The Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands (aka The Conditional Ag Waiver) was adopted on the Central Coast by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) on July 9, 2004.

What is the Conditional Ag Waiver?

It is a regulation imposed by the Central Coast Water Quality Control Board  (RWQCB), a state regulatory agency, to regulate waste discharges from irrigated lands. The Conditional Ag Waiver waives grower “Waste Discharge Requirements” which are essentially individual discharge permits. Instead of requiring permits, growers are asked to work to ensure that discharges do not cause or contribute to water quality impairment by implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs). Water quality improvements will be monitored through watershed large-scale water monitoring and individual farm water discharge monitoring.

What is a discharge?

Any release of waste such as fertilizer, pesticide or sediment from: surface water (through irrigation return flows or tailwater), subsurface water (through tile drains), storm water runoff or percolation to groundwater.

What does the Conditional Ag Waiver regulate?

Waste discharges moving off of irrigated lands grown for producing commercial crops, including but not limited to, land planted to row, vineyard, field and tree crops, commercial nurseries, nursery stock production and greenhouse operations with permeable floors.

What is NOT regulated?

Greenhouses with impervious floors already regulated under point-source regulations, rangeland, dryland farming and irrigated pastures.

Who is responsible under the Conditional Ag Waiver?

Both the land owner and the farm operator.

What is a grower required to do?

1. File an Notice of Intent (NOI) to Enroll in the Conditional Waiver by January 1, 2005
2. Attend 15 hours of RWQCB approved Continuing Education hours over the course of the Waiver
3. Complete a Farm Water Quality Plan
4. Implement Best Management Practices as outlined in the Farm Plan
5. Participate in an individual or the Cooperative Monitoring program

What should a Grower know about Enrollment?

He must enroll by January 1, 2005. He will be able to enroll on-line or by hard copy. He is required to: 1) Submit an Application Form 2) Submit a Management Practice Checklist 3) Submit certifications of RWQCB Certified Continuing Education, if he has attended courses 4) Submit a statement of Farm Plan completion, if completed and 5) Choose cooperative monitoring or individual monitoring. If a grower has completed all of the requirements as listed above, he has a Tier I Waiver. If he is in the process of completing all requirements, he has a Tier II Waiver. Once he has completed all five requirements above, he can amend his NOI to Enroll, and his Waiver will be upgraded from Tier II to Tier I.

How can CCVT help me qualify for the Conditional Ag Waiver?

1. Completing the PPS™ and the Future Plans Form qualifies as your Farm Plan
2. Attending CCVT Tailgate Meetings and Annual Educational Events and completing the PPS™ qualify for Continuing Education Credits 

USEFUL LINKS

• Positive Point System - Hard Copy or On Line
• Future Plans Form (pdf) and Sample Form (pdf)
• How CCVT Can Help with the Waiver (pdf)
• Enrollment Information (including some on-line info)
• Enrollment Application adn Management Practice Checklist
• Conditional Ag Waiver Q & A
• Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc. 
• Spanish Language Ag Waiver Enrollment (pdf)
• Official website for the Conditional Waivers of Waste Discharge Requirements for Irrigated Lands