The State of California’s Water Quality Assessment document, adopted by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Colorado River Basin – Region 7 (Regional Board) in January 1994, classified the Alamo River, New River, and Salton Sea as water bodies impaired by agricultural nonpoint sources. 

In June 1994, IID developed a DWQIP in response to the Regional Board’s demand for action regarding these water quality impairments.  The Plan was in effect until March 1998, at which time the Regional Board requested that these efforts be suspended until Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) could be developed and implemented for these water bodies.  

Following the development and implementation of the Alamo River Sedimentation/Siltation TMDL, in September 2003 the IID submitted a Revised Drain Water Quality Improvement Plan (Revised DWQIP) to the Regional Board, as required in the Region 7 Water Quality Control Plan. The Revised DWQIP states that IID will perform monthly water quality monitoring within 14 drains throughout the service area for several constituents of concern and report these results to the Regional Board.  

The IID will also perform special studies to determine water quality impacts caused by drain maintenance operations and supply the Regional Board with a list of current owners and tenants of agricultural land on an annual basis.

TMDL Vegetation Management Presentation BOD 04-15-2008 TMDL-Vegetation-Management-presentation-4-15-08-Board-mtg.pdf