CV-SALTS 3rd quarter update
The Salt and Nitrate Control Programs continue to progress as they work to improve water quality in the Central Valley and support local communities. Within the Nitrate Control Program, Priority 1 Management Zones (MZs) continue to expand their outreach efforts to promote free well testing and bottled water delivery services, while working collaboratively to develop long-term solutions to nitrate contamination problems. Priority 2 MZs are organizing and preparing their Preliminary Management Zone Proposal with local permittees and beginning to work closely with the public. After completing its report describing current salt conditions in the Central Valley, the Salt Control Program has begun working on an initial case study (Archetype).
Nitrate Control Program
The Nitrate Control Program was structured in stages: Priority 1, Priority 2, and Non-Prioritized. Groundwater basins with the highest nitrate concentrations were designated Priority 1 and organized first, followed by Priority 2. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) will determine activities in Non-Prioritized basins in the future.
Priority 1 groundwater basins are Chowchilla, Kaweah, Kings, Modesto, Tule, and Turlock.
Priority 2 groundwater basins are Delta-Mendota, Eastern San Joaquin, Kern County (Poso), Kern County (West-side South), Madera, Merced, Tulare Lake, and Yolo.
Priority 1
The six Priority 1 MZs remain engaged in community outreach—building new connections, advocating for the program, and providing free water testing and delivery to qualifying households.
To expand the scope of their well testing to include contaminants other than nitrate, the Priority 1 MZs are in various stages of partnerships with the State Water Board SAFER (Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience) Program.
- Valley Water Collaborative, Tule Basin Management Zone: Funding secured, agreements signed, co-contaminant testing has begun
- Kaweah Water Foundation: Funding secured, agreements pending
- Kings Water Alliance: Funding approval pending
- Chowchilla Management Zone: Co-contaminant testing funded by Madera County grant
Each Priority 1 MZ was also required to submit a Management Zone Implementation Plan (MZIP) to the Regional Board in 2023. These plans detail how the MZs will engage their communities in collaborative long-term solutions to high groundwater nitrate levels. All MZs submitted their MZIPs by the deadline and the Regional Water Board accepted the plans after a public hearing in April 2024. MZIPs are not self-implementing, so the Regional Board will now revise permits regulating land discharge with nitrate impacts to include enforceable requirements to implement the MZIPs.
Priority 2
In December 2023, the Regional Board mailed Notices to Comply to over 900 permittees in Priority 2 basins. Permittees were given until February 2025 to decide whether to join a Priority 2 MZ or opt for an Individual Permitting Approach. Joining a MZ offers substantial benefits, particularly for those permittees who make their choice early and participate in shaping the operational framework of their local MZ.
All the Priority 2 basins are required to deliver Preliminary Management Zone Proposals & Early Action Plans to the Regional Board in December 2024. To prepare, leaders in each basin are contacting fellow permittees to educate them about the Nitrate Control Program requirements and to encourage them to join their local MZ.
Priority 2 Webinar
In 2024, CV-SALTS held a webinar focused on the Priority 2 requirements and timeline. The presentation, video recording, and Q&A notes for the webinar can be downloaded here (scroll down to Webinars).
Salt Control Program
P&O Study Archetype
The Salt Control Program is a long-term effort to develop, plan, and implement solutions for managing and controlling salt accumulation in the Valley. Recently, the Program began work on an initial case study, called an archetype, anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024. The program selected the Delta-Mendota Subbasin for its first archetype. The project team is meeting with stakeholders, identifying targets for salt reduction, and applying its modeling tools to evaluate multiple salt control scenarios. The goal is to assess possible methods for managing salt in Delta-Mendota and, starting in 2025, extrapolate the effects of these methods on future archetypes in other regions.
Baseline Characterization Report (BCR)
The Salt Control Program released the BCR as part of its Prioritization and Optimization Study (P&O Study). This report describes current salinity conditions, including unique physical and climatic factors that distinguish each region within the Central Valley. By examining sources and uses of water, along with the resulting impacts of salt accumulation, this report is the initial step in a series of actions aimed at addressing salinity issues, creating a crucial baseline for guiding future endeavors to create long-term solutions.
Click here to download a summary of the report.
Click here to see the entire report and appendices.
Additional information on the Salt Control Program is available on the CV-SALTS website.
