CV-SALTS: Nitrate and Salt Control Programs end 2024 with significant progress

From the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) program

As 2024 ends, the CV-SALTS program continues to make significant progress. The Nitrate Control Program Priority 1 Management Zones (MZs) remain focused on implementation, conducting outreach and offering free well-testing and bottled water delivery services. They are also working with local communities to solve the Central Valley’s long-term nitrate contamination challenges. Permittees in Priority 2 MZs have until February 26, 2025 to file their Notice of Intent with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board). In addition, Priority 2 MZs have released their draft Preliminary Management Zone Implementation Plans and are soliciting public feedback. As part of the Priority & Optimization Study, the Salt Control Program has been focused on developing an initial case study, known as Archetype #1, and has recently begun working to select the second area for Archetype #2.

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.

You can use this online interactive map to view Priority 1 and Priority 2 areas, their associated Management Zones, and contact information.

Priority 1

The six Priority 1 MZs continue their community outreach efforts—establishing new relationships, promoting the program, and offering complimentary water testing and delivery to eligible households. In cooperation with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) SAFER Program, the MZs are expanding the well-testing program to include other locally important drinking water contaminants.

Since 2021, the MZs have tested more than 2,500 private drinking water wells and are now providing free bottled water to more than 1,700 wells that exceed safe drinking water standards for nitrate. For more information on Priority 1 MZ water testing and delivery activities, click here.

Priority 2

There is an important deadline approaching for the 900 plus permittees in Priority 2 basins who received Notices to Comply from the Regional Board at the end of 2023. The permittees need to determine whether to join a Priority 2 MZ or opt for an Individual Permitting Approach by December and to file their Notice of Intent with the Regional Board before the February 26, 2025 deadline. Some Priority 2 permittees have made their selection early and are taking advantage of the opportunity to work with their local MZs to ensure they have a voice in shaping local activities and decision-making.

All the Priority 2 MZs are required to deliver Preliminary Management Zone Implementation Plans to the Regional Board at the end of 2024. They have prepared initial drafts of these proposals and have published them online for public review.

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 progam

The Salt Control Program is a sustained initiative aimed at creating, planning, and executing strategies for managing and reducing salt buildup in the Valley.

Archetype #1

The Salt Control Program has dedicated much of 2024 to an initial case study in the Delta-Mendota Subbasin, called Archetype #1. The project team has been synthesizing existing groundwater data from Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), pinpointing targets for salt reduction, and utilizing modeling tools and climate change scenarios to evaluate long-term salt movement and accumulation. The aim is to evaluate potential strategies for managing salt in Delta-Mendota and, beginning in 2025, to apply the lessons learned in this groundwater basin to future archetypes in other areas of the Valley.

Archetype #2

Western Modesto/Turlock, Western Kings, and South-Eastern Kern are the regions being considered for Archetype #2. The program expects to make a selection and begin working on it in early 2025.

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.

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.

Regulatory updates

AB 2454

In late September 2024, Governor Newsom signed AB 2454, a bill to improve access to safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities. It contains provisions affecting landowners and tenants relying on private wells.

  1. Domestic well owners must participate in any free domestic well testing program that is established or funded by the State Water Board or a regional water board if their well serves a rental property within the boundaries of the program.
  2. Domestic well owners must provide the test results to their tenants.
  3. Residents must be provided with potable water offered through the testing program if test results show that the well water fails to meet safe drinking water standards.

Draft Dairy Order

The State Water Board has distributed a “draft Dairy Order” for a 60-day public comment period. The draft Dairy Order contains new proposed groundwater quality protection requirements for all milk cow dairies in California that collect their dairy waste and apply it to land. The State Board conducted a workshop about the order via Zoom in English and Spanish on October 30th, 2024, providing an overview of the Draft Dairy Order. Public comments on the Draft Order are due December 6, 2024.