SEPA checklist guidance, Section B: Water

3. Water

In Part B of the SEPA environmental checklist, applicants are required to address whether surface waters or underground sources of water — often called groundwater — could be adversely impacted by a proposal.

While SEPA rules do not break the checklist addressing water into surface water and groundwater, the potential impacts can differ.

For surface waters, proponents should describe and name any onsite or nearby streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands, lakes, and marine waters — and how these water bodies will be protected from runoff, contamination, and stream flow diversions.

For groundwater, applicants need to address how they will identify and protect sole source aquifers, drinking water wells, and septic and waste discharges.