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Weekly Update

April 4, 2008

Welcome to the sixth edition of the Weekly Update, a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES). Our goal is to provide you with the latest information about WUES and how our organization can help you with your environmental challenges. All previous Updates can be found on our web site in the News section.

CALENDAR OF MONTHLY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

APRIL

 

1st of the month

Photograph ponds

Each Week

Visual inspection (production and waste storage areas; ponds)

Significant storm event

Visual inspections (storm water containment structures)

First manure application

Volume/density OR weight/moisture, general minerals, other lab analyses 

Other manure application

Volume/density OR weight/moisture

Manure Exports

Measure volume/density OR weight/moisture (may require lab analyses)

Harvest

Yield, lab analyses

Additional nitrogen application

Lab analyses of plant tissue for total nitrogen

Irrigation event

Volume, source, date

Manure/process wastewater discharge

Date, time, volume, duration, location, source, destination, field measurements & lab analyses; report to RB5 within 24hrs

Tail water discharge

Date, time, volume, duration, location, source, destination, field measurements & lab analyses

Hot Topics

            Management Plan, contact your Environmental Technician to do so.  By starting 

            these maps early, it will help answer a lot of the questions that will be asked later on   

through the process.

 

   Time is running out and it is important to attend the CDQAP’s WDR workshops, even if you are having a consultant do the work for you.  As a producer, you need to know what is going on with your dairy.

Next week is the last week to attend!!!

Bring your CDQAP binder to class.

  WDR SPRING WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Kings County Wednesday, April 16, 1:30-4:30 County Extension, 680 N. Campus Drive, Hanford

Merced County Thursday, April 17, 9:30-12:30 County Extension, 2145 W. Wardrobe Avenue, Merced

The spring workshops will help producers understand how to meet the next round of requirements, including:

  By July 1, producers must submit their first annual report, which includes:

* An updated Dairy Facility Assessment (an update to the PDFA submitted in December)

* Calendar 2007 manure tracking manifests, and

* Well and tile drain testing results and results from any 2007 discharge testing.

Dairy producers also need to complete the first stage of their nutrient management plan, including:

* Identifying their land application area (updated, more detailed maps),

* Soil, water and plant tissue testing results,

* Process wastewater written agreements and operators must submit a “statement of completion”

   regarding the above.

Producers are also required to finish the first stage of their waste management plan as follows:

* Updated map,

* Operation and maintenance plan,

* Identification of backflow problems,

* Proposed interim facility modifications for water storage balance, and

* Proposed interim facility modification for nitrogen balance.

WUES can help you with…

Most tasks in complying with the WDR you can do on your own, and we encourage you to do as much as you feel comfortable with.  We are happy to “walk through” tasks with you the first few times until you are comfortable with doing them on your own.  Our Environmental Technicians are available to help you with any or all tasks, and everything in between.  Our purpose is to provide quality service to our clients in complying with the WDR, while saving you money in the process.

To receive more information on WUES please contact your WUES Environmental Technician or WUES Office: