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Central Coast Region

Learn about the innovative Cooperative Agricultural Monitoring Program, linking land activities with water quality monitoring sites, emphasizing education, management practices, and toxicity testing. Discover findings and next steps for sustainable agriculture.

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Central Coast Region

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  1. Cooperative Agricultural Monitoring on California’s Central Coast:An Integrated, Innovative Approach Karen Worcester, Staff Environmental ScientistAlison Jones, Environmental ScientistDave Paradies, Software DesignerCentral Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

  2. Central Coast Region

  3. Agricultural areas of the Central Coast

  4. In the Central Coast we have: • 450,000 acres of irrigated agriculture • A $3 billion industry • 2500 growers • Many operations under 50 acres • 2 staff positions to run our “Ag Waiver” program

  5. What are “Ag Waivers”? • Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) • 1999 - State law amended • Existing waivers expired January 1, 2003 • New waivers may not exceed five years • Conditions must be enforced • Waivers must include monitoring

  6. Implementation of Management Practices Education Monitoring All growers enroll individually Both owner and operator must comply with the conditions of the waiver

  7. Education Requirements • 15 hours most easily met through UCCE Farm Water Quality Short Course • Over 2000 growers have attended • 51 Short Courses held; 13 more planned over next 8 months • Course product is Farm Plan

  8. With 1600 enrollees, we needed to leverage staffing with technology!

  9. Enrollment Database Notice of Intent includes: • Ranch Info • Crop type • Irrigation type • Discharge type • Management Practices • Hard copy maps and education certificates www.ccamp.org

  10. Management practices, crop types, irrigation practices are mapped by Township-Section-Range

  11. Monitoring

  12. Central Coast Ambient Monitoring Program and SWAMP partners had shown: • Elevated nitrate problems in intensively irrigated agricultural areas • Toxicity associated with organophosphates and pyrethroid pesticides in intensively irrigated agricultural areas

  13. Mean Surface Water Nitrate Concentrations (mg/L)

  14. Nitrate exceedances in DHS Wells

  15. Nitrate in Department of Health Services Well Data, 1980 - 2001

  16. Waiver allows for Cooperative Monitoring Program • Nonprofit formed (Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc.) • Cost allocation subcommittee • Monitoring subcommittee • Most funding for first three years • Phase 1 monitoring complete (25 sites); Phase 2 is underway (50 sites)

  17. Monitoring Program Elements • 50 sites in waterbodies with: • Ag related TMDLs • Elevated groundwater nitrate levels • Follow-up in problem areas (@ 25% of monitoring budget) • Electronic reporting

  18. Monitoring Components(compatible with CCAMP design) • Monthly conventional monitoring and flow • 3-species water toxicity testing • Twice during high flow • Twice during low flow • Sediment toxicity testing • Benthic invertebrate assessment

  19. Integration with other monitoring programs • With CCAMP • With City of Salinas stormwater permit • With SWAMP

  20. Phase 1 (yellow) and Phase 2 (red) Monitoring Sites Monterey Bay Pt. Conception

  21. Basic Monitoring Concept Follow-up to detect source areas; solve problems Long term site

  22. Followup • May take a problem-specific rather than site-specific approach • Includes evaluation: • Existing research • Pesticide Applications evaluation • Crop patterns • Other land uses • Appropriate management practices • Includes outreach

  23. Electronic Reporting • Web-based data checker • Format will port into SWAMP • Format will port into CCAMP web site generator www.ccamp.org

  24. Initial Cooperative Monitoring Program Findings

  25. Nitrate (mg/L as N)Mean and range by waterbody

  26. Average Nitrate Concentrations at Ag Sites Nitrate as N (mg/L) 0 – 1.5 1.5 – 5.0 5.0 – 10 10 – 25 25 - 100

  27. Mean Nitrate (mg/L) at Ag and CCAMP Sites Nitrate as N (mg/L) 0 – 1.5 1.5 – 5.0 5.0 – 10 10 – 25 25 - 100

  28. Ceriodaphnia Survival(relative percent difference from control)

  29. Ceriodaphnia Mortality (%) Ceriodaphnia Mortality (%) 0 – 20 20 - 40 40 – 60 60 - 80 80 - 100

  30. Hyalella Mortality (%) Hyalella Mortality (%) 0 – 20 20 - 40 40 – 60 60 - 80 80 - 100

  31. Fathead Minnow Mortality Pimephales Mortality (%) 0 – 20 20 - 40 40 – 60 60 - 80 80 - 100

  32. Selenastrum Growth(relative percent difference from control)

  33. What’s next? Linking land activities with monitoring sites • Water quality trends • Practice implementation • Pesticide use data • Ranch mailings Long term site

  34. What’s next, cont. • Follow-up projects • Ceriodaphnia toxicity • Hyalella toxicity • Assessment of first year’s data • Ag program web site development • Locating non-filers

  35. For more information contact:Amanda Bern at abern@waterboards.ca.gov or Karen at kworcester@waterboards.ca.gov

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