East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition Parry Klassen Executive Director Merced River
Dec 24, 2015
In operation since 2003
2,297 Landowner / operators
540,782 irrigated acres• Madera, Merced, Stanislaus,
Tuolumne, Mariposa counties
We manage group permit for our members
Coalition Overview
Board of Directors
Board Officers
Parry Klassen, Board Chairman Coalition for Urban Rural Executive Director Environmental Stewardship; fruit grower
Wayne Zipser, Vice-Chairman Stanislaus Co. Farm Bureau Bill McKinney, Treasurer almond grower
Board Members Amanda Carvajal Merced Co. Farm Bureau John Eisenhut Hilltop Ranch, almond grower Brian Franzia West Coast Vineyards Richard Gemperle Gemperle Enterprises, almond grower Anja K. Raudabaugh Madera Co. Farm Bureau Alan Reynolds Gallo Vineyards, Inc. Albert Rossini Rossini Ag, grape grower Jim Wagner Wilbur Ellis Co. Mike Neimi Turlock Irrigation District
Non-voting Gary Caseri Stanislaus County Agricultural Commissioner David Robinson Merced County Agricultural Commissioner Bob Rolan Madera County Agricultural Commissioner Dianna Waller Natural Resources Conservation Service Dennis Wescot San Joaquin River Group Authority
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Approach for new ILRPApproach for new ILRP
Maintain water quality coalitionsMaintain water quality coalitions
• Geographic/commodity based ordersGeographic/commodity based orders
Develop high/low vulnerability areasDevelop high/low vulnerability areas
Focus requirements and plans on Focus requirements and plans on High Vulnerability High Vulnerability areasareas
Focus on management practice implementation and reporting Focus on management practice implementation and reporting
Limited monitoring (compared to other programs)Limited monitoring (compared to other programs)
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Known Nitrate Sources (Regional)Known Nitrate Sources (Regional)
Figure 1. Estimated groundwater nitrate loading from major sources within the Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley, in Gg nitrogen per year (1 Gg = 1,100 t). http://groundwaternitrate.ucdavis.edu/files/139110.pdf ; Viers, J.H., et al (2012). Nitrogen Sources and Loading to Groundwater
Nitrates and GroundwaterNitrates and Groundwater
Pollution pathways for nitrates and pesticides are similarPollution pathways for nitrates and pesticides are similar
Nitrates/water soluble pesticides leach through soil to Nitrates/water soluble pesticides leach through soil to groundwatergroundwater
Pathway for nitrates/pesticides Pathway for nitrates/pesticides • Surface runoff Surface runoff • Unprotected / improperly sealed wells Unprotected / improperly sealed wells • Over application of nitrogen fertilizerOver application of nitrogen fertilizer• Other conduits to groundwater (e.g., backflow)Other conduits to groundwater (e.g., backflow)
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Member RequirementsMember Requirements
Coalition EnrollmentCoalition Enrollment
Existing membersExisting membersCurrent members confirm membershipCurrent members confirm membership
Must notify owners if tenantMust notify owners if tenant
New membersNew members120-day window to enroll with third-party (starts 120-day window to enroll with third-party (starts ~Nov. 15, 2012)~Nov. 15, 2012)After deadline, must apply to Regional Board, pay After deadline, must apply to Regional Board, pay fee, before joining coalitionfee, before joining coalition
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Member RequirementsMember Requirements
Management PracticesManagement Practices
Implement management practicesImplement management practicesPractices found protective through Practices found protective through
representative groundwater monitoring representative groundwater monitoring programprogram
Respond to management plansRespond to management plans
Meet discharge limitations Meet discharge limitations
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Member Requirements Member Requirements
Activities and ReportsActivities and Reports
Why the Reporting Requirements?Why the Reporting Requirements?
The Water Board needs information to determine The Water Board needs information to determine compliance - compliance - Is water quality being protected? Is water quality being protected?
