February 27, 2009

Welcome to Weekly Update, a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES), designed to bring you valuable information and helpful tips for compliance with the waste discharge requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. We strive to provide your dairy with quality service, while at the same time saving you money as you face the challenges of compliance. Each week you will find features on compliance issues, regulatory changes or common questions, as well as workshop notices and introductions to the WUES technicians. If you have missed any of our past issues, they can be found on our website at www.wuenvironmental.com

Western United Dairymen Convention

We will not be publishing the Weekly Update next week, because we will be spending most of the week at the Western United Dairymen's Annual Convention at the Doubletree Hotel  in Rohnert Park, CA. Join us March 4 – 6 for workshops, an industry trade show, presentations and special keynote speakers. Wednesday morning WUD and WUES staff will be joining the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to talk about how to prepare for a WDR inspection. Wednesday afternoon WUES staff will be presenting “The 411 on Western United Environmental Services.” Our technicians will be on hand to answer questions about WUES services and WDR compliance, so bring your questions and stop by the booth. Other workshops on Wednesday will include labor issues, best management practices, regulatory compliance and environmental quality. Thursday will feature former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown as the keynote speaker at lunch, and humorist Sam Glenn at the evening banquet Registration, hotel reservations and convention schedule information can all be found at http://westernuniteddairymen.com/content/view/39/41/.

Water woes continue to plague state – Federal officials announced today that they may not be able to provide the agricultural water supply to more than 200 water districts in the Central Valley for the upcoming growing season "unless things begin to improve."

It marks the first time in 17 years that the Federal Bureau of Reclamation has announced that it does not have enough water to fulfill its agricultural contracts to parts of the Central Valley, including about 3 million acres of farmland typically irrigated by the agency. In addition to 1992, the agency also announced a zero-percent supply for agriculture in 1977. In both 1992 and 1977, the water supply eventually increased to 25% of the contracts, agency spokesperson Lynnette Wirth said.

"This year is on the heels of two previous critically dry years, and this is the third year in a row," Wirth said, adding that the zero-percent projection affects only the agency's agricultural service contractors. Today's announcement was the agency's initial water allocation projection for 2009, and Wirth said officials were hopeful the allocations could be increased if there is more precipitation. <more> February 20, 2009 Los Angeles Times

Sustainable conservation newsletter available – The Spring 2009 issue of California Tillage, the quarterly newsletter produced by Sustainable Conservation, is now available for download from their web page, at http://www.suscon.org/conservationtillage/index.php. This issue features the Tillage Farmer Innovation Award, and dairyman Tom Barcellos talking about conservation tillage myths and facts.

Spring calendar in effect – The spring calendar for monitoring and sampling activities is now in effect. As we move into the irrigation season, remember to measure and sample your water and manure applications as required, as well as monitoring and sampling any tail-water discharges.

CALENDAR OF MONTHLY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

MARCH

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