Agricultural Regulatory Program

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Agricultural Regulatory Program Overview

The Agricultural Regulatory Program regulates discharges from irrigated agricultural lands. The purpose of the program is to prevent agricultural discharges from impairing the waters that receive the discharges. To protect surface water and groundwater, the Water Board issued a general conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements that applies to growers who discharge runoff from irrigated agricultural lands. To comply with the conditions of the waiver growers must prevent discharges, and protect and restore water quality through the effective implementation of appropriate management measures, monitor water quality and implement corrective actions when impairments are found. Growers enroll individually in the general conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements and comply with the conditions. The Central Coast Water Board is utilizing a coordinated watershed approach to implement the Agricultural Regulatory Program. This approach was discussed in detail at the June 2009 Board Meeting and emphasizes priority water quality issues, such as toxicity, nutrients, and sediments. Initial efforts focus in priority watersheds- the Salinas River, Santa Maria, and Pajaro River watersheds. Addressing priority agricultural water quality issues, on a watershed basis, using a focused and systematic approach, maximizes our effectiveness toward tangible improvements in water quality and sustainable agricultural land management. In addition, staff will assess and track progress at the watershed scale, using specific, tangible operational measures, and adapt to the feedback the tracking provides.

• Agricultural Regulatory Program Operational Measures
• Agricultural Regulatory Program Contacts
• State Water Board's Agriculture - Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Website

Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands

The Central Coast Water Board extended the existing Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands (Irrigated Ag Order R3-2009-0050) on July 10, 2009, to ensure that farming operations are protecting and restoring water quality through the effective implementation of appropriate management measures. By law, all waivers must be reviewed, and renewed, revised, or replaced at least every five years. Central Coast Water Board staff will bring a new draft Irrigated Ag Order to the Board by July 2010.

• Order No. R3-2009-0050
• MRP No. R3-2004-0117
  
  02/01/2010 - Preliminary Draft Staff Recommendations for an Updated Agricultural Order:
  

  At the December 10, 2009, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting in San Luis Obispo, the Water Board directed staff to distribute a preliminary report and preliminary draft order for the regulation of discharges from irrigated lands on February 1, 2010, and requested interested parties send comments by April 1, 2010. The Water Board will hold a public workshop on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 in San Luis Obispo,  to discuss the preliminary draft staff recommendations, comments on these recommendations, and other alternatives presented by any interested persons.  

  Below are links to the documents and supporting attachments.

  1. Press Release
  2. Transmittal Memo
  3. The Preliminary Draft Report, Draft Staff Recommendations for an Agricultural Order
     
     • 1. Preliminary Draft Report on Water Quality Conditions
     • 2. Draft Summary Table of Changes Related to Existing Conditional Waiver
     • 3. Preliminary Draft Agricultural Order
     • 4. Draft Surface Water and Riparian Monitoring Sampling Parameters
     • 5. Preliminary Draft Initial Study and Environmental Checklist
     • 6. List of References Consulted and/or Cited for Preliminary Draft Agricultural Order

Additional primary and supporting documents will be posted on this page as developed. Posting of each document will be publicly noticed.

Agricultural Regulatory Program Enforcement

Administrative Civil Liabilities:

• The Central Coast Water Board Issues $7,455 Administrative Civil Liability to Pacifico Azul, Inc
• The Central Coast Water Board Issues Four Administrative Civil Liabilities $3000 - $14,000 (2/10/2009)

Notice of Violation:

• Coming Soon

Water Code Section 13267:

• Coming Soon

Agricultural Regulatory Program Updates to the Central Coast Water Board

• Staff Report-December 2009 Board Meeting
• Staff Report-October 2009 Board Meeting
• Staff Report-July 2009 Board Meeting
• Staff Report-June 2009 Board Meeting

Water Quality Monitoring Data

• Irrigated Agriculture Program Cooperative Monitoring Fact Sheets
• Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc (CCWQP) manages the Cooperative Monitoring Program (CMP) on behalf of irrigated agriculture throughout the Central Coast. The CCWQP Executive Director is Kirk Schmidt, at (831) 750-5449, and the Technical Program Manager is Sarah Greene, at (831) 761-7618644.
  
• Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program (CCAMP): Monitoring Program
  

Agriculture Program Enrollment

• Please contact Regional Board Staff for your watershed regarding enrollment

Agriculture Program Education and Outreach

To schedule a presentation on Ag Regulatory Program requirements for an industry meeting, please email Corinne Huckaby or telephone (805) 549-3504.

To apply for Educational Credits for a class or workshop that you are sponsoring, please email Corinne or phone (805) 549-3504. Please include an agenda along with the completed request form via fax (805) 788-3536 or email Corinne. Once your credits have been approved, you will be notified and your course will be placed on the list of Approved Educational Credits to Satisfy Agriculture Regulatory Program Requirements.

Technical Assistance Providers

Several organizations such as the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service), RCDs (Resource Conservation Districts), UCCE (UC Cooperative Extension), Farm Bureaus, and other nonprofit organizations are available to provide technical assistance to growers regarding management practices implementation and guidance through enrollment   and other Ag Program requirements.

Water Quality Resources Directories by County

Related Links

• Food Safety

Last Update: February 1, 2010.