Quarterly update from the CV-SALTS program
The CV-SALTS program has achieved many key milestones heading into 2024. The biggest news on the Nitrate Control Program side is that the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) recently sent out over 900 Notices to Comply to program permittees in Priority 2 areas. In addition, the currently active Management Zones continue to engage in community outreach, water testing, and water delivery and work on longer-term steps to reduce the excess nitrate problems in the Central Valley. On the Salt Control Program side, the Executive Committee has reviewed the Basin Characterization Report which will be completed later this year.
Nitrate Control Program
Notices to Comply
A Notice to Comply is a letter outlining legal requirements that must be followed. The Regional Board issues a Notice to Comply to inform a Permittee of their legal responsibilities regarding the Nitrate Control Program and how they should fulfill them. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) recently sent out over 900 Notices to Comply to program permittees in Priority 2 areas.
The Nitrate Control Program occurs in priority-based stages. The Basin Plan identified Priority 1, Priority 2, and Non-Prioritized basins based on estimated nitrate water quality impacts. Priority 1 areas had the highest nitrate concentrations, so efforts began there first. The Regional Board sent the first round of Notices to Comply in May 2020 to permittees operating in those areas. Each basin organized a Management Zone to begin management planning and early actions.
Priority 2 Activities
As Priority 1 Management Zones are midway through their third year, the Nitrate Control Program has officially initiated the second stage in Priority 2 areas. In each of the basins, a new Management Zone is being developed to begin planning and early actions in the Priority 2 areas.
Priority 2 groundwater subbasins include Delta Mendota, Eastern San Joaquin, Kern County (Poso), Kern County (West Side South), Madera, Merced, Tulare Lake, and Yolo.
Nitrate Control Program Requirements Webinar
To assist permittees who may have questions or concerns after receiving a Notice to Comply in the mail, CV-SALTS is holding a Nitrate Control Program Requirements Webinar on February 29th, 9 AM–Noon, for permittees and anyone interested in the program. Click here to register.
Active Management Zone Activities
The six active Management Zone are keeping busy. They continue to conduct outreach in their communities, build new relationships, spread the word about the program, and provide free water testing and free water delivery to eligible households.
Each Management Zones has submitted its Management Zone Implementation Plan (MZIP) to the Regional Board. The Regional Board will hold a hearing on the MZIPs in April. The plans and the data used to develop the MZIPs are posted here. These plans are the blueprint for how the Management Zones will work with their communities on reducing nitrate levels in groundwater within their area.
In addition, all the active Management Zones are coordinating with the State Water Board SAFER (Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience) Program to offer well tests for contaminants other than nitrate.
New Dashboard
The Management Zones have developed an online Nitrate Program Performance Dashboard to provide the public with detailed information on early action plans and outreach progress. Anyone who is interested can click here to access the dashboard for the latest Management Zone updates.
Additional information on the Nitrate Control Program can be found here on the CV-SALTS website.
The CV-SALTS Nitrate Challenge Story Map can be found here.
Salt Control program
There are many facets to the Salt Control Program as the team works on its long-term Prioritization & Optimization Study. A primary focus in early 2024 is the completion of a Baseline Characterization Report to characterize the Central Valley’s salt problem and begin forecasting future salt conditions around the Valley. The Executive Committee has reviewed this significant document, and the final report will be released in 2024. The Baseline Characterization Report is posted with all draft documents here: https://www.cvsalinity.org/salt-program/current-documents/. This report’s background information and modeling will form the basis of evaluation and planning for how salts can be managed in the future.
If you are a participant in the P&O Study, you may pay your fees for 2024 here: https://www.cvsalinity.org/po-fee-form/. Fees paid after August 31, 2024, are subject to late fees.
Additional information on the Salt Control Program can be found here on the CV-SALTS website.
