PNSSNS Membership

Water Quality Monitoring

The PNSSNS (Placer Nevada | South Sutter | North Sacramento) Subwatershed Group is one of ten subwatersheds under the Sacramento Valley Water Quality Coalition (SVWQC). This year — 2007 — water monitoring was conducted at two test sites, Coon Creek on Brewer and Striplin Roads. Coon Creek at Striplin was only monitored for field parameters (dissolved oxygen and pH) and E. coli. E. coli standards were exceeded twice. Coon Creek at Brewer was monitored for multiple parameters and showed two exceedances of E. Coli, one copper exceedance and one toxicity exceedance of Selenastrum. Further investigation into the source of E. coli in Coon Creek at Striplin is ongoing. Preliminary studies indicate that the E. Coli may be largely a human source and could be due to leaky septic systems. Additional analysis is being conducted to identify the source of the copper exceedance. Although the source is unknown at this time, South Sutter Water District, Nevada Irrigation District, and the California Rice Commission were notified.

With the tightening of discharge requirements and increasing enforcement being implemented by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board), the financial and time saving benefits of being a coalition member are greater than ever.

Who should belong?

If you are filing a schedule 1040F form on your federal income tax returns and use irrigation water, surface water, or well water, and have water discharge from your property, including storm season runoff, then you are required to obtain a discharge waiver. When you join the PNSSNS Subwatershed Group, you will receive a membership card as proof that you have joined our coalition and are covered under the conditional waiver for irrigated lands as required by the Regional Water Board.

How to Join

To get more information about the PNSSNS Subwatershed Group, visit the website or contact us (phone 916-645-1774, or email cleanwaters@netscape.com).