Preservation, Inc. held three member workshops in November and December this year, with information on upcoming 2022 Third Party programs, fees, and member responsibilities.  You can view the video below.

Update your electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI) by September 13^th, 2021 at  https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/esi/login.

Pay your 2021 CMP dues and State Fees ASAP if not yet done.

Details:

The Water Board has issued a requirement that all operators update your electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI) by September 13^th, 2021. The link to access your eNOI is https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/esi/login.  If you have forgotten your Username or Password, you should allow yourself extra time to complete the Password Request or Reset process.

Preservation, Inc. cannot help you to access your eNOI/GeoTracker account, but we can help with questions on how to fill out the eNOI.  Contact us at Support@ccwqp.org or [Support Phone]

Preservation, Inc. invoiced the majority of Central Coast ag operations in December of 2020, for the 2021 CMP program and State Fees (FY 20/21 at $1.12/acre). Payment was due in January of this year (2021).  Operators who did NOT pay have been issued individual-rate State Fee invoices from the State Water Board at $28 per acre.

When updating your eNOI (see prior News Item), you will encounter the question, “What is the highest percent slope of the irrigated acres on the ranch?”. A guidance document on calculating slope was circulated by the Water Board via email on September 7^th.  The guidance document is not currently posted on the Water Board’s website, but you can request it from: AgNOI@waterboards.ca.gov

Generally, to calculate your ranch’s slope, you should identify the highest elevation point and lowest elevation point on your ranch, and the distance in between:

SLOPE = {(Max Elevation – Min Elevation)/Distance Between} x 100

If you have a more complex ranch and are having difficulty applying the Slope calculation or interpreting the Water Board’s guidance document, please contact the Water Board staff at AgNOI@waterboards.ca.gov.

When updating your eNOI, you will also encounter a section regarding Drinking Water Notification Confirmation. Under Ag Order 4.0, notifications to well users must be issued EVERY YEAR. However, since no well monitoring was required in 2021, there is nothing to report on this year’s eNOI.  If you have concerns about answering “No” or “N/A” in this section of the eNOI form, you should email AgNOI@waterboards.ca.gov to request written confirmation that these responses are acceptable.

On Friday, July 2nd Preservation, Inc. was designated as the regionwide Third Party Program Administrator by the Central Coast Water Board. Click here to read the Approval Letter. In this role, Preservation, Inc. will continue to run the surface water CMP and collect State Water Board Discharger Fees on behalf of Central Coast growers. Beginning this fall (2021) we will also prepare for additional programs to address Groundwater, Irrigation/Nutrient Management, and Follow-Up (surface and groundwater) work. Additional programs/services will become available to our membership in 2022. Information about new programs/services will be posted on this website and circulated to our members soon.

Preservation, Inc’s Third Party proposal also included two non-exclusive partnerships. The Sustainability In Practice (SIP) wine grape certification program will partner on behalf of their members, who will have reduced Third Party requirements due to the high degree of overlap between the two programs and the protective nature of SIP-Certified practices for water quality. We will also partner with the Central Coast Wetlands Group and Creek Lands Conservation non-profits to provide voluntary opportunities for our growers/landowners to create collective water quality treatment systems and watershed enhancements

On June 22nd, Preservation, Inc. submitted our response to the Water Board’s Third Party RFP.  Click here to download the Response document.  The Water Board has not yet announced what or when the next steps in the Third Party approval process will be.  We will post more information as it becomes available.

In late July, the Water Board will host informational meetings for growers on the newly adopted Ag Order 4.0.  More information is available on the Water Board’s ILRP website at:

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ag_waivers/docs/workshops/ilp_workshop_flyer.pdf

May 21, 2021 – Since 2005, Preservation, Inc. has been recognized by both the Central Coast and State Water Boards to collect State-level discharger fees and run the surface water CMP (Cooperative Monitoring Program) on behalf of the ag industry.  On April 23^rd, 2021, the Central Coast Water Board issued an RFP (Request For Proposals) for potential Third-Party Programs.  Preservation, Inc. will submit a response to this RFP by June 22^nd, detailing our qualifications and intended approach to implementing all aspects of Ag Order 4.0 including surface water, groundwater, and nutrient (fertilizer) monitoring, reporting, outreach and training.  Our intention in providing these programs is to streamline the compliance activities necessary under Ag Order 4.0, making compliance more efficient for growers and improving water quality more effectively.  All of Preservation, Inc’s programs are subject to budget approval and cost allocation by the Ag Committee, which consists of grower representatives for all major ag commodities.  The RFP can be viewed at: Ag Waivers Third Parties | Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (ca.gov).  If you have questions in the meantime please contact Sarah Lopez or any of the Preservation, Inc. Board members.

April 16, 2021 – The Central Coast Water Board adopted Ag Order 4.0 on 4/15/21.  The new Order will require additional monitoring and reporting activities by all Central Coast growers, related to surface water, groundwater, and fertilizers.  The Water Board’s program website can be accessed at: Ag Waivers | Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (ca.gov)  We expect more concise information about the new requirements, and likely informational meetings, later this summer.

A number of growers and landowners have reported receiving letters from the Water Board.  The letters indicate possible non-enrollment for APN’s that in some cases are indeed enrolled.  In these cases there may be a formatting problem that prevents the Water Board’s system from recognizing your parcel.  This letter may not necessarily indicate fault on the part of an operator, however it is recommended to comply with instructions in the letter in a timely manner and document your response.  In particular, it is a good idea to make sure all your APNs are listed in your eNOI/Geotracker account and that none are highlighted pink, which indicates a formatting problem.  [Note: This announcement will be updated as additional information becomes available.]

We have several upcoming outreach meetings to share monitoring results:

• 12/5 – CCWQP staff will be at the SLO Farm Bureau from 1pm to 4pm with monitoring results to share with interested growers.  Please stop by as it fits your schedule that afternoon.
• 12/6 – CCWQP staff will be at the Santa Maria Library from 8:30am to 11:30am with monitoring results to share with interested growers.  Please stop by as it fits your schedule that morning, or come from 10am-11am for a powerpoint presentation.
• 12/5 – 10am to noon – San Luis Obispo – CCWQP staff will present monitoring results in a format geared towards environmental scientists (e.g. Water Board staff, contractors, conservation professionals, etc.). Growers are also welcome. Please use comment form below to request more info about this meeting.

The RWQCB is extending the expiration date for the current Ag Order 3.0 to January 31, 2021.  The new date is by court order, and all enrolled operations should be receiving a notice soon to this effect.  Current general Ag Order 3.0 requirements, including surface water monitoring (CMP and individual) will remain in effect for the life of 3.0.  There will NOT be another required round of well monitoring, and there will be no additional reporting required of Tier 3 ranches for their Water Quality Buffer Plans nor INMPs.  Individual discharge monitoring and reporting requirements for surface water will continue, however.