Education For Environmental Responsibility

New water quality rules for farmers may include groundwater monitoring

This article appeared in the Chico Enterprise Record on December 14, 2009

By HEATHER HACKING - Staff Writer

Central Valley farmers have been working under rules by state water quality officials to prevent farm irrigation and storm runoff from harming water quality in waterways, such as the Sacramento River.

Improvements to water quality have been made since the surface water program began in 2003, but that program was only temporary.

Now water quality regulators are working on a long-term Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

Also on the horizon are proposals for adding groundwater quality monitoring, particularly for fertilizer use.

There's a lot of work to be done and five alternatives are being prepared for environmental review.

Surface Water

For surface water runoff, water quality coalitions were formed throughout the state, with monitoring paid for by landowners.

Growers who did not join the coalitions are required to apply for an individual permit.

Over the years, growers have been contacted about better farming practices, how to use certain chemicals and the like.

Parry Klassen, of Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship, has been working closely on the issue, and publishes the online Watershed Coalition News.

Klassen said the Sacramento Valley Water Quality Coalition has had fewer water quality problems than areas such as the San Joaquin Valley, where there is more intense agriculture.

In the past, sprays used during the dormant period in orchards were a big problem in Northern California, as well as other areas.

Over time, Klassen said, growers have learned that they don't need to do dormant sprays every year.

Also, integrated pest management programs have been used more. This is where a farmer works closely with a pest adviser to decide when pest control is needed, rather than spraying routinely.

Also, as regulators targeted different pesticide use, ratcheting up the rules, many growers simply decided to use something else, Klassen said.

Bruce Houdesheldt, director of regulatory affairs for Northern California Water Association, oversees the Sacramento Valley Water Quality Coalition. He agreed improvements to water quality have occurred. This time of year people will see more vegetative cover in orchard fields, he noted. This helps prevent runoff.

Houdesheldt said there have been many local partnerships built between growers, ag commissioners, farm bureaus and Resource Conservation Districts for both education and water quality improvements. But there have still been reports of toxicity, and some involved in the discussion would like to see more regulation, particularly for groundwater.

Proposed groundwater rules

As the long-term rules for surface water quality are being written, the degree that groundwater monitoring will also be involved is still up in the air.

The options vary. The least likely option would not require groundwater monitoring and would keep the current surface water monitoring rules in place, Klassen said.

Another option would require reporting on fertilizer use and other applications, similar to the dairy industry, Klassen said.

Growers would rather see targets of sensitive areas first, and have farmers put together farm management plans, he said.

County ag commissioners have maps that show where sensitive areas are for pesticides. Likely those same areas will have the same concerns about fertilizers", Klassen said.

Then there are options that include tiers. Stricter rules would apply for lands with groundwater close to the surface, land with sandy soil (where water permeates more quickly) and where farming uses higher amounts of fertilizer.

Land, such as that used for rice, where water sinks in more slowly, would have fewer requirements, Klassen said.

Other ideas on the table include using laws such as Assembly Bill 3030, which allows local agencies to develop groundwater management plans.

Klassen said farmers have spent a lot of money on water quality monitoring over recent years.

"The level of understanding surface water and the potential for farmers to impact (water quality) is incredibly better," he said.

An Environmental Impact Report on proposed future programs is due next year.

The final rules are scheduled to be determined in 2011.

The text of the five alternatives for the long-term regulatory program can be viewed here: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/water_issues/irrigated_lands/long_term_program_development/index.shtml

Klassen also has a grid of the options posted on his Web site.

Contact reporter HEATHER HACKING at (530) 896-7758 or hhacking@chicoer.com.

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