the Delta Regional Monitoring Program

About Us

WHY WAS THE DELTA RMP FORMED?

Cities, counties, and the state are spending billions of dollars to protect and restore the waters in the Delta. Today, investments are being made to upgrade wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, reduce runoff from farms, and to manage contaminated sediment. Also at stake are decisions on how to manage water supplies. Although dozens of agencies spend over $10 million per year to monitor Delta water, key questions have gone unanswered. In its first three years, the Delta RMP has focused on contaminants, seeking to better understand their role in declines in the health of Delta ecosystems and fish populations.

The Delta Regional Monitoring Program (Delta RMP) was initiated under the encouragement of the Central Valley Water Board with the primary goal of tracking and documenting the effectiveness of beneficial use protection and restoration efforts through comprehensive monitoring of water quality constituents and their effects in the Delta. The Delta RMP is currently implemented by an independent non-profit corporation, also called the Delta Regional Monitoring Program (DRMP). The DRMP Board of Directors is responsible for administering the program including the development and approval of budgets and expenditures.  The BOD forms committees of the Board and appoints members to those committees including the Executive Committee which oversees the day-to-day operations and the Steering Committee which provides recommendations on the program.  Additional committees are formed as needed including technical committees with scientific expertise to advise on the monitoring design and data collection associated with the main focus areas of the Delta RMP including mercury, nutrients, constituents of emerging concern and pesticides/toxicity.

Delta RMP ARea

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WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE DELTA RMP?

Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), small and large municipal storm water agencies (MS4s), irrigated agriculture coalitions, Interagency Ecological Program (Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Water Resources, Bureau of Reclamation), water suppliers (including exporters), resource agencies (National Marine Fisheries Service), and regulatory agencies (USEPA, State Water Resources Control Board, Central Valley Water Board) are current Delta RMP participants. Each of these participating agencies has one or more seats on the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors on the overall budget, allocation of program funds, and strategic direction and priorities for the program. Members of the Board of Directors vote on budget and financial decisions. The Delta RMP actively recruits additional members and engages with the Delta Science Program and the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program.

The Delta RMP is open to entities with discharges or project activities, including dredging operations and restoration projects, that will likely impact Delta water quality. The Delta RMP focuses on Delta investigations; however, many Central Valley entities impact the Delta watershed and the management focus of the Delta RMP provides benefit to all. 

The BOD consists of directors dedicated to the purposes of the Delta RMP and appointed by their sector’s appointing agency(ies). The BOD makes all binding decisions for the Delta RMP. The BOD will appoint both standing committees of the Board and advisory committees to the BOD.

 On a two-year rotation, agencies will put forth a nominee for their respective seat(s) to represent them on the BOD. Currently, the Bylaws provide for 11 director seats as follows:

  • Agricultural interest (2 seats)
  • Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW– 3 seats)
  • Storm Water Agencies (MS4s – 3 seats)
  • Water Supply Agencies (1 seat)
  • Habitat Restoration/Flood Management (1 seat)
  • ‘At large’ seat appointed by the Board of Directors (1 seat)

The responsibilities of the Board include (also See Article V, Section 1 of the Bylaws):

  • Adopt policies, rules and procedures for the management and operation of the Delta RMP
  • Develop the financial operations of the nonprofit
    • Create and approve budgets and expenditures,
    • Receive and accept contributions, grants, etc.
  • Hire leadership staff, as necessary, to run the nonprofit and implement the Delta RMP program
  • Enter into contracts with entities and individuals as necessary to operate and implement the Delta RMP
  • Appoint and/or form Committees of the Board or Advisory Committees (technical and administrative) (See Section VI)
    • Under nonprofit law, committees of the Board must be comprised of only Board members. Advisory Committees can be made up of both Board members and non-Board members.
    • The Bylaws currently identify two Standing committees, the Executive Committee, and the Steering Committee. All other committees (i.e., those that are not Standing Committees, either of the Board or Advisory) are formed by resolution of the Board.
  • Establish and oversee the implementation of policies and priorities of the Delta RMP.

The Executive Committee is a standing Committee of the Board and has the authority between Board meetings to make decisions and take action relative to the operation of the nonprofit organization on behalf of the Board following developed policies and procedures of the Board. The Executive Committee consists of the four Board officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Executive Committee is responsible for authorizing the daily management of the Corporation including setting agendas for Board meetings, making/approving authorized limit expenditures, and similar. The Executive Committee may develop policies for Board approval and may review and recommend to the Board changes to the bylaws and to other operating policies.

The Steering Committee is a standing Advisory Committee to the BOD as described in the Bylaws and consists of representatives of similar categories and seats as the BOD (minus the “At-Large” Seat), plus representatives of regulatory agencies, dredgers, coordinated monitoring, and resource agencies. These representative categories are listed below, specifically:

  • Agricultural interest – 2 seats.
  • Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) – 3 seats.
  • Storm Water Agencies (MS4s) – 3 seats.
  • Water Supply Agencies – 1 seat.
  • Habitat Restoration/Flood Management – 1 seat.
  • Dredgers – 1 seat.
  • Coordinated monitoring (Interagency Ecological Program/California Department of Fish and Wildlife) – 1 seat.
  • Resource Agencies (NOAA Fisheries) – 1 seat.
  • Regulatory Agencies (US Environmental Protection Agency, State Water Resources Control Board, and CVRWQCB-Management level staff) – 3 seats.

The Steering Committee is charged with the responsibility for advising the BOD on:

  • Strategic direction and the policies and procedures to implement the Delta RMP in a manner consistent with regulatory conditions and priorities,
  • Direction for technical committees on priorities, constraints, and management questions to develop technical recommendations and products within the resource allocations determined by the Board,
  • Delta RMP work products and any other plans or products.

