1. (a) A water quality management plan is a site specific plan for agricultural or silvicultural lands which includes appropriate land treatment practices, production practices, management measures, technologies or combinations thereof which when implemented will achieve a level of pollution prevention or abatement determined by the State Board in consultation with the local soil and water conservation district and Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to be consistent with state water quality standards. To be certified, a water quality management plan must cover all lands whether contiguous or non-contiguous that constitute an operating unit for agricultural or silvicultural purposes.

2. (b) Process for obtaining a Water Quality Management Plan.

   1. (1) Landowners and operators may request the development of a plan or plan modification by the local soil and water conservation district. Landowners and operators, following consultation with their soil and water conservation district, will be encouraged and aided in working with the district in the preparation of a plan or plan modification based on standards adopted by the State Board to prevent or abate their nonpoint source pollution.
   2. (2) The soil and water conservation district will determine the priority of plan development or plan modification and subsequently cause the development and approval of the plan or plan modification.
   3. (3) Landowners and operators may appeal district decisions relative to practices and practice standards to the State Board in the manner prescribed by the Board.
   4. (4) When determined to be consistent with state water quality standards, taking into account the state of existing technology, economic feasibility and water quality needs, the State Board will certify the plan or plan modification.

3. (c) Practice selection.

   1. (1) Practices eligible for water quality management planning will be selected by the State Board in consultation with the soil and water conservation district.
   2. (2) Practices will address activities determined by the State Board in consultation with the soil and water conservation district to be in need of pollution prevention or abatement.
   3. (3) Insofar as practicable, those practices shall be consistent with the Agricultural and Silvicultural Nonpoint Source Management Program developed by the State Board pursuant to the Federal Clean Water Act, §319, and CZARA, §6217.

4. (d) Practice standards.

   1. (1) Practice standards will be based on specific local conditions.
   2. (2) Practice standards will be based on criteria in the Soil Conservation Service, Field Office Technical Guide; however, modification of those practice standards to ensure consistency with state water quality standards and the state Agricultural and Silvicultural Nonpoint Source Management Program will be made as necessary.
   3. (3) Practice standards will be developed in consultation with the local soil and water conservation district, with assistance and advice of the USDA, the Soil Conservation Service, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas Forest Service, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, the local underground water conservation district and others as determined to be needed by the State Board.

5. (e) Implementation schedule.

   1. (1) A water quality management plan must contain an implementation schedule.
   2. (2) The implementation schedule will, as far as is practicable, balance the state's need for protecting water quality with need of agricultural and silvicultural producers to have sufficient time to implement practices in an economically feasible manner.
   3. (3) Highest priority will be given to the implementation of the most cost effective and most needed pollution abatement practices.
   4. (4) The State Board in consultation with affected soil and water conservation districts will conduct an annual status review of plan implementation.
   5. (5) The State Board in consultation with the local soil and water conservation districts may withdraw certification of a water quality management plan that is not being implemented in accordance with its schedule. Prior to certification being withdrawn, a landowner will be notified and provided a reasonable period of time to implement the water quality management plan according to the schedule or a modified schedule approved by the soil and water conservation district.
   6. (6) The holder of a certified water quality management plan shall notify the local soil and water conservation district in the event he or she deviates from the implementation schedule.
6. (f) Applicability of state water quality standards. To the extent allowed by available technology, water quality management plan development, approval, and certification will be based on state water quality standards as established by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

Source Note:The provisions of this §523.3 adopted to be effective December 22, 1993, 18 TexReg 9106; amended to be effective June 22, 1995, 20 TexReg 4270.