East San Joaquin
Water Quality Coalition
Parry Klassen
Executive Director
Merced River

 In operation since 2003
 2,297 Landowner / operators
 540,782 irrigated acres
• Madera, Merced, Stanislaus,
Tuolumne, Mariposa counties
 We manage group permit for our members

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Board Officers
 Parry Klassen, Board Chairman
Executive Director
Wayne Zipser, Vice-Chairman
Bill McKinney, Treasurer
Board Members
 Amanda Carvajal
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John Eisenhut
Brian Franzia
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Richard Gemperle
Anja K. Raudabaugh
Alan Reynolds
Albert Rossini
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Jim Wagner
Mike Neimi
Non-voting
 Gary Caseri
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David Robinson
Bob Rolan
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Dianna Waller
Dennis Wescot
Coalition for Urban Rural
Environmental Stewardship; fruit grower
Stanislaus Co. Farm Bureau almond grower
Merced Co. Farm Bureau
Hilltop Ranch, almond grower
West Coast Vineyards
Gemperle Enterprises, almond grower
Madera Co. Farm Bureau
Gallo Vineyards, Inc.
Rossini Ag, grape grower
Wilbur Ellis Co.
Turlock Irrigation District
Stanislaus County Agricultural Commissioner
Merced County Agricultural Commissioner
Madera County Agricultural Commissioner
Natural Resources Conservation Service
San Joaquin River Group Authority

 Maintain water quality coalitions
• Geographic/commodity based orders
 Develop high/low vulnerability areas
 Focus requirements and plans on High Vulnerability areas
Focus on management practice implementation and reporting
Limited monitoring (compared to other programs)
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Figure 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).
http://groundwaternitrate.ucdavis.edu/files/139110.pdf
; Viers, J.H., et al
(2012). Nitrogen Sources and Loading to Groundwater
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 Pollution pathways for nitrates and pesticides are similar
 Nitrates/water soluble pesticides leach through soil to groundwater
 Pathway for nitrates/pesticides
• Surface runoff
• Unprotected / improperly sealed wells
• Over application of nitrogen fertilizer
• Other conduits to groundwater (e.g., backflow)
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Member Requirements
Existing members
 Current members confirm membership
 Must notify owners if tenant
New members
 120-day window to enroll with third-party (starts
~Nov. 15, 2012)
 After deadline, must apply to Regional Board, pay fee, before joining coalition
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Member Requirements
 Implement management practices
 Practices found protective through representative groundwater monitoring program
 Respond to management plans
 Meet discharge limitations
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Member Requirements
Why the Reporting Requirements?
 The Water Board needs information to determine compliance Is water quality being protected?
 Traditional reliance primarily on monitoring is EXPENSIVE
 Reporting on what you are doing to protect water quality will be much CHEAPER
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Member Requirements
 Participate in annual outreach events
 Complete farm evaluation, other reporting as needed
 Describe water quality protection practices in place
 Site specific information
 Allow property access to Regional Board at reasonable hours - FOR COMPLIANCE
INSPECTION PURPOSES ONLY!
 Focus on bad actors and complaints
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Member Requirements under Consideration
 Individual farm evaluations
 Nitrogen Budget reports - certification
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Member Requirements under Consideration
 Individual farm evaluations
 Nitrogen budget reports
Must be produced for Water Board inspections
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General WDR
East San Joaquin River
Public review Board hearing
June 2012 October 2012
General Order for Individuals June 2012
Tulare Lake Basin October 2012
Sacramento Valley Rice
December 2012
February 2013
November 2012 March 2013
Grasslands Bypass January 2013
Sacramento River Watershed February 2013
June 2013
June 2013
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General WDR
Westlands Water District
Public review Board hearing
April 2013 August 2013
West-side San Joaquin River June 2013
San Joaquin County and Delta June 2013
October 2013
October 2013
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1984-2004

2005-2010

Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
ESJWQC Approach
• Classification of vulnerable areas
• Well head protection program
• Nitrogen management plans

Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
Assessment Report
(due January 2014)
• Rank land vulnerability based on Assessment Report
• High Vulnerability
Areas ID’d using DPR pesticide groundwater protection areas, State
Water Board vulnerable areas
• 2014: Farm assessment requirement starts
• 2014: Nitrogen budget requirement starts
• 2014 Well head protection
• Low Vulnerability
• Keep farm assessment/nitrogen budgets on farm

 Wellhead house keeping
• Prevent ponding for extended periods
• Waste can enter if wellhead/casing is cracked or improperly sealed
• Grade away from wellhead to prevent storm runoff ponding
 Open discharge well
• Air gap between well discharge and receiving device
 Pressurized systems: Back flow preventers
• In case of power failures and/or pump malfunction
• Back siphoning can directly contaminate groundwater
 Abandoned wells
• Develop plan to manage

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Apply N at crop removal rates
• Dairies regulated to 140% of crop use (N applications)
Test well water for nitrogen levels (then adjust N applications accordingly)
Leaf / tissue testing
Soil testing
 Irrigation management

 Submit form to Coalition
 Coalition compiles ratios; separates into crops, “reporting areas”
 “Reporting area” depends on aquifer, basin, sub basins, soil types etc.

Potentially applying too much N (outliers)
Reported Nitrogen Ratios
5.0
3.7
2.3
1.0
Most growers (UC recommended rates)
Almonds Corn
Crop
Tomatoes

 Where most growers are with nitrogen ratios
 The “Outliners:” those who apply too much or too little
 Focus of outreach with commodity specific information/references

Waste Discharge Requirements
Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
Representative Monitoring
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Confirm that management practices implemented to improve groundwater quality are working
Are agricultural management practices protective of groundwater in high vulnerability areas
Assess effectiveness of any newly implemented management practices.
Coalition to rank/prioritize high vulnerability areas and commodities and present phased approach
Coordinated effort by coalitions/commodity groups to complete

Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
 Next steps
• Public review of draft WDR
• Comment deadline July 31, 2012
• October 4, 2012 Regional Water Board ILRP meeting
• Approve or delay?
• After passage, ESJ has 30 days to apply to be Third Party
• 120 day “holiday” to join coalition directly
• Holiday ends February 1, 2013 (approximate)

Parry Klassen
559-288-8125 www.esjcoalition.org