All decisions by the Steering Committee will be in the form of advice/recommendations to the Board. The Steering Committee will have no binding authority on Delta RMP implementation. The Board will consider all recommendations by the Steering Committee in a timely manner.

All recommendations by the Steering Committee are subject to subsequent timely consideration by the Board including but not limited to pursuit of opinions by others (e.g., the Executive Director, the Program Manager, and other technical specialists (as warranted)).

Some recommendations by the Steering Committee that are time sensitive or less significant can be made via e-mail or telephone conference, but only if these items have previously been discussed in a Steering Committee meeting.

Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) are established to provide recommendations to the Steering Committee and the BOD regarding technical recommendations for the implementation of a specific project or monitoring sector. The TACs will be provided a specific responsibility and/or deliverables by the Board (e.g., the “Charge”) as also informed by Steering Committee recommendations.

WHY SHOULD AN AGENCY OR PERMITTEE PARTICIPATE IN THE DELTA RMP?

Participating dischargers are approved to discontinue specific individual monitoring requirements. To provide agencies a basis for deciding whether to develop their own monitoring program or to join the Delta RMP, the Regional Board, in collaboration with discharger representatives, developed guidance for Delta RMP participation. Dischargers should make this evaluation with a full understanding of current and future monitoring requirements.

Stakeholder involvement may better incorporate management actions that are effective and efficient into regulatory policy. In this way, compliance can be measurable, achievable, and reasonable. The Central Valley Water Board has the authority to require monitoring for these future regulatory programs but prefers to use the Delta RMP as the means to collect representative data or perform science investigations. For example, a recent area of interest is Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and additional funds from the Delta RMP have gone to funding various studies and monitoring programs to assist with collaborative research and data assessment in the Delta.

Grant funding for science and monitoring programs is not generally useful on a small scale when the administrative burden may consume agency staff time beyond the benefit of the funds. A coordinated proposal is more attractive to grant reviewers, especially with built-in technical review and administration.

Without a collaborative science process, the individual agency science burden increases. The Delta will always be a highly managed and politicized receiving water and water resource. Direct participation by local agencies and permittees in the science process will better balance the discussion of Delta protection and reasonable and efficient use of public funds.

Participation does not have to be a significant additional time effort for small agencies and entities with limited staff or technical expertise. The Delta RMP Board of Directors includes seats that are required to represent multiple agencies and entities rather than just their own. Many smaller agencies and entities then may participate in quarterly or semi-annual update meetings held by their Board of Director representatives.

The Delta RMP financial model was originally designed around required monitoring trades (i.e., permit requirements satisfied by Delta RMP participation). The Delta RMP evaluates funding programs and pursues grant funding. The Delta RMP has authority to allow other financing structures to support specific stakeholder needs. This may be helpful where very specialized skills are required or to develop guidance for monitoring or assessment programs.

SATISFY PORTIONS OF NPDES MONITORING REQUIREMENTS OR WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS PERMITS.

Participating dischargers are approved to discontinue specific individual monitoring requirements. To provide agencies a basis for deciding whether to develop their own monitoring program or to join the Delta RMP, the Regional Board, in collaboration with discharger representatives, developed guidance for Delta RMP participation. Dischargers should make this evaluation with a full understanding of current and future monitoring requirements.

RESOLVE EMERGING REGULATORY ISSUES AND DEVELOP POLICY THROUGH THE DELTA RMP TECHNICAL BODY.

Stakeholder involvement may better incorporate management actions that are effective and efficient into regulatory policy. In this way, compliance can be measurable, achievable, and reasonable. The Central Valley Water Board has the authority to require monitoring for these future regulatory programs but prefers to use the Delta RMP as the means to collect representative data or perform science investigations. For example, a recent area of interest is Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and additional funds from the Delta RMP have gone to funding various studies and monitoring programs to assist with collaborative research and data assessment in the Delta.

PURSUE GRANT FUNDING THROUGH COORDINATED AND EFFICIENT MEANS.

Grant funding for science and monitoring programs is not generally useful on a small scale when the administrative burden may consume agency staff time beyond the benefit of the funds. A coordinated proposal is more attractive to grant reviewers, especially with built-in technical review and administration.

COLLABORATE TO RESOLVE DELTA SCIENCE QUESTIONS.

Without a collaborative science process, the individual agency science burden increases. The Delta will always be a highly managed and politicized receiving water and water resource. Direct participation by local agencies and permittees in the science process will better balance the discussion of Delta protection and reasonable and efficient use of public funds.

LEVERAGE DELTA RMP REPRESENTATION TO LESSEN TIME COMMITMENTS AS A SMALL AGENCY OR ENTITY.

Participation does not have to be a significant additional time effort for small agencies and entities with limited staff or technical expertise. The Delta RMP Board of Directors includes seats that are required to represent multiple agencies and entities rather than just their own. Many smaller agencies and entities then may participate in quarterly or semi-annual update meetings held by their Board of Director representatives.

THE DELTA RMP CONTINUES TO EVOLVE ITS FINANCIAL MODEL TO REDUCE COST AND INCREASE BENEFITS.

The Delta RMP financial model was originally designed around required monitoring trades (i.e., permit requirements satisfied by Delta RMP participation). The Delta RMP evaluates funding programs and pursues grant funding. The Delta RMP has authority to allow other financing structures to support specific stakeholder needs. This may be helpful where very specialized skills are required or to develop guidance for monitoring or assessment programs.