Weekly Update

July 3, 2008

Weekly Update is a publication written by the staff at Western United Environmental Services (WUES) to show you how our organization can assist you with your environmental challenges. Each week you will receive valuable information and helpful tips from the team at WUES. Our purpose is to help you comply with the Waste Discharge Requirements from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. If you missed any of our publications, you can find them in the “news” section of our website at www.wuenvironmental.com.

July Update Complete

The first Annual Update deadline has come and gone, and we are pleased to announce that WUES completed 345 packets on time! The past few weeks have been increasingly hectic as the deadline approached, but the staff at both WUES and WUD did a tremendous job in pulling it all together on time. A hearty Thank You goes to all the technicians and support staff for their hard work and dedication.

CEO Michael Marsh was ecstatic about the accomplishment. The WUES staff showed the cost efficiency of the fee-for-service organization, noted Marsh. “One of the other really great things for producers who signed up early, if they are Western United members they also got a significant discount on the total cost for putting all these reports together. The WUES costs are going to average around somewhere between $4,000 per farm for all of the reporting we did but the monthly fee is only about $200 per month. That compares in the marketplace to companies charging from $12,000 to $24,000 for the same thing we are able to do for only $3,000 to $4,000. That shows how well prepared and well trained our team was.”

CEO Michael Marsh discusses WUES' success in meeting July 1 deadline (1:27 MP3 file)

 

 

Ongoing Monitoring Activities

With the July 1 update behind us, the emphasis now shifts to ongoing monitoring activities. A sample calendar of monthly monitoring activities, printed on yellow-green paper, is included in the CDQAP General Order Reference Binder, as well as an ongoing to-do list printed on orange paper. Some of these activities are monthly, some quarterly or seasonal, and some are event driven. The details are provided in the CDQAP binder, and can be accessed via the Internet at www.cdqa.org/wdr/binder.htm. Tables for the Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP) can be found on the Central Valley Water Board website at www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/board_decisions/adopted_orders/general_orders/r5-2007-0035.pdf.  As always, WUES staff is here to assist you with any questions you may have or to take care of monitoring requirements.  The list below is a reminder of some of the required activities.

•       Visual Inspections of Production Areas & Land Application Areas (MRP Table 1, Tab 6)

•       Tracking solid and liquid manure applications, lab analysis (MRP Table 2, Tab 6)

•       Manure Tracking Manifests for exported manure (Tab 6, Appendix D)

continued on back page

•       Harvested plant tissue lab analysis (MRP Table 2, Tab 6)

•       Soil sampling and lab analysis

•       Source Well/Tile Drain and Irrigation Water Sampling (MRP Table 4, Tab 5)

•       Tailwater Monitoring (MRP Table 3)

Managing Downer Cattle Seminar July 9 in Tulare

Proper euthanasia techniques for on-farm cattle and calves will be taught at a July 9 seminar in Tulare. The no-cost session at the UC Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center is targeted at dairy producers, farm staff, veterinarians, Registered Veterinary Technicians, and auction and sales yard personnel. Featured topics are euthanasia indications and methods, and a new practical system for the handling and care of downer cattle. The session runs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch is provided and pre-registration is suggested. More information is available from Carolyn Stull at (530) 752-0855 or Delaina Matz at (530) 752-6630.

 

CALENDAR OF MONTHLY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

JULY

 

 

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

• Phone (209) 238-3818
• Fax (209) 238-3808
• Email: info@wuenvironmental.com
• www.wuenvironmental.com