Traditional reliance primarily on monitoring is EXPENSIVETraditional reliance primarily on monitoring is EXPENSIVE
Reporting on what you are doing to protect water quality will Reporting on what you are doing to protect water quality will be much CHEAPERbe much CHEAPER
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Member Requirements Member Requirements
Activities and ReportsActivities and Reports
Participate in annual outreach eventsParticipate in annual outreach events
Complete farm evaluation, other reporting as neededComplete farm evaluation, other reporting as needed Describe water quality protection practices in placeDescribe water quality protection practices in place Site specific informationSite specific information
Allow property access to Regional Board at Allow property access to Regional Board at reasonable hours - FOR COMPLIANCE INSPECTION reasonable hours - FOR COMPLIANCE INSPECTION PURPOSES ONLY!PURPOSES ONLY! Focus on bad actors and complaintsFocus on bad actors and complaints
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Member Requirements under ConsiderationMember Requirements under Consideration
Highly Vulnerable AreasHighly Vulnerable Areas
Information reported to coalitionInformation reported to coalition
Individual farm evaluationsIndividual farm evaluations
Nitrogen Budget reports - certificationNitrogen Budget reports - certification
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Member Requirements under ConsiderationMember Requirements under Consideration
Low Low Vulnerability AreasVulnerability Areas
Information kept on farm:Information kept on farm:Individual farm evaluationsIndividual farm evaluationsNitrogen budget reportsNitrogen budget reports
Must be produced for Water Board inspectionsMust be produced for Water Board inspections
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WDR Development ScheduleWDR Development Schedule
General WDR Public review
Board hearing
East San Joaquin River June 2012 October 2012
General Order for Individuals
June 2012 December 2012
Tulare Lake Basin October 2012 February 2013
Sacramento Valley Rice November 2012
March 2013
Grasslands Bypass January 2013 June 2013
Sacramento River Watershed
February 2013
June 2013
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WDR Development ScheduleWDR Development Schedule
General WDR Public review
Board hearing
Westlands Water District
April 2013 August 2013
West-side San Joaquin River
June 2013 October 2013
San Joaquin County and Delta
June 2013 October 2013
Waste Discharge Requirements Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
ESJWQC Approach
• Classification of vulnerable areas
• Well head protection program
• Nitrogen management plans
Waste Discharge RequirementsIrrigated Lands Regulatory Program
Assessment Report (due January 2014)
• Rank land vulnerability based on Assessment Report
• High Vulnerability
Areas ID’d using DPR pesticide groundwater protection areas, State
Water Board vulnerable areas
•2014: Farm assessment requirement starts
•2014: Nitrogen budget requirement starts
•2014 Well head protection
• Low Vulnerability
•Keep farm assessment/nitrogen budgets on farm
Wellhead Protection BMPs
Wellhead house keeping• Prevent ponding for extended periods
• Waste can enter if wellhead/casing is cracked or improperly sealed
• Grade away from wellhead to prevent storm runoff ponding
Open discharge well• Air gap between well discharge and
receiving device
Pressurized systems: Back flow preventers• In case of power failures and/or pump
malfunction • Back siphoning can directly
contaminate groundwater
Abandoned wells• Develop plan to manage
Nitrogen Management Plan Components
Apply N at crop removal rates• Dairies regulated to 140% of crop use (N applications)
Test well water for nitrogen levels (then adjust N applications accordingly)
Leaf / tissue testing Soil testing
Irrigation management
Proposed reporting of nitrogen budget sheet information:
Submit form to Coalition
Coalition compiles ratios; separates into crops, “reporting areas”
“Reporting area” depends on aquifer, basin, sub basins, soil types etc.
Potentially applying too much N (outliers)
1.0
2.3
3.7
5.0
Almonds Corn Tomatoes
Reported Nitrogen Ratios
Crop
Ra
tio
Most growers (UC recommended rates)
What the area report should show:
Where most growers are with nitrogen ratios
The “Outliners:” those who apply too much or too little
Focus of outreach with commodity specific information/references
Waste Discharge RequirementsIrrigated Lands Regulatory Program
Representative Monitoring
Confirm that management practices implemented to improve groundwater quality are working
Are agricultural management practices protective of groundwater in high vulnerability areas
Assess effectiveness of any newly implemented management practices.
Coalition to rank/prioritize high vulnerability areas and commodities and present phased approach
Coordinated effort by coalitions/commodity groups to complete
Waste Discharge RequirementsIrrigated Lands Regulatory Program
Regional Water Board process
Next steps• Public review of draft WDR
• Comment deadline July 31, 2012
• October 4, 2012 Regional Water Board ILRP meeting• Approve or delay?
• After passage, ESJ has 30 days to apply to be Third Party
• 120 day “holiday” to join coalition directly • Holiday ends February 1, 2013 (approximate)