Last year, the Central Coast Regional Water Board submitted a proposal that would require many farmers who use a certain amount of N fertilizer to develop detailed nutrient and irrigation management plans. The intent is to prevent additional nitrate from entering surface and groundwater.
The plans will need to be developed with assistance of a Certified Crop Adviser to minimize the nitrate loading risk. One portion of the proposal suggests that growers will need to document all N inputs and harvested removals to do a nutrient budget. The Water Board is hoping to have a N budget of 1.0 where inputs equal outputs in the crop. This will be challenging to achieve.
Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board:
This region is moving forward on nitrate discharge regulations from irrigated land. The northern valley rice region will be the first to begin to monitor nitrate concentrations and then other parts of the valley will be phased in as the program develops. The proposed regulations suggest that a N budget will need to be constructed with the assistance of a Certified Crop Adviser to meet the unique cropping and irrigation characteristics of each field. Growers will participate in a watershed coalition to monitor water quality parameters. The Water Board is increasing the annual per-acre fees from 12 cents to 56 cents in the Central Valley.
University of California, Davis: Agricultural Nitrogen Initiative
The UC Agricultural Sustainability Institute has completed the first comprehensive N survey for California agriculture. They have documented all of the inputs of N into California and all of the exports of N from the state. Estimates are made of N lost to the water and air, or stored in the soil. Surveys of N fertilization practices for the many economically important crops reveal areas where nutrients can be used more efficiently. The final report was due for release in early 2012.
Nitrate Project: The Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley [SB X2 1]
The California State Senate commissioned a study by the University of California to determine the sources of nitrate contamination in two areas of California and then make policy recommendations on how to correct any observed problems. This report has highlighted regions with elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater and ways to make future improvements. The final report is due in early 2012.