Flow Charts 

for the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s 

Draft Surface Water Regulation Concepts 

June 15, 2009 
Part I: Drift Management to Protect Surface Water 

Agricultural Use 

YES NO

 YES NO

A. Prior to the application of pesticides listed in Attachment I, the 

property operator and the pest control operator must make the following 

determinations and shall comply with the applicable restrictions: 

C. These uses and sites are exempt from the 

requirements presented in these draft surface water 

regulation concepts. 

B. Is the pesticide being used for the following: apiaries; aquaculture; livestock production (meat or 

milk); post-harvest commodity treatment on the farm; poultry production (meat or eggs); injections into 

soil; applications immediately incorporated into soil; applications to animal burrows; injections into or 

painted or wicked onto trees, shrubs, or other plants; intentional applications to water that are in 

compliance with all regulatory requirements; or applications as enclosed baits? 

D. Will the pesticide be applied 

by ground or air? 

K. For all ground applications, wind speed 

 shall be 3 – 10 miles per hour 

at the perimeter of the application site 

 on the upwind side. 

J. The application shall not be 

made within 25 feet of any 

sensitive aquatic site. 

E. Ground Application F. Aerial Application 

G. Airblast, high-pressure 

wand or hand gun application 

H. Ground application other 

than airblast or high-pressure 

wand or hand gun 

I. The application shall not be 

made within 100 feet of any 

sensitive aquatic site. 

L. Is the application to be made 

to a forestry site? 

N. Application shall not be made within 

150 feet of any sensitive aquatic site. 

Q. Aerial applications to deciduous 

plants during the dormant season shall 

be allowed only if soil conditions do 

not allow field entry, OR approaching 

bloom conditions necessitate aerial 

application, AND the property 

operator obtains a written 

recommendation from a licensed 

pest control adviser. 

O. Wind speeds for applications to forestry sites 

shall be 3 – 10 miles per hour, unless the local 

regional water quality control board requires a lower 

maximum wind speed. 

P. Wind speed shall be 3 – 10 miles 

per hour at the perimeter of the 

application site on the upwind side. 

M. Application shall not be made within 150 feet 

of any sensitive aquatic site unless the local 

regional water quality control board 

requires a buffer zone greater than 150 feet. 
Part II: Drift Management to Protect Surface Water 

Outdoor Structural, Residential, Industrial, and Institutional Use 

 OR 

 YES NO 

A. Persons performing pest control for hire using pesticides listed in Attachment I must 

make the following determinations and shall comply with the applicable restrictions: 

D. These uses and sites are exempt from the 

requirements presented in these draft surface water 

regulation concepts. 

B. Is the pesticide being used for the following: injections into soil; applications immediately incorporated 

into soil; applications to animal burrows; injections into or painted or wicked onto trees, shrubs, or other 

plants; or intentional applications to water that are in compliance with all regulatory requirements? 

J. For all ground applications, wind speed shall be 3 – 10 miles per hour 

at the perimeter of the application site on the upwind side. 

G. Ground application other than airblast 

or high-pressure wand or hand gun. 

I. The application shall not be made within 

25 feet of any sensitive aquatic site.

H. The application shall not be made within 

100 feet of any sensitive aquatic site.

F. Ground applied by airblast 

or high-pressure wand or hand gun. 

E. Will the pesticide be ground applied by airblast 

or high-pressure wand or hand gun, OR will it be 

ground applied by another method? 

C. Is the pest control business making the pesticide application certified by an organization that has 

adopted the standards or requirements of a green or sustainable program approved by the director, and 

will the application be in compliance with those standards or requirements? 
Part III: Runoff Management to Protect Surface Water 

Agricultural Production 

OR 

 YES NO 

 OR 

 OR 

B. Is the pesticide being applied to the following: apiaries; aquaculture; livestock production (meat 

or milk); post-harvest commodity treatment on the farm; poultry production (meat or eggs); injections 

into soil; applications immediately incorporated into soil; applications to animal burrows; injections 

into or painted or wicked onto trees, shrubs, or other plants; intentional applications to water that are in 

compliance with all regulatory requirements; or applications made to hydrologically isolated sites?

C. If both of the following are met: (1) At the time of the application, the operator of the property 

obtains and follows a written recommendation from a licensed pest control adviser for the pesticide 

application. and (2) At the time of application, the operator of the property possesses and is 

implementing a surface water quality management plan, as defined in Attachment II, to prevent the 

pesticide from leaving the property at levels that would not protect beneficial uses of water. 

