CWA activities, potential threats to water resources, and availability of funding to carry out the program.
| Document | Full Color Version | Print Friendly Version |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance (Chapters 1 – 9 without appendices) | Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance (pdf) | Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance - Printer Friendly (pdf) |
| Chapter 1: Introduction | Chapter 1 (pdf) | Chapter 1 (pdf) |
| Chapter 2: Overview of the Clean Water Act | Chapter 2 (pdf) | Chapter 2 (pdf) |
| Chapter 3: Grant Requirements | Chapter 3 (pdf) | Chapter 3 (pdf) |
| Chapter 4: Program Development | Chapter 4 (pdf) | Chapter 4 (pdf) |
| Indigenous Knowledge | Indigenous Knowledge (pdf) | Indigenous Knowledge (pdf) |
| Chapter 5: Development and Implementation of a Monitoring Program | Chapter 5 (pdf) | Chapter 5 (pdf) |
| Chapter 6: Programmatic Reporting Requirements | Chapter 6 (pdf) | Chapter 6 (pdf) |
| Chapter 7: Program Expansion – Additional Activities | Chapter 7 (pdf) | Chapter 7 (pdf) |
| Chapter 8: Program Expansion – Regulatory Activities | Chapter 8 (pdf) | Chapter 8 (pdf) |
| Chapter 9: Other Funding Options | Chapter 9 (pdf) | Chapter 9 (pdf) |
| Appendix A: Accessing the Section 106 and PPG Grant Applications | Appendix A (pdf) | Appendix A (pdf) |
| Appendix B: Work Plan Template | Appendix B (pdf) | Appendix B (pdf) |
| Appendix C: Sample Justification for WQX | Appendix C (pdf) | Appendix C (pdf) |
| Appendix D: Key Terms | Appendix D (pdf) | Appendix D (pdf) |
| Appendix E: Commonly Used Acronyms | Appendix E (pdf) | Appendix E (pdf) |
| Appendix F: References | Appendix F (pdf) | Appendix F (pdf) |
The Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance recommends tribal programs refer to the following documents when developing and implementing their water quality programs:
- Listening to Watersheds (original) (pdf) (Original)
- Listening to Watersheds (pdf) (Section 508 Accessible)
- Developing a Tribal Water Quality Program Monitoring Strategy (pdf)
- Tribal Data Management for WQX Submission (pdf)
Historical Reference
- Learn about the revision process for the Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance
- Contact Us to request a copy of the superseded 2007 Final Guidance on Awards of Grants to Indian Tribes under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act and the superseded 2008 Supplemental Guidances.