From the Central Valley Salinity Coalition:
This year marks several significant five-year milestones for CV-SALTS and its efforts to address salt and nitrate challenges in the Valley. The program has expanded its geographical reach and local networks significantly in the first quarter of 2025. With the launch of the Priority 2 Management Zones (MZs), the Nitrate Control Program now covers all basins with high nitrate concentrations in the Central Valley. The Priority 1 MZs continue to conduct well testing, deliver safe drinking water, and work with local communities to explore long-term drinking water solutions. The Salt Control Program has selected a second case study location and is beginning to model salt management scenarios.
NITRATE CONTROL PROGRAM
A Staged Approach
The Nitrate Control Program was structured in stages: Priority 1, Priority 2, and Non-Prioritized. Groundwater basins with the highest nitrate concentrations 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 initial emphasis of the Nitrate Control Program was providing healthy drinking water to households affected by nitrate contamination of their private wells. The Priority 1 MZs continue to focus on promoting their private well testing and free bottled-water delivery services.
Since 2021, the MZs have tested more than 2,700 private drinking water wells and are now providing free bottled water to more than 1,800 households whose wells exceed safe drinking water standards for nitrate. For more information on Priority 1 water testing and delivery activities, click here.
The Priority 1 MZs are also exploring longer-term solutions to the nitrate challenge in the Central Valley. They are expanding relationships in their communities and working with interested parties to identify local water quality improvement projects they can help develop and implement.
Priority 2
Milestones
February 2025 was an important deadline for the more than 900 permittees in Priority 2 basins. The permittees were required to decide whether to join a Priority 2 MZ or opt for an Individual Permitting Approach and file a Notice of Intent with the Regional Board.
The Priority 2 MZs (Valley Water Collaborative, Kings Water Alliance, and Kern Water Collaborative) delivered Preliminary Management Zone Proposals and Early Action Plans for the eight Priority 2 groundwater subbasins to the Regional Board at the end of 2024. The initial drafts of all these were published online for public review. The Regional Board has reviewed the EAPs, which are focused on free domestic well testing and delivering free drinking water to those who’s wells test above a healthy level for nitrate, and sent conditional approval letters to the Priority 2 MZs. The Preliminary Management Zone Proposals and the related public comments are still under review.
Official Launch
The Priority 2 MZs have now officially launched their water testing and delivery services. Their primary goal is to spread the word and encourage as many applications as possible within their communities. The MZs have been organizing internally, building up their infrastructure and staff, and connecting with as many community members as possible. Their initial outreach included tens of thousands of postcards mailed out, email blasts, website and social media postings, press conferences, and public meetings. There was significant media coverage of the launch, including local papers, local television, and industry news websites.
The initial response has been very positive, with over 200 applications already being submitted in the new Priority 2 subbasins.
Additional information on the Nitrate Control Program is available on the CV-SALTS website.
THE SALT PROGRAM
The Salt Control Program is an ongoing effort to develop, plan, and implement strategies to manage and reduce salt accumulation in the valley. The current focus is on developing case studies (Archetypes) of specific, representative subbasins. The goal is to evaluate potential salt management strategies within two Archetypes, eventually applying the lessons learned throughout the Central Valley. Program staff are also working on a Salt Management Technologies Review in 2025.
Initial Program Achievements:
- The Program has been building relationships and working closely with other water professionals across the valley, such as staff from Groundwater Sustainability Agencies.
- The Program has developed innovative analytical and technological tools to evaluate salt conditions and possible solutions in the Central Valley for the first time ever.
Archetype #1 (2024)
The Program dedicated much of 2024 to Archetype #1 in the Delta-Mendota Subbasin. The project team synthesized existing groundwater data from Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), pinpointed targets for salt reduction, and utilized modeling tools and climate change scenarios to evaluate long-term salt movement and accumulation.
Archetype #2 (2025)
The Program has selected Western Kings Subbasin as Archetype #2. The plan is to follow a similar process to the first Archetype by coordinating with local water managers, collecting data, modeling future conditions, and building management scenarios. The Program plans to complete this study in 2025.
The archetype #2 study area covers the entire western portion of the Kings subbasin and is bounded to the east by State Route 99.
Additional information on the Salt Control Program is available on the CV-SALTS website.
