STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD

REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS

And

Federal Clean Water Act Section 319

Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant Program

Program Guidelines

August 2004

ACRONYMS USED IN THESE GUIDELINES AND APPENDICES

AWQGPAgriculture Water Quality Grant Program

BIFSBiologically Integrated Farming Systems

CCCCalifornia Coastal Commission

CALFEDCalifornia Bay-Delta Authority

CEQACalifornia Environmental Quality Act

CWAFederal Clean Water Act

DFADivision of Financial Assistance

EPA/USEPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FFYFederal Fiscal Year

GISGeographic Information System

IPMIntegrated Pest Management

MHIMedian Household Income

MMManagement Measures

MNDMitigated Negative Declaration

MRPMonitoring and Reporting Program

ND/ISNegative Declaration and Initial Study

NEPANational Environmental Policy Act

NODNotice of Determination

NOPNotice of Preparation

NPDESNational Pollution Discharge Elimination System

NPSNonpoint Source

QAPPQuality Assurance Project Plan

RWQCBRegional Water Quality Control Board

SCH#State Clearing House number

SWAMPSurface Water Ambient Monitoring Program

SWRCBState Water Resources Control Board

TMDLTotal Maximum Daily Load

U.S.C.United States Code

USEPAUnited States Environmental Protection Agency

WMIWatershed Management Initiative

Table of Contents

I.Purpose

II.Introduction......

A.AWQGP and Section 319 Funding Distribution

B.Funding Priorities

C.Project Solicitation and Selection Process

D.Project Timeframes

III.Program Requirements

A.Eligible Grant Recipients

B.Eligible Project Types

C.Maximum Grant Amount

D.Minimum Match Requirements

IV.Proposal Contents......

A.Project Title and Summary

B.Water Quality Protection

C.Environmental Compliance

D.Project Description

E.Work to Be Performed

F.Project Effectiveness (Including Monitoring and Assessment)

G.Submittal List and Schedule......

H.Education, Outreach, Community Involvement and Acceptance

I.Costs and Financial Feasibility

J.Readiness to Proceed

K.Qualifications of Applicant and Partners

L.Disadvantaged Communities

M.Appendices

V.Project Evaluation

Table V.A – Completeness and Eligibility Determination

Table V.B – Point System for Implementation Projects

Table V.C– Point System for Project Planning Monitoring Projects

VI.Funding Process

A.Proposal Submittal

B.Eligibility Review

C.Funding Priority Review

D.SWRCB Workshop and Meeting

E.Funding Agreement Management

F.Project Administration

G.Timeframes for Project Duration

Appendix A – Glossary of Terms

Appendix B - Required Elements for Watershed-Based Plans as per

Appendix C – Agency Contacts and Watershed Management Initiative Websites

Appendix D – List of Management Measures and Management Practices

Appendix E – CEQA Requirements

Appendix F – Disadvantaged Communities

Adopted August 26, 2004

I.Purpose

The Agricultural Water Quality Grant Program (AWQGP) will provide grants to eligible recipients for projects that reduce or eliminate the discharge of polluted runoff from irrigated agricultural lands. The funding sources for the AWQGP include State bond monies and Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319 (Section 319) funds. Projects that address Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution from sources other than irrigated agriculture are also eligible for Section 319 funds.

These guidelines establish the process the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) will use to administer the AWQGP and Section 319 funds. The guidelines do not include a Request for Proposals. The SWRCB will solicit projects by issuing a Solicitation Notice following adoption of these guidelines.

An interagency work group, comprised of staff from the SWRCB, Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) and agricultural agencies developed these guidelines. Scoping workshops were held in three locations early in the program development process to obtain stakeholder input into the guidelines.

