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Greater Harney Basin Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan

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Greater Harney Basin Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan Greater Harney Basin Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan January 2020 Developed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Greater Harney Basin Local Advisory Committee with support from the Harney Soil and Water Conservation District Oregon Department of Agriculture Harney SWCD Water Quality Program 530 Highway 20 South 635 Capitol St. NE Hines, OR 97738 Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (541) 573-5010 Phone: (503) 986-4700 Website: oda.direct/AgWQPlans (This page is blank) Table of Contents Acronyms and Terms .................................................................................................................................... i Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................ iii Required Elements of Area Plans ......................................................................................................... iii Plan Content.................................................................................................................................................. iii Chapter 1: Agricultural Water Quality Program ........................................................................ 1 1.1 Purpose of Agricultural Water Quality Program and Applicability of Area Plans...... 1 1.2 History of the Ag Water Quality Program .............................................................................. 1 1.3 Roles and Responsibilities ......................................................................................................... 2 1.3.1 Oregon Department of Agriculture ......................................................................................................................2 1.3.2 Local Management Agency .....................................................................................................................................5 1.3.3 Local Advisory Committee ......................................................................................................................................5 1.3.4 Agricultural Landowners ........................................................................................................................................5 1.3.5 PuBlic Participation ...................................................................................................................................................6 1.4 Agricultural Water Quality ......................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1 Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution .............................................................................................6 1.4.2 Beneficial Uses and Parameters of Concern .....................................................................................................6 1.4.3 Impaired WaterBodies and Total Maximum Daily Loads.............................................................................7 1.4.4 Oregon Water Pollution Control Law – ORS 468B.025 and 468B.050 ....................................................7 1.4.5 Streamside Vegetation and Agricultural Water Quality ...............................................................................8 1.4.6 Soil Health and Agricultural Water Quality ......................................................................................................9 1.5 Other Water Quality Programs ................................................................................................. 9 1.5.1 Confined Animal Feeding Operation Program .................................................................................................9 1.5.2 Groundwater Management Areas ..................................................................................................................... 10 1.5.3 The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds .............................................................................................. 10 1.5.4 Pesticide Management and Stewardship ........................................................................................................ 10 1.5.5 Drinking Water Source Protection .................................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Partner Agencies and Organizations .....................................................................................11 1.6.1 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality ............................................................................................ 11 1.6.2 Other Partners ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.7 Measuring Progress ...................................................................................................................12 1.7.1 MeasuraBle Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 12 1.7.2 Land Conditions and Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 12 1.7.3 Focused Implementation in Small Geographic Areas ................................................................................. 13 1.8 Progress and Adaptive Management.....................................................................................13 1.8.1 Biennial Reviews ..................................................................................................................................................... 13 1.8.2 Water Quality Monitoring .................................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2: Local Background ........................................................................................................... 15 2.1 Local Roles ....................................................................................................................................16 2.1.1 Local Advisory Committee ................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.2 Local Management Agency .................................................................................................................................. 17 2.2 Area Plan and Area Rules: Development and History ......................................................17 2.3 Geographical and Physical Setting .........................................................................................17 2.4 Agricultural Water Quality .......................................................................................................24 2.4.1 Water Quality Issues .............................................................................................................................................. 24 2.4.1.1 Beneficial Uses ................................................................................................................................................... 24 2.4.1.2 WQ Parameters and 303(d) list.................................................................................................................... 26 2.4.1.3 TMDLs and Agricultural Load Allocations ................................................................................................ 30 2.4.1.4 Drinking Water .................................................................................................................................................. 30 2.4.2 Sources of Impairment .......................................................................................................................................... 30 2.5 Regulatory and Voluntary Measures .....................................................................................31 2.5.1 Area Rules ................................................................................................................................................................. 31 2.5.2 Voluntary Measures ............................................................................................................................................... 33 Chapter 3: Implementation Strategies ......................................................................................... 39 3.1 Measurable Objectives and Strategic Initiatives ................................................................39 3.1.1 Management Area ................................................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.2 Focus Area ................................................................................................................................................................. 39 3.2 Proposed Activities ....................................................................................................................40 3.2.1 Harney County Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurance (CCAA) for Greater Sage Grouse ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 3.3 Water Quality and Land Condition Monitoring ..................................................................41 3.3.1 Water Quality ..........................................................................................................................................................
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