East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition

Parry KlassenExecutive Director

Merced River

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

1984-2004

2005-2010

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

Madera County Vulnerable Madera County Vulnerable AreasAreas

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.

Field Reporting Map Completed by Field Reporting Map Completed by GrowerGrower

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)

Parry Klassen

559-288-8125

www.esjcoalition.org