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Information Sheet IS-22 Reissued Waste Discharge Requirements General Order R5-2013-0122 Existing Milk Cow Dairies Both the individual groundwater monitoring provisions and the RMP's monitoring requirements are designed to measure water quality data over time in first-encountered groundwater. An RMP is further required to conduct such monitoring on a variety of dairy farms that represent the overall range of conditions on dairies within the Central Valley. This means for a RMP that a variety of physical site conditions must be monitored, such as varying soil types and depth to groundwater. Varying management conditions must also be measured, such as different types of crops, irrigation methods, waste storage structures and animal housing. It is recognized that in many cases, a single set of groundwater monitoring data, or even monitoring data over a period of months or years, may not be sufficient to determine the effectiveness of existing management practices. Evaluating groundwater results over an extended period of time, in conjunction with gathering data regarding existing surface practices, is necessary to determine whether water quality is being protected or is being unreasonably impacted. Waters that are Not High Quality: The "Best Efforts"Approach When a receiving water body quality exceeds or just meets the applicable water quality objective due to naturally-occurring conditions or due to prior Board-authorized activities, it is not considered a high-quality water, and it is not subject to the requirements of the State Anti- Degradation Policy. However, where a groundwater constituent exceeds or just meets the applicable water quality objective, the Board must set limitations no higher than the objectives set forth in the Basin Plan. This rule may be relaxed if the Board can show that"a higher discharge limitation is appropriate due to system mixing or removal of the constituent through percolation through the ground to the aquifer." (State Water Board Order No. WQ 81-5.) However, the Board should set limitations that are more stringent than applicable water quality objectives if the more stringent limitations can be met through the use of"best efforts." (State Water Board Order No. WQ 81-5.)(City of Lompoc) The "best efforts" approach involves the establishment of requirements that require the implementation of reasonable control measures. Factors which are to be analyzed under the "best efforts" approach include the water quality achieved by other similarly situated dischargers, the good faith efforts of the discharger to limit the discharge of the constituent, and the measures necessary to achieve compliance. (City of Lompoc, at p. 7.) The State Water Board has applied the "best efforts" factors in interpreting BPTC. (see State Water Board Order Nos. WQ 79-14 and WQ 2000-07.) In summary, the Board may establish requirements more stringent than applicable water quality objectives even outside the context of the State Anti-Degradation Policy. The "best efforts" approach must be taken where a water body is not "high quality" and the antidegradation policies are accordingly not triggered. California Environmental Quality Act The Central Valley Water Board adopted a Negative Declaration in 1982 concurrent with the adoption of Resolution 82-036, which waived waste discharge requirements for milk cow dairies. The adoption of the Dairy General Order, which prescribes regulatory requirements for existing