II.Introduction

The SWRCB provides funding through a variety of programs to control NPS pollution. NPS pollution, also known as polluted runoff, is the leading cause of water quality impairments in California and the nation. Agriculture is a leading contributor of NPS pollution in California. RWQCBs’ programs to regulate discharges from irrigated agricultural lands have provided increased information regarding the extent and magnitude of water quality problems associated with irrigated agricultural lands. The AWQGP provides funding to define and address water quality problems from irrigated agricultural lands. Funding for the AWQGP is from the State and Federal sources discussed below.

State Proposition 40 and 50:

In March 2002, the voters approved the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002 (Proposition 40) authorizing the issuance of $2.6 billion in bonds. The legislature, through the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act of 2002 (Chapter 727, Statutes of 2002) appropriated $175 million from Proposition 40 to the SWRCB for seven specific programs including $11.4 million for the AWQGP.

In November 2002, the California voters approved the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002 (Proposition 50) authorizing the issuance of $3.4 billion in bonds. The SWRCB has $29.5 million from Proposition 50 for the AWQGP.

Under this program, the SWRCB may award State Proposition 40 and 50 grants to public agencies and non-profit organizations for the purposes of agricultural water quality improvement through monitoring and implementation of nonpoint source pollution management measures and practices.

Federal CWA Section 319:

Under Section 319, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) provides funding to the SWRCB to support implementation of the Plan for California’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program (NPS Program Plan). The SWRCB uses some of the Section 319 funds to provide grants for NPS implementation projects. The SWRCB will use funds available from Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2005 with the AWQGP funds, for projects related to discharge from irrigated agricultural lands. However, projects that address other categories of NPS pollution will also be eligible for Section 319 funds.

A.AWQGP and Section 319 Funding Distribution

AWQGP and Section 319 grants will be provided to eligible applicants to plan and implement projects that reduce the discharge of agricultural pollutants from irrigated lands. Funding available through the AWQGP and Section 319 includes:

  • Proposition 40 - $11.4 million
  • Proposition 50 - $29.5 million
  • CWA Section 319 – approximately $5.5 million

To address California’s need for water quality monitoring to further define and identify the source of water quality problems related to irrigated agriculture, the SWRCB is dedicating the $11.4 million State Proposition 40 funds for such surface water quality monitoring projects. In the AWQGP, this type of monitoring project is referred to as Project Planning Monitoring. Results of the Project Planning Monitoring must be used to develop a plan to implement appropriate management measures to address the identified water quality problem.

The Proposition 50 and Section 319 monies will be used to fund implementation projects that demonstrate immediate and long-term improvements to surface water quality. Section 319 funds must be used for projects implementing established Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) or TMDLs that are under development. Monitoring associated with implementation projects will be identified and funded as part of the project and will not compete for Project Planning Monitoring funds.

B.Funding Priorities

AWQGP and Section 319 funding priority will be given to projects that:

  • Demonstrate the greatest potential to reduce the discharge of pollutants;
  • Implement established TMDLs or TMDLs under development;
  • Are consistent with the corresponding RWQCB Watershed Management Initiative (WMI) and other watershed plans;
  • Addressdischarges from irrigated lands on a regional, watershed-based scale;
  • Implement pollution prevention;
  • Use technically and scientifically feasible methods to document and verify results through water quality monitoring or other means;
  • Leverage other funds (private, local, in-kind, or Federal);
  • Serve disadvantaged communities;
  • Monitor for pollution source identification and problem definition.

Eligible projects and corresponding priorities are described in more detail in Section III. AWQGP funding priorities as listed above, are reflected in the project ranking and selectioncriteria identified in Section V.

C.Project Solicitation and Selection Process

Within 30 days of adoption of these guidelines by the SWRCB, a Solicitation Notice will be issued. The Notice will provide application and project proposal submittal information. After release of the Solicitation Notice and prior to the submittal deadline, the SWRCB, RWQCB, and USEPA staff will conduct informal workshops to assist applicants in developing projects that address the priorities listed above.

Applicants are encouraged to consult with the applicable RWQCB staff in developing their project proposal. If the proposed project meets Section 319 funding criteria, the applicant is also encouraged to consult with USEPA staff. Agency contacts are contained in Appendix C.

