Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board ... - CASAP

Central Valley Regional Water
Quality Control Board
Irrigated Lands
Regulatory Program
Joe Karkoski, Central Valley RWQCB

Presentation Outline
What have we found
Irrigated lands program background
Development & status of new
program requirements
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Program Monitoring: Pesticides
High-priority pesticides (surface
water):
Chlorpyrifos (management plans 48 locations)
Diazinon (management plans 9 locations)
Diuron (management plans 12 locations)
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Central Valley Water Board
>40% of
population
utilizing GW for
drinking water
supply
77% CA irrigated
ag
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Nine Regional Water Boards
Implement State and
federal water quality
laws based on region
specific conditions
Regulate discharges
of waste
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Porter-Cologne
Water Quality Control Act
Applies to:
“waters of the state” – any surface
water or groundwater
discharges of waste to waters of the
state
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Irrigated lands
Irrigated lands include commercial
operations, managed wetlands,
nurseries, and greenhouses
Discharges may include surface
return flows, storm runoff, sumps
used to lower the water table
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Current Irrigated Lands Program
2003 Conditional Waiver
Surface water protection program
Coalition groups provide lead role in
interacting with the Water Board
25,000 landowners/farmers currently
enrolled
Five million acres of irrigated land
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Coalition Groups
Eight groups throughout the Central
Valley
Conduct monitoring
Develop water quality management
plans
Coordinate follow-up and information
resources
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Joe Karkoski, Central Valley RWQCB

Current Program:
Individual Operators
Enroll in the program – surface water
discharge
Implement management practices to
protect surface waters
Focus of increased management practices
is in areas with identified water quality
problems
—Watersheds with management plans
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Current Program Enforcement
Ensuring enrollment where there is a
waste discharge to surface water
Addressing site-specific water quality
problems
Sediment discharge
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Future Focus - High Nitrate Levels
Nitrates above the maximum
contaminant level of 10 mg/L NO 3 -N
(nitrate-nitrogen) can impact infants
and pregnant women
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Known Nitrate Sources (Regional)
$ Municipal*, septic*
$ Other
$ Irrigated agriculture
$ Food processors*
$ Dairies*
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Nitrates and Groundwater
Pollution pathways for nitrates and
pesticides are similar
Nitrates/water soluble pesticides leach
through soil to groundwater
Nitrates/pesticides can be in surface
runoff to unprotected/improperly sealed
wells or other conduits to groundwater
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Preliminary Assessment
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Long-term Irrigated
Lands Program - Considerations
Direction provided by Board at April/June
2011 meetings
Major Change: Will now regulate
discharges to groundwater based on
nitrate concerns
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Long-term Irrigated
Lands Program
Groundwater and surface water program
Maintain water quality coalitions
Geographic/commodity based orders
Development of high/low vulnerability
areas
Focus of program requirements and plans
in high vulnerability areas
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Long-term Irrigated
Lands Program-Coalitions
Outreach
Regional monitoring
Surface water
Groundwater (leverage existing wells)
Develop surface and groundwater
management plans
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Long-term Irrigated
Lands Program-individuals
Enroll
Individual nutrient management/
plans/reporting in high vulnerability
areas for “nitrate”
Implement management practices
to protect surface/groundwater
Consistent with regional management
plans
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Long-term Irrigated
Lands Program-individuals
Individual farm evaluations
Sediment and erosion control plans
Review effectiveness of
management practices
Well-head protection/backflow
prevention
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Timeline
7 geographically-based general
orders; 1 commodity order (rice)
2012: Rice Order, East San Joaquin
Coalition
2013: remaining coalition orders
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Order Development Process
Drafting (internal)
Interested party/public review
(public review and comment)
Comment response
Board consideration
Order takes effect upon Board
adoption
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Working with County
Ag Commissioners
Help get the word out to growers
Message - practices to keep pesticides
from ground and surface water address
other pollutants (and vice versa)
Working together (Ag Commissioners/
Water Board) benefits growers
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Questions
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Contact Information
Joe Karkoski
jkarkoski@waterboards.ca.gov
916-464-4668
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