Small-herd farms in California's central valley could be wiped out by new environmental regulations targeting wastewater ponds that are expected to be adopted as early as this year by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Medium-size dairies probably won't fare well either.

New rules seem likely to take a zero tolerance stance on discharges of hazardous waste – in this case manure or wastewater – below the root zone of plants. Rigorous pond lining is one proposed rule, to prevent leaks and seepage. "Forever" monitoring and sampling of groundwater by every dairy is another.

The estimated $180,000 cost of making an existing pond leak-proof figures to be financially impossible for small herds, and challenging for many medium and larger herds as well.

Herds of 300 cows and less had received a compliance waiver under a previous tentative discharge order, which was challenged in a lawsuit by a local water quality organization. A public hearing on that lawsuit will be held by the water board in Fresno on October 3 or 4. A small-herd producer who has vigorously fought the measure says even he expects it will be adopted.