1 Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Sierra Water Workgroup Summit June 11-13, 2013 Kings Beach, CA Presented By Dr. Karl Longley, PE Member, Central Valley RWQCB

2 What Are WE Trying to Accomplish? WE = Water Board, Agriculture, Stakeholders Protect water quality for current and future generations Protect water quality for current and future generations Ensure any new requirements are consistent with sustaining agriculture in the Central Valley Ensure any new requirements are consistent with sustaining agriculture in the Central Valley Learn and adapt as we move forward Learn and adapt as we move forward

3 Direction from Central Valley Water Board, June 2011 Tailor approach to specific geographic areas or commodities Tailor approach to specific geographic areas or commodities Include requirements to protect surface and groundwater quality Include requirements to protect surface and groundwater quality Continue with Coalitions (third-parties) as lead to assist growers w/compliance Continue with Coalitions (third-parties) as lead to assist growers w/compliance Use General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) Use General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs)

4 4 Geographic Areas/Commodities Addressed by WDRs

Long-term Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program Scope Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Includes commercial operations, managed wetlands, nurseries Includes commercial operations, managed wetlands, nurseries Surface water discharges Surface water discharges surface return flows, storm runoff, tile drainage surface return flows, storm runoff, tile drainage Groundwater discharges Groundwater discharges Fertilizer/pesticides moving down soil profile, well head, or backflow Fertilizer/pesticides moving down soil profile, well head, or backflow 5

6 Growers implement practices: Consistent with Plans Meet Performance Standards Third-party management plans: Surface Water Quality Groundwater Quality Growers Third-party Regional Board Agencies/University EJ/Environmental CV-SALTS Interested parties Grower plans: Nitrogen Management Sediment and Erosion Control Grower reports: Farm Evaluations /Practices Nitrogen Management Summary Reports Enroll with third-party Third-party assessments: Groundwater Quality Sediment Discharge and Erosion Communication and Joint Learning Collect Information Implement Management Practices Water Quality Monitoring Management Practices Evaluation Program Special studies Water Quality

7 Estimated Groundwater Nitrate Loading Fig. 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). davis.edu/files/ pdfhttp://groundwaternitrate.uc davis.edu/files/ pdf ; Viers, J.H., et al (2012). Nitrogen Sources and Loading to Groundwater

Agenda Item 13 8 Central Valley Water Board Meeting June 2012 About 642,500 irrigated acres (62%) are in groundwater vulnerable areas

9 Order Components – Information from Third Party Management Practices Evaluation Program Management Practices Evaluation Program Relates practices on the land surface to effect on groundwater quality Relates practices on the land surface to effect on groundwater quality Irrigated ag practice(s) Representative site conditions Evaluate effects of discharge Extrapolate to similar sites

10 What’s Next? Implementation began with the adoption of the Eastern San Joaquin River Watershed Order Orders for the Tulare Lake Basin and Growers not in a Coalition coming up in next few months

11 Questions ?