Contra Costa County Grower!!! Important Information

Over the past year several violations have been issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for growers in delta area of Contra Costa County for excessive sediment in irrigation runoff into waterways.  The regional board has issued a letter for all the growers in the area that drains in and around Brentwood and the Discovery Bay.  Click here to see the letter. 

Here is a UC Extension pamphlet that contains some good information on sediment control.  It discusses pesticides movement in sediment and management practices to prevent sediment from leaving the field.  UC Publication

Here is another publication on sediment pond design published by CURES. Sediment Pond Design

Best Management Practices Links - This page has links to many different sites that provide information on how to address many water quality issues and which practices farmers and ranchers can employ to improve water quality. 

Prohibited Discharge Pesticides

Many within the agricultural community might not realize there are certain pesticides that the Regional Water Quality Control Board have listed as Prohibited Discharge Pesticides.  Some of these pesticides are commonly used without use restrictions.  These products include Carbofuron (Furdan), Malathion, Molinate (Ordram), Methyl parathion (Parathion),and Thiobencarb (Bolero). 

It is important for the agriculture community to prevent any runoff from their property that might contain any of these products.  Anytime the coalitions detects any one of these pesticides it must report to the regional board and take steps to find out the source of the pesticide.  The coalitions will then hold grower meeting to inform growers of proper management practices that need to be implemented to prevent further runoff of these targeted pesticides.