The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2012-13

MEASUREMENTS  - Data Last Updated on: 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

Dairies are concentrated mostly in the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (R5). The size of the facilities, measured by the number of animals in each facility varies significantly. The Regional Water Boards may regulate waste discharges from CAFs by issuing or conditionally waiving Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs), as well as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits where the discharge is to waters of the U.S. The dairies regulated in R8 are under a general NPDES permit (R8-2007-0001). In R1 Dairies are regulated with an NPDES permit, Waste Discharge Requirements, and a Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Wastes generated at CAFs can adversely impact the quality and beneficial uses of waters. There are a wide variety of CAFs that are regulated by the Regional Water Boards. The most well-known are dairies, with the Central Valley Regional Water Board (Region 5) regulating approximately 90% of the dairies in the state. Other types of operations that are regulated by the Regional Water Boards include poultry, swine, equestrian, and veal calf operations. Several Regional Water Boards are evaluating increased regulation of CAFs. In addition to issuing permits, the Regional Water Boards are responsible for conducting inspections, and issuing enforcement actions against both regulated and non-regulated CAFs.

Over the past several years, sectors of animal feeding operations have rapidly and profoundly changed in response to the current economic climate. Approximately 100 dairy operations in the Central Valley region have gone out of business over the past two years, with many of them converting to heifer ranches. Inspections are the primary tool to ensure compliance with waste discharge requirements or waivers of waste discharge requirements.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data Source: CIWQS. Period: July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. Extracted: July 30, 2013.
• Unit of Measure: Number of regulated dairies and other confined animal facilities under the NPDES and WDR programs.
• References: SWRCB CAFO program site
  R5 CAFO program
  R8 Dairy program
  R1 Dairy and CAFO program
  Additional information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Final CAFO Rule

GLOSSARY

CAF

(Confined Animal Facility) is defined in California regulations as "any place where cattle, calves, sheep, swine, horses, mules, goats, fowl, or other domestic animals are corralled, penned, tethered, or otherwise enclosed or held and where feeding is by means other than grazing."s

Dairy

An establishment for processing or selling milk and milk products.

( Page last updated:  9/17/13 )