ARCD TAKES OVER PROGRAM FOR AG IRRIGATORS

At their meeting on July 15 the Board of Directors of the Amador Resource Conservation District (ARCD) voted to take responsibility for local administration of the Sacramento Valley Water Quality Coalition (Coalition). The Coalition is a group program which allows agricultural irrigators an effective and inexpensive option to comply with new requirements ordered by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The California Farm Bureau has estimated that individual compliance would entail an initial cost of $3,000-$6,000 plus yearly costs of $7,000-$14,000 for a farm of 200 acres or less. Group compliance, through the Coalition, is expected to cost irrigators $1.00-$2.00 per irrigated acre per year.
Agricultural Commissioner Mike Boitano has been acting as the local administrator for the Coalition but he informed the ARCD that he is unable to collect fees from irrigators and would prefer that some other local entity take responsibility in Amador County. Board President Steve Cannon commented that “the Board felt that working with the Coalition is consistent with the ARCD mission to promote conservation practices. We want to help protect the water resource and at the same time save landowners some money.”
The ARCD and the Agricultural Commissioner are holding informational workshops for irrigators on Monday, July 19 at the Shenandoah Schoolhouse and Tuesday July 20 at the Jackson Valley Irrigation District office. Both workshops will start at 7:00 pm. Irrigators will be out of compliance with the new requirements if they have not joined the Coalition by July 22. For more information contact ARCD Director Dan Port at 274-4351 or dport@volcano.net.
In other business Board President Cannon reported that a letter has been received from Sara Lowry with proof of enrollment at California State University Humboldt. Sara is the recipient of the Dick Mangum Memorial Scholarship offered by the ARCD to a college student who intends to study natural resource science. The Board also voted to apply for voting membership in the Central Sierra Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Directors

Steve Cannon, President
Lola Blevins, Vice Pres
Dan Port, Treasurer
Carole Marz

Associate Directors

Robert Long, Sutter Creek
Donald Jardine, Supervisor, Alpine Co.
Mario Biagi, Supervisor Amador Co

NRCS Partners
Amy Rocha
Diana Waller
Mike Grinstead