Overview of Salt and Nutrient Management Plan

Recycled Water Policy Requirement

Overview of Presentation

• Background of Recycled Water Policy & Salt/Nutrient Plan Requirements (SN Plan)

• Adoption Schedule• Contents of SN Plan• Other Requirements• Prioritization of GW Basins• Regional Strategy/Approach• “Pre-adoption” understanding with Lahontan

Regional Board

Background of Requirement for Salt/Nutrient Plans

• State Water Board adopted the statewide Recycled Water Policy

• Goal is to increase the use of recycled water while protecting water quality

• Involvement by stakeholder groups to prepare SN Plans for each groundwater basin/sub-basin in the state

• Collaborative processes open to all stakeholders; Lahontan to work with IRWM groups

Adoption Schedule for SN Plans

• June 2012 Compile existing basin data, ID salt/nutrient sources, collect additional data

• December 2013 Completed draft SN plan, CEQA, anti-degradation analyses

• June 2014 Submittal of final SN plans to the Regional Board

• June 2015 Regional Boards adopt SN plans as Basin Plan amendments

• Time extensions of up to 2 years if demonstrating good progress

Potential Contents of SN Plan(required elements underlined)

• Background (Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities)

• Groundwater Basin Characteristics (Basin Water Quality; Groundwater quality)

• Basin Evaluations (SN balance including source ID, loading estimates, assimilative capacity, fate and transport; CECs)

• Salt and Nutrient Management Strategies

• Basin Management Plan Elements (Recycled Water and stormwater use/recharge goals and objectives; Basin Monitoring Program –ID who is responsible, WQ parameters, sampling frequency, Basin water and groundwater quality monitoring including areas of connectivity, large recycled water projects, recharge areas)

• CEQA Analysis

• Antidegradation Analysis

• Plan Implementation (SN management programs; stakeholder responsibilities; implementation measures to manage SN loading)

Other Requirements

• Participation by Regional Board staff• CEQA• Antidegradation analysis• Basin Plan amendment (i.e. regulatory

action) – consider what is in the Basin Plan already for groundwater

Each SN Plan Dependent on Site-Specific Factors

• Size• Complexity of basin• Source water quality• Storm water recharge• Hydrogeology• Aquifer water quality• Watershed scale activities and stressors

Prioritization of GW Basins

• Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA)

• 14 in Lahontan Basin• North Lahontan – Tahoe North/South/West;

Martis/Truckee; Honey Lake• South Lahontan – Owens, Indian Wells,

Tehachapi, Antelope, Lower/Middle/Upper Mojave

Regional Strategy/Approach under Development

• Work with IRWM groups to address priority groundwater basins on watershed scale for activities & stressors

• SN might be an issue now or in the future• Areas with recycling• DWR’s Bulletin 118 groundwater basins• MUN designation• Surface water quality• Human activity/land uses

“Pre-adoption” understanding with Regional Board

• Agreement on SN plan content prior to its completion (e.g., presentation of workplan, outline at Board meeting or workshop)

• Focus Regional Board review and outcome & not on scope of effort

Questions?

Cindy Wise; Lahontan Water Board

530/542-5408

cwise@waterboards.ca.gov