The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is identifying and requiring compliance from owners of irrigated lands who are not participating in the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

These landowners are required by law to get regulatory coverage for any agricultural waste (such as sediments, nutrients, salts and pesticide residues) that leaves their property and flows into Central Valley lakes, rivers and streams.

Owners of irrigated lands are identified through public information, including pesticide use reports, land use data and county assessor roles. Publicly available aerial photography is used to confirm whether or not parcels qualify as irrigated farm land.

On July 29, the Central Valley Water Board's executive officer issued 16 orders to landowners in Sacramento, Solano and Butte counties, requiring each of them to submit a technical report describing their agricultural operations, and explaining why they are not participating in the program. Those landowners own an estimated 3,000 irrigated acres. So far in 2008, 68 orders have been issued; and 24 notices of violation have subsequently been issued for failure to respond to the orders.