Section 597.4 - Accuracy Certification, Records Retention, Device Performance, and Reporting(a) Initial Certification of Device Accuracy The accuracy of an existing, new or replacement measurement device or type of device, as required in § 597.3, shall be initially certified and documented as follows:
(1) For existing measurement devices, the device accuracy required in section 597.3(a) shall be initially certified and documented by either: (A) Field-testing that is completed on a random and statistically representative sample of the existing measurement devices as described in § 597.4(b)(1) and § 597.4(b)(2). Field-testing shall be performed by individuals trained in the use of field-testing equipment, and documented in a report approved by an engineer. Or,
(B) Field-inspections and analysis completed for every existing measurement device as described in § 597.4(b)(3). Field-inspections and analysis shall be performed by trained individuals in the use of field inspection and analysis, and documented in a report approved by an engineer.(2) For new or replacement measurement devices, the device accuracy required in sections 597.3(a)(2) shall be initially certified and documented by either: (A) Laboratory Certification prior to installation of a measurement device as documented by the manufacturer or an entity, institution or individual that tested the device following industry-established protocols such as the National Institute for Standards and Testing (NIST) traceability standards. Documentation shall include the manufacturer's literature or the results of laboratory testing of an individual device or type of device. Or,
(B) Non-Laboratory Certification after the installation of a measurement device in the field, as documented by either: (i) An affidavit approved by an engineer submitted to the agricultural water supplier of either (1) the design and installation of an individual device at a specified location, or (2) the standardized design and installation for a group of measurement devices for each type of device installed at specified locations. Or,
(ii) A report submitted to the agricultural water supplier and approved by an engineer documenting the field-testing performed on the installed measurement device or type of device, by individuals trained in the use of field testing equipment.(b) Protocols for Field-Testing and Field-Inspection and Analysis of Existing Devices (1) Field-testing shall be performed for a sample of existing measurement devices according to manufacturer's recommendations or design specifications and following best professional practices. It is recommended that the sample size be no less than 10% of existing devices, with a minimum of 5, and not to exceed 100 individual devices for any particular device type. Alternatively, the supplier may develop its own sampling plan using an accepted statistical methodology.(2) If during the field-testing of existing measurement devices, more than one quarter of the samples for any particular device type do not meet the criteria pursuant to § 597.3(a), the agricultural water supplier shall provide in its Agricultural Water Management Plan, a plan to test an additional 10% of its existing devices, with a minimum of 5, but not to exceed an additional 100 individual devices for the particular device type. This second round of field-testing and corrective actions shall be completed within three years of the initial field-testing.(3) Field-inspections and analysis protocols shall be performed and the results shall be approved by an engineer for every existing measurement device to demonstrate that the design and installation standards used for the installation of existing measurement devices meet the accuracy standards of § 597.3(a) and operation and maintenance protocols meet best professional practices.(c) Records Retention Records documenting compliance with the requirements in § 597.3 and § 597.4 shall be maintained by the agricultural water supplier for ten years or two Agricultural Water Management Plan cycles.
(d) Performance Requirements (1) All measurement devices shall be correctly installed, maintained, operated, inspected, and monitored as described by the manufacturer, the laboratory or the registered Professional Engineer that has signed and stamped certification of the device, and pursuant to best professional practices.(2) If an installed measurement device no longer meets the accuracy requirements of § 597.3(a) based on either field-testing or field-inspections and analysis as defined in sections 597.4(a) and (b) for either the initial accuracy certification or during operations and maintenance, then the agricultural water supplier shall take appropriate corrective action, including but not limited to, repair or replacement to achieve the requirements of this article.(e) Reporting in Agricultural Water Management Plans Agricultural water suppliers shall report the following information in their Agricultural Water Management Plan(s):
(1) Documentation as required to demonstrate compliance with § 597.3(b), as outlined in section § 597.3(b)(2), and § 597.4(b)(2).(2) A description of best professional practices about, but not limited to, the (1) collection of water measurement data, (2) frequency of measurements, (3) method for determining irrigated acres, and (4) quality control and quality assurance procedures.(3) If a water measurement device measures flow rate, velocity or water elevation, and does not report the total volume of water delivered, the agricultural water supplier must document in its Agricultural Water Management Plan how it converted the measured value to volume. The protocols must follow best professional practices and include the following methods for determining volumetric deliveries: (A) For devices that measure flow-rate, documentation shall describe protocols used to measure the duration of water delivery where volume is derived by the following formula: Volume = flow rate x duration of delivery.(B) For devices that measure velocity only, the documentation shall describe protocols associated with the measurement of the cross-sectional area of flow and duration of water delivery, where volume is derived by the following formula: Volume = velocity x cross-section flow area x duration of delivery.(C) For devices that measure water elevation at the device (e.g. flow over a weir or differential elevation on either side of a device), the documentation shall describe protocols associated with the measurement of elevation that was used to derive flow rate at the device. The documentation will also describe the method or formula used to derive volume from the measured elevation value(s).(4) If an existing water measurement device is determined to be out of compliance with § 597.3, and the agricultural water supplier is unable to bring it into compliance before submitting its Agricultural Water Management Plan in December 2012, the agricultural water supplier shall provide in its 2012 plan, a schedule, budget and finance plan for taking corrective action in three years or less.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 23, § 597.4
1. New section filed 7-11-2012; operative 7-11-2012 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2012, No. 28). Note: Authority cited: Section 10608.48, Water Code. Reference: Sections 531.10, 10608.48(i)(1) and 10826, Water Code.
1. New section filed 7-11-2012; operative 7-11-2012 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2012, No. 28).