Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Kaweah Basin Area Grower Membership Enrollment Workshop Enrollment Workshop Visalia Elks Lodge July 10, 2014 Donald Ikemiya Donald Ikemiya www.kaweahbasin.org

Who is the Water Board? California Regional Water Quality Control Board • State of California State of California Agency • Central Valley Region 5 • Central Valley Region 5 meetings held in Rancho Cordova Rancho Cordova • Fresno Office

Who is the Kaweah Basin WQA? • Not a part of the State or Water Board • Non ‐ Profit mutual benefit corporation • Approved to represent growers as a Third Party Group (Coalition) on February 7, 2014 • Nine member volunteer board of directors (local farmers) • Like a grower co ‐ op Like a grower co op • Petition (lawsuit) against the Water Board

Why Do I Have to Do This? State of California Regulations • 1969 State Legislature enacted the Porter ‐ 1969 S L i l d h Cologne Water Quality Control Act • Water quality problems found in waterways and in groundwater (pesticides, fertilizers, salts, pathogens, and sediment) • 2003 ‐ Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program g g y g (ILRP) to protect surface waters • Sept 2013 ‐ General Order Permit replaced the Sept. 2013 General Order Permit replaced the waiver and added groundwater

Region 5 – Central Valley Water Board Water Board Region 5 Water Board Farm Statistics: • ~ 7 million irrigated acres g • ~ 35,000 growers

Adopted General Orders p 1 Eastern San Joaquin Watershed 1. Eastern San Joaquin Watershed 2. Tulare Lake Basin Area (Kaweah) 3 3. Western San Joaquin River Watershed S i i h d 4. Western Tulare Lake Basin Area (Westlands) 5. Rice Growers within the Sacramento Valley 6 San Joaquin County and Delta Area 6. San Joaquin County and Delta Area 7. Sacramento River Watershed

Tulare Lake Basin General Order Water Board Statistics: Kings River Kings River • ~ 2.89 million irrigated acres • ~ 10,700 growers Kaweah Basin • ~ 350,000 acres Dairy G.O. • ~10,600 linear miles of Tule Basin Tule Basin surface water courses Westside (Kern) Cawelo Cawelo Buena Vista Kern River Kern River

Kaweah Boundaries KBWQA S Statistics: i i • ~200,000 irrigated acres irrigated acres • ~1,300+ growers • 125,000 acres signed up i d • 800 growers signed up g p

Growers Who Must Comply • Irrigated lands – Nurseries, and privately and publicly ‐ managed Nurseries and privately and publicly managed wetlands – Any type of irrigation system Any type of irrigation system – Any type of water supply (district or well) – Any size farm Any size farm • Producing crops or pasture for commercial purposes – Includes commercial crops that are not yet p y marketable (i.e. vineyards and tree crops)

ILRP Exempt p • Does not apply to non ‐ irrigated rangelands or Does not apply to non irrigated rangelands or other non ‐ irrigated lands (i.e. fallow fields, dry land farming) land farming) • Does not apply to lands covered by other • Does not apply to lands covered by other General Orders, such as dairies or individual discharge permits (e g food processors) discharge permits (e.g. food processors)

Enrollment Notification • June 30, 2014 – The Water Board sent out a Final Notice letter to all landowners with assumed irrigated parcels not yet enrolled in the KBWQA • Landowners may have received multiple Landowners may have received multiple letters • They included the KBWQA membership sign ‐ • They included the KBWQA membership sign ‐ up forms

Enrollment Notification

What Are My Options? y p Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 KBWQA Individual Do Nothing Membership Water Board Water Board (559) 488-4396 Will Contact You Option 1 - KBWQA Membership Deadline August 6, 2014

Option 1 Who Can Join the Kaweah? Who Can Join the Kaweah? • Any landowner or operator with parcels Any landowner or operator with parcels within the boundaries of the Kaweah Basin WQA can join and enroll parcels WQA can join and enroll parcels • Important that all irrigated acres be covered • Either the landowner of the operator must Ei h h l d f h enroll the irrigated parcels, but not both

Option 1 Who Can be the Member? Who Can be the Member? • The designated “Member” will be the • The designated Member will be the contact person for compliance with the G General Order l O d – The other associated entities (landowners and/or operators) can also be responsible for compliance with the General Order, but not be the contact person