Proposals will be evaluated for eligibility by SWRCB, RWQCB and USEPA staff. Eligible proposals will undergo a thorough review and ranking process where the funding source will be determined. (See Section V for more details. The proposal preparation and evaluation processes are detailed in Sections IV and V, respectively.) Projects recommended for funding will be presented to the public for comment and then to SWRCB for final consideration.

D.Project Timeframes

Following SWRCB adoption of selected projects, SWRCB staff will prepare and execute grant agreements or contracts with the funding recipient. A project may begin when the corresponding agreement is executed. The SWRCB will not retroactively fund any work that has already been initiated or completed on the project prior to execution of the agreement. Projects funded from Proposition 40 must be completed by September 30, 2008. Projects funded by Proposition50 must be completed by

March 31, 2008. Projects funded with Federal Section 319 monies must be completed within a three-year time period, start after September 1, 2005, and end no later than December 31, 2009. The SWRCB staff will notify all successful grant recipients of the applicable deadlines.

III.Program Requirements

The funding sources within the AWQGP and Section 319 have specific requirements. Additionally, the SWRCB places requirements on this type of funding programs.

All projects must be consistent with the NPS Program Plan and either implement appropriate management measures, or monitor water quality. NPS management measures have been identified in the NPS Program Plan to specifically address agricultural nonpoint sources of pollution that affect State waters. A partial list of Management Practices that may be applicable to the agricultural management measures is included in Appendix D. The SWRCB’s NPS Encyclopedia also provides information on Management Practices and is available on or

All implementation projects must be consistent with applicable adopted local watershed management plans where they exist. Projects must:

  • Provide measurable long-term water quality benefits;
  • Include an effectiveness and assessment component, with monitoring where applicable; and
  • Comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), where applicable. (See Appendix E for further details of CEQA requirements);

For Section 319 funds, irrigated agriculture projects will be given a priority in the selection process. However, projects that address other categories of NPS pollution will also be considered. For Section 319 funds, projects must:

1.Implement activities to achieve pollutant reductions consistent with established TMDLs or TMDLs under development; and

2. Be consistent with watershed plans that address the USEPA-required elements for watershed-based plans (see Appendix B).

All implementation projects that propose pollution load and/or concentration reductions must report annual pollution load reductions (i.e. sediment and nutrients) based either on monitoring or estimations.

Successful grant recipients will be required to report project information and data to the SWRCB and the appropriate RWQCB. All water quality data generated must be compatible with the submittal requirements of the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP). Additional information regarding SWAMP requirements is available at:

Grant recipients must comply with applicable labor code sections that require payment of prevailing wage on public works projects.

State bond-funded implementation projects that assist in fulfillment of the goals of the CALFED Bay-Delta Authority (CALFED) Program must:

  • Be consistent with the CALFED Programmatic Record of Decision; and
  • Be implemented to the maximum extent possible through local and regional programs.

Additional Information on the CALFED Programs is available at:

Projects in the San Gabriel and Los Angeles River Watersheds must be consistent with the San Gabriel and Los Angeles River Watershed and Open Space Plan. The Plan is available at

A.Eligible Grant Recipients

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations, as these terms are defined in Appendix A, are eligible to receive funds. Public agencies may include local government agencies, special districts (e.g. resource conservation districts or water districts), State or Federal agencies, and Native American tribes. Educational institutions that are established as a public agency or nonprofit organization may also qualify to receive grant funds.

The SWRCB encourages partnerships through special districts, regional agencies, boards, commissions, coalition groups and other umbrella organizations formed to improve regional water quality management efforts. Parties that wish to collaborate on a project may elect to use a contractor-subcontractor relationship, joint venture partnership, joint powers authority, or other forms of inter-agency/organization agreement. Applicants that are partnerships must identify one eligible partner as the lead party responsible for entering into a funding agreement with the SWRCB.

