1. California Regional Water Quality Control Board Santa Ana Region Current Agricultural Regulations & Proposed Conditional Waiver for Ag Dischargers (CWAD) in the Santa Ana Region Mark G. Adelson, Chief Regional Planning Programs

2. RB CWAD Program

3. Watershed Santa Ana Region Watershed Map

4. Regulatory Programs NPDES Permits-for discharges to surface waters NPDES Permits-for discharges to surface waters General NPDES for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (dairies & related facilities)-adopted 9/07General NPDES for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (dairies & related facilities)-adopted 9/07 Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs)-for discharges to waters of the state Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs)-for discharges to waters of the state Conditional Waivers of WDRsConditional Waivers of WDRs

5. CWAD - Related Programs & Policies CWAD - Related Programs & Policies Basin Plan – water quality standards Basin Plan – water quality standards Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) A Watershed Management PlanA Watershed Management Plan Water Quality MonitoringWater Quality Monitoring ImplementationImplementation Plan for California’s Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution Control Program Plan for California’s Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution Control Program SWRCB NPS Implementation & Enforcement (I&E) Policy SWRCB NPS Implementation & Enforcement (I&E) Policy

6. SARWQCB’s Conditional Waiver (of WDR) for Agricultural Discharges (CWAD) Program California Water Code authorizes RWQCBs to regulate waste discharges by conditionally waiving WDRs California Water Code authorizes RWQCBs to regulate waste discharges by conditionally waiving WDRs Reduce pollutant loads in ag. discharges to meets WQ standards and/or TMDLs Reduce pollutant loads in ag. discharges to meets WQ standards and/or TMDLs Monitor water quality effects from irrigated & non-irrigated ag. facilities Monitor water quality effects from irrigated & non-irrigated ag. facilities Mitigate water quality impacts of ag. runoff Mitigate water quality impacts of ag. runoff Phased implementation Phased implementation

7. Objectives of CWAD Program Consistent regulation of waste discharges from ag. operations Consistent regulation of waste discharges from ag. operations Steps to implement program: Steps to implement program: Identify stakeholders & potential coalition partnershipsIdentify stakeholders & potential coalition partnerships Identifying & enrolling dischargersIdentifying & enrolling dischargers Data collection & analysisData collection & analysis Implement BMPsImplement BMPs Monitoring & reportingMonitoring & reporting Establish and collect feesEstablish and collect fees Others???Others???

8. CWAD Program Program Implementation: Program Implementation: Enroll dischargesEnroll discharges Comply with conditionsComply with conditions Pay applicable SWRCB feesPay applicable SWRCB fees Monitoring & reporting - individualMonitoring & reporting - individual Monitoring & reporting - group (group management fees)Monitoring & reporting - group (group management fees) Operate & maintain BMPsOperate & maintain BMPs Meet program individually and/or thru stakeholders group(s) Meet program individually and/or thru stakeholders group(s) Operators who do not enroll in CWAD program will be required to apply for individual WDRs Operators who do not enroll in CWAD program will be required to apply for individual WDRs

9. CWAD Strategy Phased implementation throughout SARWQCB Phased implementation throughout SARWQCB Enroll Targeted Dischargers: Irrigated & Non-Irrigated (dry farming) Ag. Operations Enroll Targeted Dischargers: Irrigated & Non-Irrigated (dry farming) Ag. Operations Allow operators to continue discharging wastes to the waters of the state while taking steps to comply with NPS Program, NPS I&E Policy, Basin Plan & TMDLs Allow operators to continue discharging wastes to the waters of the state while taking steps to comply with NPS Program, NPS I&E Policy, Basin Plan & TMDLs Implement BMPs to reduce NPS pollutant loads Implement BMPs to reduce NPS pollutant loads

10. CWAD Strategy Effectively integrate TMDL requirements & SWRCB’s NPS Plan and NPS I&E Policy Effectively integrate TMDL requirements & SWRCB’s NPS Plan and NPS I&E Policy Phase II & III-Upper & Lower Santa Ana River Watersheds Phase II & III-Upper & Lower Santa Ana River Watersheds Make CWAD program more attractive than individual WDR Make CWAD program more attractive than individual WDR

11. CWAD Phase I: Lake Elsinore / San Jacinto Watershed Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore are impaired – on 303(d) List of water quality-limited segments Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore are impaired – on 303(d) List of water quality-limited segments Discharges from various sources are contributing to impairments / water pollution Discharges from various sources are contributing to impairments / water pollution Nutrients, pathogens, & toxicity are the main pollutants of concern in this watershed Nutrients, pathogens, & toxicity are the main pollutants of concern in this watershed

