Protecting Water Quality in the Napa River and Sonoma Creek Watersheds

1. Protecting Water Quality in the Napa River and Sonoma Creek Watersheds North Bay Watershed Council Meeting June 22, 2010 Rico Duazo WRCE

2. Today’s PresentationConditional Grazing Waiver • Background • Elements of Grazing Waiver • Next steps

3. Grazing Operations • Definition: • Animals are fed or kept at least 45 days in any 12 month period • Vegetation for forage is sustained during the normal growing season • Eligibility: • > 50 acres or threat to water quality • No dairies

4. Background • Napa River/Sonoma Creek TMDLs • Tomales Bay Grazing Waiver (2008) • Status of Proposed Waiver

5. Elements of the Conditional Grazing Waiver • WaiverConditions • Notice of Intent/Notice of Termination • Ranch Plan • Compliance Monitoring & Reporting

6. Waiver Conditions • Minimize water pollution from sediment, pathogens, and nutrients • Manage manure to avoid runoff to waterbodies • Manage animal use areas

7. Waiver Conditions • Manage ranch roads to prevent erosion • Manage grazing to eliminate additional erosion from gullies • Design and manage animal crossings eliminate polluted runoff

8. Ranch Plan Map and inventory of physical features Inventory of animals on the property Detailed description of practices you will take to reduce polluted runoff Implementation schedule

9. Compliance Monitoring & Reporting • No Water Sampling • Visual Inspections • 2X during dry season • Monthly during wet season • Before and after anticipated storm event • Annual Certification

10. Next Steps • Draft Waiver Conditions and supporting documents – late 2010 • Public review and written comments – early 2011 • Meet with individuals or groups to discuss draft, if requested – spring 2011 • Water Board hearing for waiver approval – summer 2011

11. For more information… Rico Duazo (510) 622-2340 rduazo@waterboards.ca.gov Tomales Bay Waiver http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb2/board_decisions/adopted_orders/2008/R2-2008-0054.pdf