Applicants are encouraged to form a “management team” of experienced individuals that will provide technical support with customized farm plans, written materials, meetings, monitoring, and other tangible efforts. For example, the management team may include a project coordinator, the landowner(s), a conservationist, a pest control advisor, a university researcher, a farm advisor and an industry representative.

B.Eligible Project Types

The following types of projects are eligible to compete for AWQGP and Section 319 funds.

Implementation Projects

Implementation Projects are those that utilize NPS management measures and practices to reduce or eliminate the discharge of pollutedrunofffrom irrigated agricultural lands (or other sources for Section 319 funds).

All implementation projects must include a monitoring and assessment component or quantifiable measure of the project effectiveness. The extent to which management measures are implemented, the effectiveness of the implemented measures, and the performance of the project will be reported to the SWRCB and/or RWQCB. Where applicable, water quality monitoring data must be compatible with, and will be included in the SWAMP database.

The SWRCB will seek projects that will most effectively address surface water pollution from irrigated agricultural sources by integrating some or all of the following components to increase overall project effectiveness:

  • Pollution Prevention
  • Management Practices (See Appendix D)
  • Demonstration Projects
  • Effectiveness Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Demonstration of Water Quality Improvement
  • Research in Developing Additional Successful Management Practices
  • Education and Outreach
  • Information Sharing/Technology Transfer
  • Technical Assistance to Implement Management Practices
  • Cost-effective Project Implementation

For Section 319 funds, projects must address impaired water bodies by implementing established TMDLs or TMDLs under development, and be consistent with watershed-based plans.

Project Planning Monitoring

The $11.4 million in State Proposition 40 funds will be dedicated for projects to monitor surface water quality. This monitoring must further define and identify the source of water quality problems related to discharges from irrigated agricultural lands. The monitoring results must be used to plan for the implementation of appropriate management measures or practices to address the identified water quality problem(s).

Separate review and ranking criteria for monitoring and implementation projects have been established due to the differing goals and objectives. Proposals for Project Planning Monitoring will compete against each other for the Proposition 40 funds. However, if a proposal includes Project Planning Monitoring work, together with implementation of management measures and practices (for example, education and outreach, etc.), the proposal will compete against other implementation project proposals for Proposition 50 and Section 319 funds.

The following activities are not eligible for AWQGP or Section 319 funding:

  • Activities untaken pursuant to a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit;
  • Underground Tank Cleanup;
  • Leasing or purchasing of land or easement;
  • Urban storm water runoff projects undertaken pursuant to a NPDES storm water permit; and
  • Any costs incurred prior to the execution of a SWRCB grant agreement or contract.

C.Maximum Grant Amount

The maximum grant amount is:

  • $500,000 for Project Planning Monitoring Projects; and
  • $1,000,000 for Implementation Projects.

D.Minimum Match Requirements

Applicants are required to provide a funding match. The required minimum match for a Project Planning Monitoring project will be 50 percent of the total project costs. The required minimum match for Implementation projects will be 20 percent of the total project costs. The SWRCB will waive the match requirement for applicants that are a disadvantaged community where the community directly utilizes, or would utilize, the impacted water. The applicant is required to document that it is a disadvantaged community, and the community uses the water body for the purposes identified in the RWQCB Basin Plan. See SectionIV.L for more information on the required documentation.

The match may be from private, local, and/or Federal sources. For State agencies, matching funds may include State funds and services. Additionally, the match can consist of funding, in-kind service, or a combination of both. Applicants are encouraged to develop integrated projects that effectively leverage other funding sources.

IV.Proposal Contents

Applicants must submit a complete proposal to the SWRCB by the deadline specified in the Solicitation Notice. Each proposal must include sections that discuss the following items to be deemed complete. Additional detail on required content of acceptable proposals will be included in the Solicitation Notice. Once the proposal is submitted to the SWRCB, the applicant waives any privacy rights as well as other confidentiality protections afforded by law with respect to the application package.