12. San Jacinto: Nutrient TMDL Issues Excessive nutrient input at Lake Elsinore Algal Blooms - mostly blue-green Depressed Oxygen Levels Fish Kills

13. Lake Elsinore/San Jacinto Watershed

14. Canyon Lake / Lake Elsinore WQ Challenges Nutrient TMDLs adopted by RWQCB in 2006 for Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore Nutrient TMDLs adopted by RWQCB in 2006 for Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore Loads established for Phosphorus and NitrogenLoads established for Phosphorus and Nitrogen TMDLs are now part of the Basin Plan TMDLs are now part of the Basin Plan TMDLs are watershed management plans for restoring water quality TMDLs are watershed management plans for restoring water quality Obtain full stakeholder participation in tasks required to implement TMDLs Obtain full stakeholder participation in tasks required to implement TMDLs

15. CWAD Program – Implementing Phase I Enroll by filing a NOI (notice of intent) Enroll by filing a NOI (notice of intent) Participate in Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore TMDL implementation tasks Participate in Canyon Lake & Lake Elsinore TMDL implementation tasks Comply individually, or join a Monitoring Group / Coalition Comply individually, or join a Monitoring Group / Coalition Who will be required to participate: Who will be required to participate: Irrigated or dry-land farmingIrrigated or dry-land farming Livestock operations not covered by CAFO permitLivestock operations not covered by CAFO permit Not covered under other SARWQCB permitNot covered under other SARWQCB permit Commercial ag. operation. i.e, gross income $1,000/Yr. + ????Commercial ag. operation. i.e, gross income $1,000/Yr. + ???? Acreage threshold: 20 acres???Acreage threshold: 20 acres??? Exception criteria: risk / threat to water quality, inactive / abandoned facility, etc.Exception criteria: risk / threat to water quality, inactive / abandoned facility, etc.

16. Current Status of the Phase I CWAD Program CWAD Fact Sheet CWAD Fact Sheet State Board/RBs/Inter-agency Coordination State Board/RBs/Inter-agency Coordination Coordination/w TMDL program Coordination/w TMDL program Program outreach & development Program outreach & development Identification of potential stake- holders & monitoring groups Identification of potential stake- holders & monitoring groups Coordination w/ local watershed group Coordination w/ local watershed group

17. CWAD Program Status CWAD Program Status Potential stakeholders: Potential stakeholders: Western Riverside County Ag. CoalitionWestern Riverside County Ag. Coalition San Jacinto River Watershed CouncilSan Jacinto River Watershed Council TMDL Task ForceTMDL Task Force Riverside County Ag. CommissionerRiverside County Ag. Commissioner Riverside County Farm BureauRiverside County Farm Bureau UC Cooperative ExtensionUC Cooperative Extension Department of Pesticide RegulationDepartment of Pesticide Regulation San Jacinto RCD / NRCSSan Jacinto RCD / NRCS Eastern MWD, Nuevo WD, etc.Eastern MWD, Nuevo WD, etc. Trade & industry groupsTrade & industry groups Others????Others????

18. CWAD Program Status - Watershed Specific Information & data sharing – Ag. land use classification & parcel ownership of potential enrollees (number unknown at this time…) Information & data sharing – Ag. land use classification & parcel ownership of potential enrollees (number unknown at this time…) GIS / aerial mapping, field investigation & verificationGIS / aerial mapping, field investigation & verification Quantification of potential area in the watershed to be covered under CWAD program: ~80,000 acQuantification of potential area in the watershed to be covered under CWAD program: ~80,000 ac

19. Land Use Classifications Phase I CWAD Program Irrigated & non-irrigated farming Irrigated & non-irrigated farming Vacant - agriculture & grazing land Vacant - agriculture & grazing land Dairies, commercial livestock, poultry & related Dairies, commercial livestock, poultry & related Orchards, vineyards, turf farms - active & abandoned Orchards, vineyards, turf farms - active & abandoned Nurseries – wholesale, retail, tree farms Nurseries – wholesale, retail, tree farms Horses/backyard livestock/manure & compost piles Horses/backyard livestock/manure & compost piles Others??? Others???

20. SJR Watershed Ag Land Use Map

21. Dairies in San Jacinto Watershed

22. Thank You ??Questions?? For further information, contact: Athar Khan (951)782-3219 akhan@waterboards.ca.gov Mark Adelson (951) 782-3234 madelson@waterboards.camadelson@waterboards.ca.gov