Option 1 Benefits of Membership Benefits of Membership • Provides the ability for growers to work together as a group and to share resources to minimize redundant efforts and reduce costs • Outreach and education • Prepare grower templates (Farm Evaluation, Nitrogen Management Plan) Ni M Pl ) • Eliminates member having to work with and file reports directly to the Water Board t di tl t th W t B d • Protects growers to keep most of their personal farming operation information private farming operation information private • Cost effective and efficient approach

Option 1 KBWQA Responsibilities KBWQA Responsibilities • Prepare and submit annual reports to the W Water Board B d • Monitoring & Reporting of surface water sites • Prepare Groundwater Quality Assessment Report (GAR) p ( ) – Identify high vulnerability areas – Determine priorities Determine priorities • Prepare numerous technical reports and studies studies

Option 1 KBWQA Responsibilities KBWQA Responsibilities • Advocacy on water quality issues in various Advocacy on water quality issues in various forums • Work to ease any unnecessary requirements • Work to ease any unnecessary requirements • Develop and implement economical and scientifically valid water quality monitoring i ifi ll lid li i i programs • Develop a Management Practices Evaluation Program

KBWQA Application Forms

KBWQA Application Forms

Irrigated Acreage Worksheet

Member Responsibilities 1. Maintain a copy of the General Order at your place of business (digital or hard copy) and be familiar with its contents 2. Participate in member outreach events 3. Cooperate in requested assistance for 3. Cooperate in requested assistance for groundwater quality monitoring (testing from ag wells) ag wells) 4. Assistance in development of management plans for pesticide exceedances plans for pesticide exceedances

Member Responsibilities 5. Implement best management practices that 5 Implement best management practices that are protective of surface and groundwater quality quality 6. Maintain annual Third ‐ Party membership 7. Farm Evaluation Plan 7 F E l i Pl 8. Nitrogen Management Plan 9. Sediment and Erosion Control Plan (if applicable) pp )

Member Responsibilities • Detailed Grower Member Responsibilities D il d G M b R ibili i sheet available at our table

After the August 6 Deadline g • Beginning August 7, 2014 – You can no l longer directly join the Kaweah di l j i h K h • Growers can only join the Kaweah by y j y applying to the Water Board (NOI and paying additional fees) paying additional fees) • September 4, 2014 – List of KBWQA members, parcels, and acres will be b l d ll b submitted to the Water Board

Option 2 – Individual Permit p Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 KBWQA Individual Do Nothing Membership Water Board Water Board (559) 488-4396 Will Contact You Option 1 - KBWQA Membership Deadline August 6, 2014

Option 2 – Individual Permit • Almost all Option 1 requirements are the responsibility of the individual grower • The individual grower must interact directly g y with the Water Board for most everything • Submittals and reports must be sent directly Submittals and reports must be sent directly to the Water Board and are of public record • Higher fees higher direct costs • Higher fees, higher direct costs

Option 3 – Do Nothing p 3 g Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 KBWQA Individual Do Nothing Membership Water Board Water Board (559) 488-4396 Will Contact You Option 1 - KBWQA Membership Deadline August 6, 2014

Option 3 – Do Nothing 1. Fall 2014 ‐ The Water Board will begin Ag g g parcel field inspections 2 Parcels confirmed to be irrigated 2. Parcels confirmed to be irrigated commercial ag, to receive Water Code 13260 Directives 13260 Di i 3. Notice of Violations 4. Pre ‐ fine (Pre ‐ ACL) letters 5. Fines (ACL) issued & must still comply ( ) d & ll l

Option 3 – Do Nothing www.krwca.org

Option 1 ‐ Next Steps The following will be required for membership: • Complete Membership Application, to include: – Member contact information Member contact information – Irrigated acres – Landowner contact information – Landowner contact information – APNs to be enrolled • Pay an annual membership fee and acreage fee P l b hi f d f • Confirm your APNs!

Option 1 ‐ Next Steps Parcel Third ‐ Party enrollment deadlines • Kaweah Basin Water Quality Association – By August 6, 2014 y g ,

Sign ‐ up Stations Kaweah & Tule Tables are set up to: • Answer questions pertaining to your parcels and property p p p y • Answer questions about existing and new membership membership • Answer questions about your applications • Accept completed applications and A t l t d li ti d payments