D. These uses, sites or conditions exempt the application from 

the requirements presented in these draft surface water 

regulation concepts. 

E. Do not make pesticide applications if soil moisture is at field capacity 

and a storm event, forecasted by the National Weather Service, is to occur 

within 48 hours following application; or a storm event likely to produce 

runoff from the treated area is forecasted by the National Weather Service 

to occur within 48 hours following the application. 

J. For four weeks after application, divert any 

rain runoff with an on-site recirculating system 

and/or contain and hold any rain runoff for 72 

hours before releasing into a sensitive aquatic 

site or into a ditch or drain that ultimately 

discharges into a sensitive aquatic site. 

F. Apply the pesticide only if the application is followed by the use of a 

technology or product that rapidly degrades or reduces offsite movement of the 

pesticide so that it will not adversely affect water quality. 

I. For four weeks after application, divert any 

irrigation runoff with an on-site recirculating 

system and/or contain and hold any irrigation runoff 

from the time irrigation is started on any part of the 

field until 72 hours after irrigation is completed on the 

entire field, before releasing into a sensitive aquatic site 

or into a ditch or drain that ultimately discharges into 

a sensitive aquatic site. 

G. For irrigation runoff 

K. For pesticides also listed in section 6800(a) of Title 3 

of the California Code of Regulations (3 CCR), 

and applied during the period October 1 through 

March 31, comply with the appropriate management 

 practice in 3 CCR section 6487.4. 

For applications of 6800(a) pesticides during the 

period April 1 through September 30, comply 

 with the provisions described above under the 

heading “For rain runoff.” 

H. For rain runoff

A. The operator of the property to be treated with pesticides listed in Attachment I, 

and persons performing pest control for the operator, must make the following 

determinations and shall comply with the applicable restrictions: 
Part IV: Runoff Management to Protect Surface Water 

NonProduction Agricultural, Outdoor Structural, Residential, Industrial, 

and Institutional Use 

 OR 

 YES NO 

OR 

D. These uses and sites are exempt from the 

requirements presented in these draft surface water 

regulation concepts. 

B. Is the pesticide being used for the following: injections into soil; applications immediately 

incorporated into soil; applications to animal burrows; injections into or painted or wicked onto trees, 

shrubs, or other plants; intentional applications to water that are in compliance with all regulatory 

requirements; or applications as enclosed baits?

F. Comply with the following: 

1. Do not make applications to nonproduction agricultural, 

outdoor industrial, outdoor institutional or outdoor structural 

sites if a storm event, forecasted by the National Weather Service, 

is to occur within 48 hours following the application; AND 

2. All outdoor non-termiticide applications to impervious surfaces 

such as sidewalks, driveways, patios, porches, and structure walls or 

siding shall be limited to spot and crack-and-crevice applications only. 

This does not apply to applications to building foundations, up to a 

maximum height of three feet; AND 

3. Sweep pesticide granules off nonpervious surfaces following 

application; AND 

4. If the concrete slab is not to be poured before rainfall is possible, 

cover termiticides after application to prevent runoff; AND 

5. Do not make intentional applications to saturated soils; AND 

6. Do not apply within ten feet of any drain; AND 

7. Except when applying to sewers or drains as directed on the pesticide 

 label, do not apply directly into sewers or drains, or to any area like a 

gutter where drainage to sewers, storm drains, or sensitive aquatic sites 

can occur; AND 

8. Do not apply unless the property operator or resident has been 

advised not to allow irrigation runoff for 72 hours after application. 

E. For rain and 

irrigation runoff 

C. Is the pest control business making the pesticide application certified by an organization that has 

adopted the standards or requirements of a green or sustainable program approved by the director, and 

will the application be in compliance with those standards or requirements? 

A. Persons performing pest control for hire using pesticides listed in Attachment I 

must make the following determinations and shall comply with the applicable restrictions: 

G. If the pesticide is also listed in section 6800(a) and is to be applied 

October 1 through March 31, the applicator shall ensure compliance 

with the provisions in 3CCR section 6487.4. If the 6800(a) pesticide is 

to be applied April 1 through September 30, comply with the 

provisions described above under the heading “For rain and irrigation 

runoff.”