2. Working Across the AES/CE Continuum Water Quality Plans Respond to Tightening Non-Point Source Pollution Requirements June 14, 2005 John M. Harper UCCE Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor Mendocino & Lake Counties

3. Relevance to CA Animal Agriculture  1989 RMAC identified water quality as priority issue  1995 CRWQMP approved by RMAC & SWRCB  Beneficial uses impaired by livestock –Domestic water supply –Cold water fisheries –Spawning habitat of anadromous fish  Water quality elements sensitive to livestock –Sediment –Nutrients –Temperature –Dissolved oxygen –Streambank stability –Riparian habitat  Financial impacts –Costs of implementing Management Measures –Fees and/or fines

4. How Did Collaborators and the Project Proceed?  Pilot short courses developed –Advisors and Specialists  Applied research identified –Specialist collaboration with AES –Private donor support –Grants leveraged –The “Tribe” is formed  Short course & research becomes statewide effort

5. Applied Research Examples  Garcia temperature  Paired watershed  Buffer strips & crypto  “Space cows”  Riparian revegetation

6. Survey Research Examples  Sediment inventory  Riparian grazing  Agency consistency  Riparian revegetation  Impacts of water quality planning course

7. Develop New Methods or Protocols Examples  Sediment inventory & monitoring –Prioritization  Temperature monitoring  ECP & SSMP & road templates  Manipulating grazing behavior

8. Connection/Support Between Campus & County  More than $10 million in funding for research & education program since 1996  16 Advisors have co-authored peer reviewed publications since 1996  Results come from both directions –Not top down –Teamwork occurs because of the personalities of the individuals  Not a static program –Constantly updated with new information from research and input from policy and regulation changes.

9. Teamwork  Specialists –Advisor efforts  On-farm/ranch access  Educational opportunities –Workshops, agency contacts, publications  Funding sources  Information sharing  AES Scientists – similar to Specialists

10. Teamwork  Farm Bureau –Watershed group formation –Committees  Commodity groups –Meeting sponsorship –Committees –Membership reports  Early adopters –Farm/ranch sites for applied research –Political support  Among other clientele  Regional Board level  State & local government

11. Teamwork  Regulatory agencies –Training, communication, information sharing  NRCS –Same as commodity groups & regulatory agencies –Source of technical information –Additional contacts for applied research –Educational collaboration  RCDs – same as NRCS  Others – PCAs, consultants

12. Insights & Lessons Learned  Effort is “issue” based & important to clientele  Specialists & Advisors must be willing to think outside the box –Rethink the job description based on the issue  “Tribe” comes together based on –Personalities –Mutual respect –Mutual benefit –Belief in teamwork approach  $$ flow to a worthwhile program –Internally & externally –County to Campus to County

13. Questions?