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Confined Animal Facilities

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  • Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035 for Existing Milk Cow Dairies Responses to questions regarding this General Order, which was adopted on 3 May 2007. New editions will be periodically added. For more information, contact Charlene Herbst at (916) 464-4724 or by email at cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Waste Management Plan Software
    Software to complete the Waste Management Plan (WMP), which is required by Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035 for Existing Milk Cow Dairies is available at http://www.co.merced.ca.us/EnvironmentalHealthWM. The software was developed with a grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board, Agreement #05-095-550-0. Users will need Adobe PDF Reader software to view the report outputs and an e-mail address. In order to access the program you must log-in using your existing password that was used for your entering information into the PDFA. Once you have entered the site Home page go to the Waste Management Plan section to begin entering information into the program. Once in to the WMP program you can choose to import the information entered from the PDFA into the WMP software; however, you will only have one opportunity to do this. If you choose not to import this information, the PDFA information will need to be entered again. Please read each page completely before entering data or text. Instructional lines are red text on user entry screens. Questions and comments may be directed to Charlene Herbst in the Rancho Cordova office at (916) 464-4724 or cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov, David Sholes in the Fresno office at (559) 445-6279 or dsholes@waterboards.ca.gov, or Kevin Kratzke in the Redding office at (530) 224-4850 or kkratzke@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • 2007 Annual Report
    A form is available to complete the 2007 Annual Report, which is required by Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035 for Existing Milk Cow Dairies is available at http://www.co.merced.ca.us/EnvironmentalHealthWM. The form can be found on the main Home Page. Users will need Microsoft Excel in order to open and enter information into the Annual Report form. The form should be filled out and a printed version mailed to the Regional Board no later than 1 July 2008. Questions and comments may be directed to Charlene Herbst in the Rancho Cordova office at (916) 464-4724 or cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov, David Sholes in the Fresno office at (559) 445-6279 or dsholes@waterboards.ca.gov, or Kevin Kratzke in the Redding office at (530) 224-4850 or kkratzke@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Approved Sampling Procedures for Nutrient and Groundwater Monitoring at Milk Cow Dairies-revised 21 February 2008, 40 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
    Monitoring and Reporting Program No. R5-2007-0035 (MRP) requires existing milk cow dairies to conduct nutrient and groundwater monitoirng. The MRP does not identify complete sampling procedures to be followed for this monitoring. The sampling and analytical procedures listed above for nutrients (process wastewater, manure, plant tissue, soil, and irrigation water) and groundwater are approved methods. Questions and comments may be directed to Charlene Herbst in the Rancho Cordova office at (916) 464-4724 or cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov, or David Sholes in the Fresno office at (559) 445-6279 or dsholes@waterboards.ca.gov, or Kevin Kratzke in the Redding office at (530) 224-4850 or kkratzke@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Dairy Forms
    The following forms are provided to meet the requirements of Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035 for Existing Milk Cow Dairies (General Order). The forms may also be useful for dairies operating under individual waste discharge requirements. Questions and comments may be directed to Charlene Herbst in the Rancho Cordova office at (916) 464-4724 or cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov, or David Sholes in the Fresno office at (559) 445-6279 or dsholes@waterboards.ca.gov, or Kevin Kratzke in the Redding office at (530) 224-4850 or kkratzke@waterboards.ca.gov.
    • Statements of Completion, 105 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to submit Statements of Completion for each element of the Nutrient Management Plan (NMP). A Statement of Completion for Items I.A.1 (Land Application Area Information), I.B (Land Application Area Information), I.C (Land Application Area Information), I.D (Land Application Area Information), II (Sampling and Analysis Plan), IV (Setbacks, Buffers, and Other Alternatives to Protect Surface Water) and VI (Record-Keeping Requirements) of the NMP is due by 1 July 2008. A Statement of Completion for Item V (Field Risk Assessment) of the NMP is due by 31 December 2008. A Statement of Completion for Items I.A.2 (Land Application Area Information), III (Nutrient Budget), and VII (Nutrient Management Plan Review) of the NMP is due by 1 July 2009. The form above may be used to meet this requirement.
    • Priority Reporting of Significant Events, 131 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to submit a written report to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board within two weeks of becoming aware of a significant event (any noncompliance with the General Order that endangers human health or the environment, or any noncompliance with Prohibitions A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, A.5, A.8, A.9, A.10, A.11, or A.12 of the General Order). The form above may be used for the required written report.
    • Documenting Backflow Prevention, 82 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to: identify cross-connections that would allow the backflow of wastewater into a water supply well, irrigation well, or surface water and propose and schedule corrective actions to prevent such backflow by 1 July 2008; and document there are no cross-connections that would allow such backflow by 1 July 2009. The form above may be used to meet this requirement.
    • Proposing and Documenting Interim Modifications to Balance Nitrogen and/or Improve Storage Capacity, 91 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to propose Interim Facility Modifications as Necessary to Balance Nitrogen and/or Improve Storage Capacity by 1 July 2008 based on the results of the Preliminary Dairy Facility Assessment and to document completion of any proposed Interim Facility Modifications by 1 July 2009. The form above may be used to meet this requirement.
    • Third Party Process Wastewater Agreement, 27 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to have a written agreement with each third party that receives process wastewater from the dairy owner/operator for its own use. All written agreements are to be included in the dairy's Existing Conditions Report, which is due by 31 December 2007, and copies of all written agreements must be included in the dairy owner's/operator's Annual Report. The form above provides all of the information required by the General Order to be included in the written agreement and may be used to meet this requirement.
    • Transfer of Owner/Operator Coverage under Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035, 82 KB, PDF (PDF Info)
      The General Order requires dairy owners/operators to give 60 days notice to (1) the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board of any planned changes in ownership or control of the dairy and (2) the new owner/operator of the existence of the General Order. The General Order also requires the new owner/operator to submit a written request to the Executive Officer to transfer coverage under the General Order before assuming operation of the dairy. New dairy owners/operators are required to complete and submit the form above. Current owners/operators are encouraged to use the form above to meet the notification requirements of the General Order.

