<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">San Joaquin Valley, CA-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">2.8.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>In 2014, growers within the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition will be expected to track their nitrogen use in an attempt to protect surface and ground water. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/East_SJWQC_BANNER.jpg" alt="Cropped Images 02082013" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>In December, the Central Valley Regional Water Board approved new waste discharge requirements to be implemented in the East San Joaquin River Water Quality Coalition, which runs north and east of the San Joaquin River and south of the Stanislaus Rivers, according to the Almond Board.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Growers are expected to implement best management practices to protect water quality and will be required to develop a farm evaluation that looks at all possible factors in their operation and locations that might impact surface and groundwater quality.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Evaluations must document the management practices implemented to protect water quality and be kept on hand after a copy is submitted to their coalitions. Growers will have to complete a new plan every five years, however, in areas deemed highly vulnerable, growers must submit evaluations annually.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">East San Joaquin growers will also be required to complete a nitrogen management plan to outline expected nitrogen use for the growing season. The plan will required to be based on templates developed by the coalitions.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In areas highly vulnerable to leaching, plans will need to be signed off by a specially certified advisor and growers must also submit summary reports of the nitrogen actually used and removed with the crop after the growing season. Reports will be submitted to the board which will then provide collated data to the Board.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Farms 60 acres and under will be allowed additional time to submit evaluations and nitrogen management plans.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The discharge requirements will be the model for waste discharge requirements in other areas. The Water Board will implement other coalition WDRs over the calendar year. Public meetings and comment periods will be held.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb5/" target="_new">Central California Regional Water Board</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
