About This Document

This document presents the fourth in a series of action plans for the Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The WQPP is a coalition of twenty-seven federal, state, and local agencies, public and private groups working together with cities, harbors, businesses and the agricultural community to enhance and protect water quality in the Sanctuary and its watersheds. Previously completed WQPP plans which are now underway address urban runoff, marinas and boating activities, and regional monitoring.

This document provides an overview of water quality issues and outlines a set of strategies to address potential water quality problems associated with agricultural activities and rural lands. It was developed and revised over several years through a series of public workshops and through meetings with the WQPP committee and the Central Coast Farm Bureau Coalition. The twenty-four recommendations contained in the plan address the development of agricultural industry-led networks to reduce nonpoint pollution, improvements in technical assistance and outreach, education, regulatory coordination/streamlining, funding mechanisms and incentives, and improvements in the maintenance of public lands and rural roads. A variety of agencies, agricultural groups, public and private partners will play key roles in collaborating to carry out the plan.

For More Information

For more information on the Water Quality Protection Program, updates on implementation, or to obtain a copy of this document, please contact:

Pam Krone-Davis
Agriculture Water Quality Coordinator
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
99 Pacific Street, Bldg. 455A
Monterey, CA 93940

Tele: (831) 647-4238
Fax: (831) 647-4250

Sanctuary website: http://montereybay.noaa.gov

About This Document
	About This Document
	For More Information
	Contents
Introduction
	Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Central Coast Agriculture.
	Water Quality Protection Program.
	Development of Agricultural Strategies.
	Process for Implementation and Tracking Success
	Nonpoint Source Regulatory Authorities
Water Quality Issues
	Overview of Nonpoint Source Contaminants
		Erosion/Sedimentation
		Nutrients
		Pesticides
		Microbiological Contamination.
	Regional Monitoring Needs
Management Practices for Agricultural Nonpoint Sources
	Overview of Management Practices
		Erosion, sedimentation and runoff
		Water conservation
		Nutrients
		Pesticides
		Livestock wastes
		Grazing practices
	Facilitating Implementation of Management Practices
	Moving Toward Solutions
	The Strategies
	Summary of Strategies and Implementation Priorities (Table 1)
Section 1: Agricultural Industry Networks
	1-1:	Establish regional industry networks as framework for addressing nonpoint source management
	1-2:	Identify priority sites for landowner/operator joint projects
	1-3:	Implement nonpoint source management practices using industry-led local Watershed Working Groups.
Section 2: Technical Information/Outreach
	2-1:	Compile and distribute technical information on conservation practices from different agencies.
	2-2:	Strengthen referral network and cross-training for technical field staff.
	2-3:	Increase agency staff time to provide technical field support and prevention efforts.
	2-4:	Strengthen information transfer from industry to agencies.
	2-5:	Strengthen grower/rancher peer advisory networks.
	2-6:	Evaluate and distribute information on cost-effectiveness of management practices.
	2-7:	Develop and promote self-monitoring tools for conservation management practices.
Section 3: Education and Public Relations
	3-1:	Increase public knowledge of and support for agriculture and agricultural conservation measures.
	3-2:	Increase grower and public awareness of watershed-based management.
	3-3:	Increase agency staff understanding of agriculture.
Section 4: Regulatory Coordination/Streamlining
	4-1:	Develop user-friendly permit guidebooks and central locations for permit information.
	4-2:	Develop regional or watershed-based permits for conservation management practices.
	4-3:	Improve collaborative efforts between regulatory agencies and landowners.
Section 5: Funding Mechanisms/Incentives
	5-1:	Improve agricultural community's knowledge of and access to funding sources
	5-2:	Facilitate availability of low-cost labor and trained assistance for conservation field projects
	5-3:	Broaden applicability of cost-share programs and streamline application process.
	5-4:	Increase understanding of existing tax benefits.
	5-5:	Improve tax incentives for implementing conservation measures.
Section 6: Public Lands and Rural Roads
	6-1:	Provide for maintenance practices to address sedimentation on public roads and waterways.
	6-2:	Reduce sedimentation from rural unsurfaced roads and from surfaced roads that are not maintained
	6-3:	Improve conservation measures on agency/public trust lands.
Bibliography
Appendices
	Appendix A. Water Quality Protection Program Committee Members
	Appendix B. TMDL Schedule for Impaired Waters in Sanctuary Watersheds.
	Appendix C. Existing Laws and Programs Related to Agricultural Nonpoint Sources
	Appendix D. Definitions of Acronyms

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For More Information

Contents

About This Document

Appendices