Agricultural Lands Discharge Program

Staff of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) are developing an Agricultural Lands Discharge Program (Program) to address water quality impacts associated with irrigated agricultural lands in the North Coast Region (Region). Agricultural lands have the potential to contribute to water quality problems through the over-application of fertilizers and pesticides, human-caused erosion of sediment, pollutants in tailwater return flows, and the removal and suppression of riparian vegetation. The Regional Water Board staff are developing the Program to address these water quality issues and to meet the requirements of the California Water Code , the State Nonpoint Source Policy, and the Klamath River Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).

Email List: Please sign up for the email list under ‘Contact Information’ at the bottom of this page to stay informed as this process moves forward.

Scope of the Program

While the scope of the Program has not been finalized, it will include certain types of agricultural lands in the North Coast Region and address discharges of waste to waters of the State. Staff expect the Program to address, at a minimum, waste discharges from agricultural lands such as row crops, vineyards, orchards, medicinal marijuana farms, nurseries, forage crops, and irrigated pasture. Dairies and dryland grazing are not included in the Program as dairies are being addressed through a separate Regional Water Board program and dryland grazing is likely to be addressed through a statewide effort that is currently under development. Additionally, this effort will be coordinated with existing Regional Water Board programs, such as the TMDL programs in the Scott, Shasta, and Garcia watersheds and grazing on US Forest Service allotments. The following table shows the programs that are being developed to address the different agricultural land uses in the North Coast Region.

Program Framework

The elements listed below provide a basic framework and starting point for developing the Program, and must be included for the Program to comply with state law.

• Implementation of best management practices: Landowners select and implement the appropriate management practices to address identified discharges of waste.  The Program will rely on local technical expertise to identify appropriate practices.
• Implementation Timelines: The implementation of management practices must be done on a schedule.  There is flexibility in scheduling to account for individual circumstances and factors such as threat to water quality, local priorities, cost and availability of grant programs or cost share funds.
• Monitoring: This can be accomplished by tracking the implementation of management practices and monitoring them for effectiveness and/or participating in a group monitoring program where water quality trends related to discharges from agricultural lands are tracked by sampling in representative locations.
• Reporting to the Regional Board: Reporting to the Regional Water Board can be done by the individual, by a group, or through a third party certification program. In addition, the Program will recognize the work that has already been done.
• Enforcement: Program enforcement will be consistent with the State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Enforcement Policy.  This policy directs the Regional Water Board to be fair, firm, and consistent in taking enforcement action while recognizing the unique facts of each case.

Regional Water Board staff intend to develop a program that adapts this framework to the North Coast Region through a stakeholder involvement process that is described below. The Program must be protective of water quality and reasonable to implement. . It is not intended to duplicate efforts or impose redundant requirements. Throughout the development process, staff will consider how existing water quality efforts might fit into the framework and will also coordinate the Program with existing regulations.

Program Development & Stakeholder Involvement

To develop the Program, Regional Water Board staff is conducting a stakeholder involvement process that will support broad participation of affected people and organizations.  The Regional Water Board is committed to working with stakeholders to address concerns, identify opportunities, and uphold State policies and requirements.

In order to do this, the Regional Water Board has formed a Stakeholder Advisory Group made up of representatives of stakeholder interests in the North Coast Region. The purpose of the Advisory Group is to provide input to Regional Water Board staff early in the process of developing the program. The group’s input will be used to develop the Program elements and alternatives prior to the formal public review period that precedes consideration of the Program by the Regional Water Board. The Advisory Group will advise and provide comment on Program elements such as scope, discharge control requirements and practices, monitoring, reporting, and enforcement protocols.  

Regional Water Board staff will hold both large meetings of the full Advisory Group and smaller sub-regional meetings.  The intent is that the sub-regional meetings focus on local issues, while the full Advisory Group meetings provide the opportunity to exchange ideas and ensure consistency regionwide.  The Program will be able to accommodate the diversity of locations, types of agriculture and uses, and risks to water quality present in the North Coast Region, while maintaining procedural consistency to the extent practicable.   The geographic areas of the sub-regional groups are:

• Sonoma, Mendocino, and Marin counties
• Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity counties
• Scott River and Shasta River watersheds, and the Upper Mid-Klamath area, and
• Tule Lake area and Butte Valley

The sub-regional groups will provide recommendations to the full Advisory Group, which will then make recommendations to Regional Water Board staff. The Advisory Group Charter provides more information about the Advisory Group function and is available at the link below.

