Dixon/Solano RCD Water Quality Coalition Overview
In early 2002, the District became aware of the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s plan to adopt a Conditional Waiver for Irrigated lands. Once the Regional Board adopted the Conditional Waiver the Dixon RCD Board surveyed the landowners within the District and determined that a majority of them wanted the District to provide assistance in complying with this new regulation. As a result, the District established a program to provide assistance.
Upon further review, it was determined that the most efficient and cost-effective way to serve the landowners in the District would be to partner with others. The District first approached Solano RCD to see if they wanted to partner with the Dixon RCD to serve the portion of Solano County subject to the Central Valley Regional Water Control Boards Conditional Waiver now referred to as the WDR- Waste Discharge Requirements or "Order". In 2003, the two Districts formed the Dixon/Solano RCD Water Quality Coalition and started to enroll landowners in the water quality program. During the first enrollment period, we enrolled approximately 85% of the irrigated lands in Solano County (Region 5). This program funded one monitoring site for Solano County in 2004 and 2005. Today, we have approximately 98% of the eligible irrigated acres enrolled in the program and two monitoring sites that are monitored regularly to determine compliance with Regional Board water quality limits with one special project monitoring site used, as needed.
The two Districts partner with the Northern California Water Agency’s efforts and are signatories to the Sacramento Valley Water Quality Coalition - SVWQC. (Click button below to learn more about the SVWQC.) The Sac-Valley Water Quality Coalition serves as the central partner of the 12 sub-watersheds in Northern California. As part of this partnership, both Dixon and Solano RCDs contribute significantly to the operation of the larger coalition. Our contributions include local expertise, reporting, management, local implementation, etc. In return, we have gained expertise from experts throughout the region and have achieved a large economy of scale that has reduced the burden on individual landowners.
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The Dixon RCD manages a separate fund for the Dixon/Solano RCD Water Quality Coalition. All landowner enrollment fees are deposited into this fund. These fees are used to pay for the monitoring and to pay for a portion of the Sacramento Water Quality Coalitions cost. Both the Dixon and Solano RCDs provide service to the local coalition as contractors and are reimbursed for the cost of providing the service.
Over the last fifteen years, our local monitoring results have had relatively few recurring high-priority issues. For the few issues we have had we have worked with our members to address them through the implementation of Management Plans.
The Districts and our members are currently partnering with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Please contact Martha McKeen at (707) 678-1655 x103 with questions.