About the East San Joaquin Water Quality Framework

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The Framework is a voluntary association of local agencies and groups that have an interest in water quality issues in the San Joaquin River Watershed, in particular the eastside tributaries (View the San Joaquin River Watershed). Together, the members are working to coordinate water quality monitoring and the implementation of best management practices under the California Bay-Delta Authority, the State Water Resources Control Board and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.

A Discharger is any person who releases waste that could affect the quality of waters of the State. “Persons” may include individuals, corporations, cities and special districts. A Discharger can be the owner of property, a tenant farmer, or an entity that controls irrigation water supply and discharges. If you own or operate irrigated lands, or if you manage irrigation water supply, and water drains from your property, you are a Discharger and must be covered by the Irrigated Lands Conditional Waiver or by Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) to comply with the CWC.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is the maximum amount of pollution that a waterbody can assimilate without violating state water quality standards

The group also works to help fulfill the Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands (Ag Waiver) (what’s this?) and provide information to support the development of appropriate Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) (what’s this?)

Framework Goals

  • Support compliance with the Ag Waiver
  • Support data collection and implementation activities for existing TMDL projects
  • Provide for development of data on potential water quality problem areas
  • Provide information to begin to differentiate among pollutant sources (agriculture, urban, dairies, etc.) and to focus future monitoring efforts
  • Provide data on the effectiveness of the management practices and other control actions implemented in the Framework area of the San Joaquin Watershed

Framework Members and Organization
The decision-making body of the Framework is the Water Quality Management Committee, which includes members from the San Joaquin River Group Authority and each of the five irrigation districts in the Framework area: Modesto Irrigation District, Oakdale Irrigation District, South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District and Merced Irrigation District.

Local Water Quality Coalitions are groups of dischargers who are approved by the RWQCB to combine resources and comply with an Irrigated Lands Conditional Waiver

The working body of the Framework is the Water Quality Technical Committee, which, in addition to members from the five irrigation districts, also includes members who represent the Regional Water Quality Control Board , cities in the Framework area, UC Davis and local Water Quality Coalitions (what’s this?)

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