  • Existing Conditions Report and Preliminary Dairy Facility Assessment Software
    Software to complete the Existing Conditions Report and Preliminary Dairy Facility Assessment, which is required by Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2007-0035 for Existing Milk Cow Dairies and which is due by December 31, 2007, is available at http://www.co.merced.ca.us/environmentalhealthwm/. The software was developed with a grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board, Agreement #05-095-550-0. Users will need Adobe PDF Reader software to view the report outputs and an e-mail address. Once connected to the site you must visit the REGISTRATION PAGE to obtain a login and password that will be sent to you via e-mail. A single login and password pair is valid for only one facility. You may request and obtain numerous login/password pairs (as needed). Please read each page completely before entering data or text. Instructional lines are red text on user entry screens. Once you have entered the site Home page go to the Preliminary Dairy Facility Assessment (PDFA) section for further supporting documentation (Information and Computations Documentation). Questions and comments may be directed to Charlene Herbst in the Rancho Cordova office at (916) 464-2724 or cherbst@waterboards.ca.gov, David Sholes in the Fresno office at (559) 445-6279 or dsholes@waterboards.ca.gov, or Kevin Kratzky in the Redding office at (530) 224-4850 or kkratzke@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Existing Milk Cow Dairies, Waste Discharge Requirements General Order
    Adopted by the Central Valley Water Board on 3 May 2007. For additional information, contact Polly Lowry at (916) 464-4601 or by email at plowry@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Managing Dairy Manure in the Central Valley of California, 1.89 MB*, PDF (PDF info)
    A report by the University of California Committee of Experts (formerly Committee of Consultants) under contract with the State Water Resources Control Board, which evaluates: dairy cow nitrogen and salt excretion rates; the distribution of solid and liquid manure at dairies; manure nitrogen losses after excretion; the appropriateness of using the Western Fertilizer Handbook to determine crop nitrogen requirements; potassium and phosphorus crop requirements; and reasonable salt loading rates to cropland. For additional information, contact Polly Lowry at (916) 464-4601 or by email at plowry@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Review of Animal Waste Regulations
    Three reports completed by Brown, Vence, and Associates for San Jose State University Foundation, under contract with State Water Resources Control Board, which provide: a review of the effectiveness of Title 27 of the California Code of Regulations to protect groundwater quality from confined animal facility waste discharges; a comparison of regulations designed to protect groundwater quality from releases at confined animal facilities; and an evaluation of alternative criteria to protect groundwater quality from releases at confined animal facilities. For additional information, contact Polly Lowry at (916) 464-4601 or by email at plowry@waterboards.ca.gov.

  • Confined Animal Facility Regulations, 64 KB, PDF (PDF info)
    Statewide water quality regulations applicable to dairies, feedlots and other confined animal facilities.
  • Annual Storm Water Report Form for Feedlots, 64 KB, PDF (PDF info)
    This report form is designed for use by facilities in the feedlot category that have submitted a Notice of Intent to comply with the General Permit for Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities (General Permit) and that qualify for a reduced monitoring program because the facility is operated in compliance with state water quality regulations for confined animal facilities (see above).
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--Web page updated 05/06/2008