California Ag Network

Tag: State Water Board

  • Water Quality Changes to Impact Central Valley Dairy Producers

    A pair of regulatory changes are coming to the Central Valley that will impact dairies and other water quality permit holders.

    One of these changes — the CV-Salts Program — is being implemented at the groundwater basin level, starting with Modesto, and has seen over a decade of involvement from Western United Dairies (WUD). According to Paul Sousa, Regulatory and Affairs Director for WUD, the change is generally positive to dairies, since it will allow more time to meet water quality standards. Similar requirements will be rolled out to other groundwater basins in the Central Valley later.

    Additionally, the State Water Board is expected to remand the Central Valley Water Board’s dairy permit. Sousa says that while this will likely bring a new set of challenges, the specifics are not yet known. Updates will come from WUD as the State Water Board releases the updated information, but Sousa added that dairies will likely have an opportunity to anticipate changes and to make and find the needed funding, as these changes often take years, and there will often be timelines for meeting the goals of the revised order.

    “Both processes will result in changes to how dairies are regulated,” Sousa wrote. “While some of these changes may present challenges, others offer added flexibility, and there are resources available to help dairies prepare.”

    One opportunity Sousa pointed to is the Dairy Plus Program, which is expected to release applications for its final round of funding this summer. More information can be found on Dairy Plus at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/dairyplus/.

  • Opportunity to Respond to Petitions for Reconsideration of Water Quality Certification for McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project

    On March 13, 2026, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued a Notice of Opportunity to Respond to Petitions for Reconsideration of Water Quality Certification for McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project (Notice).

    The Notice includes information to access copies of the petition for reconsideration and associated documents.  Any party or person wishing to file a response to the petition with the State Water Board must do so by 4:00 PM on April 3, 2026, as directed in the Notice.

    The Notice and water quality certification are available on the State Water Board’s McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project webpage at:

    https://waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/water_quality_cert/mccloudpit_ferc2106.html

    If you have questions regarding the Notice, please contact Savannah Downey by email at Savannah.Downey@waterboards.ca.gov.

    To receive emails related to the Notice and other projects pursuing certifications managed by the State Water Board’s Division of Water Rights, interested persons should enroll in the “Water Rights Water Quality Certification” email notification service.  Instructions on how to sign up for the State Water Board’s email notification service are outlined below:

    1. Visit: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/swrcb_subscribe.shtml#rights
    2. Provide your email in the required field, then click the “Submit” button.
    3. In the next page, below Subscription Topics, select “Water Rights”, then “Water Rights Water Quality Certification.”
    4. Click the “Submit” button.
    5. An email will be sent to you. You must respond to the email message to confirm your membership on the selected Subscription Topic(s).

    By enrolling in this email notification service, you will receive notices for other current projects overseen by the Division of Water Rights’ Water Quality Certification Program.  You can enroll or un-enroll from the email subscription service at any time. — By the CWB State Water Resources Control Board

  • Farmer Member on CA Water Resources Control Board Urges Farmers

    Although the California Water Resources Control Board may not be terribly popular amidst local farming communities due to recent actions that have not been in the best interests of agriculture, what you may not know is that there are farmers that sit on this board, including Dorene D’Adamo.  Watch this brief interview with Dorene as she explains that it will take much more that a couple farming board members to make a difference in water issues today.  Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.