Less than ten years later, El Niño storms in April 1998 caused Williams Creek to change course due to debris blockage. Williams Creek had been the major tributary of the Salt River near the treatment plant, so diversion lowered the volume of water available and caused the dilution ratios at the plant to exceed permitted levels. Record stormwater flows also damaged the plant and the city applied for assistance under the FEMA-1203-DR-CA El Niño storm Presidential disaster declaration. On 15 May 2003, the Regional Water Board (RWB) placed a Cease and Desist order on Ferndale due to discharges of treated wastewater which exceeded 1 percent of the flow of Francis Creek / Salt River stream system. The city paid a $48,000 penalty to the RWB and agreed to complete an environmental project instead of paying $78,000 more in penalties to the RWB and began replacing the old plant in 2009.