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Public commenters push State Water Board panel for acreage transparency and interim nitrate limits

State Water Resources Control Board (expert panel, Region 5) · November 18, 2025

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Summary

During public comment at a State Water Resources Control Board panel meeting, community groups urged the board to require acreage reporting and set interim nitrate-reduction limits (suggestions ranged from 75% to 80–90%). Panel staff said coalitions collect some acreage data but do not publish individual-farm acreages and agreed to clarify data access in follow-up drafts.

Community representatives used the public-comment period to press the expert panel to prioritize data transparency and interim limits for nitrate protection.

Elías Rodríguez, an attorney with California Rural Legal Assistance, urged the board to use its authority to collect acreage data and make it available to the public to better identify high contributors of nitrate. He said that surface-area (acreage) data are essential to translate per-field nitrogen reports into meaningful per-acre discharge rates. "Yo le insisto al departamento de al agua estatal que ejercite o que ejecute esa autoridad para recolectar esos datos de superficie en Acres," Rodríguez said during public comment.

Matdy Richards, policy manager for California Coastkeeper Alliance, thanked panel experts and called for interim limits and stronger transparency. Richards emphasized that interim targets will help ensure measurable progress toward groundwater protection.

Kia Reverse of Community Water Center recommended a minimum interim threshold of 75% in some program contexts and urged the panel to ensure the method for developing limits is transparent and to provide individual-acreage access when necessary to identify major contributors.

Panel staff and presenters responded that some coalitions already collect acreage information but that coalition practice varies and individual-farm acreage is not always published; staff committed to clarifying data availability and to include public comments in the next draft. The panel did not adopt any new reporting requirements during the session; authors will consider the calls for enhanced transparency and interim targets when preparing the next draft for the December meeting.