• Advisory Group Charter

Public Involvement Opportunities

Meetings of the Stakeholder Advisory Group are open to the public, although general public participation will be limited to allow for more extensive dialogue among Advisory Group members. Advisory Group members are expected to represent the interests of their organizations/constituency, and are encouraged to keep their local communities informed of Program developments as well as share public/organizational comments at meetings. A list of current Advisory Group members as well as Regional Board staff contact information are provided by the links below. In addition to attending meetings in person, stakeholders are encouraged to contact members of the Advisory Group that represent their interests to have their input and concerns voiced during the Advisory Group meetings. There is also a link to subscribe to the Program email list at the bottom of this web page.

• Advisory Group Membership List
• Regional Board Staff Contact Information

Stakeholder Advisory Group Links to Meeting Materials

Staff Presentations to the Regional Water Board and Reports

October 4, 2012 Regional Water Board Meeting, Yreka

• Executive Officer’s Summary Report
• Powerpoint Presentation
• Audio

January 19, 2012 Regional Water Board Meeting, Santa Rosa

• Executive Officer’s Summary Report
• Powerpoint Presentation

May 5, 2011 Regional Water Board Meeting, Eureka

• Executive Officer’s Summary Report
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Audio

• March, 2011 Executive Officer’s Report

• January, 2011 Executive Officer’s Report

June 10, 2010 Regional Water Board Meeting, Santa Rosa

• Executive Officer’s Summary Report
• Powerpoint Presentation
• Audio

References

• A separate references page houses references related to the development of the Agricultural Lands Discharge Program.

Comments Received on Draft Scope & Framework

May 2012

• Kari Fisher, CA Farm Bureau Federation, on 5/18/2012
• Harry Harms, Del Norte Landowner, on 05/17/2012
• Devon Jones, Mendocino County Farm Bureau, and other members from Mendocino County on 05/18/2012
• Felice Pace, Klamath Forest Alliance, on 05/12/2012
• Robert Walker, Upper-Mid Klamath Watershed Council, and Ryan Walker, Shasta Valley RCD, on 05/22/2012

July 2012

• Bob and Ryan Walker, Upper Mid-Klamath Watershed Council on 7/20/12
• Devon Jones, Mendocino County Farm Bureau, on 7/20/12
• Greg King, Siskiyou Land Conservancy, on 7/20/12
• Julia Carrera, Third Party Inspector, on 7/20/12
• Kari Fisher, CA Farm Bureau Federation, on 7/20/12
• Margo Parks, CA Cattlemen’s Association, on 7/20/12
• Felice Pace, Klamath Forest Alliance, on 7/30/12

Comments Received on Draft Waiver Conditions and Water Quality Management Plans

October-November 2012

• Erica Terence, Klamath River Keeper, 10/22/12
• Jane Arnold, California Department of Fish and Game
• Email cover with references
• 7/6/12 memo re: DFG comments to State Division of Water Rights
• Comments on Elk River TMDL
• Felice Pace, Klamath Forest Alliance, 10/30/12
• Email cover
• Track changes edits
• Kari Fisher, CA Farm Bureau Federation, 11/7/12
• Margo Parks, CA Cattlemen’s Association, 11/7/12
• Shelley Janek, Mendocino RCD, 11/7/12
• Katherine Ziemer, Humboldt Farm Bureau, 11/7/12
• Joe Dillon, NOAA, 11/15/12
• Track changes edits on Waiver Conditions
• Track changes edits on Water Quality Plans

Contact Information

Interested parties are encouraged to sign up on the email list below to receive information about stakeholder involvement opportunities and updates on progress to develop the program:

Email List: Agricultural Lands Discharge Program Email List Subscription Page

Contact:  If you have questions about the development of the Agriculture Program, please contact Ben Zabinsky of Regional Water Board staff, at (707) 576-6750, or by email at ben.zabinsky@waterboards.ca.gov