State Water Board's Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel Releases Panel Report Detailing Nitrogen Requirements
Published Friday, April 3, 2026
On March 30, the California State Water Resources Control Board released the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Draft Panel Report. Comments are due by 12 p.m. on April 30.
The draft focuses on nitrates leaching to groundwater from irrigated agriculture and possible statewide nitrogen-related regulatory limits on nitrogen application and nitrogen discharge. Specifically, the draft includes the panel’s recommendations on issues relevant to the panel charge questions, which ask the panel to consider the approaches in state water board Order WQ 2018-0002, In the Matter of Review of Waste Discharge Requirements General Order No. R5-2012-0116 for Growers Within the Eastern San Joaquin River Watershed that are Members of the Third-Party Group (Eastern San Joaquin Water Quality Order) and State Water Board Order WQ 2023-0081, In the Matter of Review of General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from Irrigated Lands Order No. R3-2021-0040 (Central Coast Ag Water Quality Order or “Ag Order 4.0”).
Staff contact: Kari Fisher, kfisher@cfbf.com.
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