The Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) was created to address discharge of waste (e.g., sediment, pesticides, nitrate) from agricultural commercial irrigated lands.  The goal of the ILRP is to protect the quality or surface water and groundwater for the benefit of present and future generations.

At high enough concentrations, pollutants can harm aquatic life or make water unusable for human consumption (i.e. drinking/ cooking) or for agricultural uses. The ILRP helps prevent pollution by setting waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands.

Coalitions work with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) on behalf of growers. They assist members in meeting ILRP requirements by coordinating compliance activities at a regional watershed level and serving as a liaison between growers and regulatory agencies.

By joining together through a Coalition, growers can share resources and significantly reduce the cost and effort required to comply with ILRP requirements. Coalition members share the costs associated with water quality monitoring, reporting, education, regulatory guidance, and technical assistance.

Joining a Coalition is also generally the most cost-effective way to comply with ILRP requirements. Growers may choose to obtain an individual permit instead, but individual permit holders are responsible for completing and funding all monitoring, testing, reporting, and regulatory compliance activities on their own, which can be substantially more expensive.

If you apply nitrogen to your irrigated acreage, you must obtain a self-certification through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in order to report your nitrogen application data.

If you do not apply nitrogen, you may report your information without obtaining CDFA self-certification.

No, joining a Coalition is voluntary. Growers may choose to enroll under an individual permit instead of joining a Coalition. However, individual permits are typically much more expensive and require growers to independently comply with all monitoring, testing, reporting, and regulatory requirements. These costs may include laboratory analysis, monitoring well installation and maintenance, data reporting, and other compliance activities required by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. As a result, many growers find Coalition membership to be a more cost-effective option for meeting regulatory requirements.

All irrigated agricultural land that produces crops for commercial purposes must be enrolled in a Coalition or obtain coverage under an individual permit. If your parcels are not currently enrolled in a Coalition or covered by an individual permit, you may be subject to monetary penalties and other enforcement actions by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.