California has been the nation’s
leading agricultural and dairy state for the past 50 years. The
state’s 80,500 farms and ranches produce more than 400 different
agricultural products. These products generated a record $44.7
billion in sales value in 2012, accounting for 11.3 percent of
the US total.
Breaking down the state’s agricultural role in the country,
California produces 21 percent of the nation’s milk supply, 23
percent of its cheese and 92 percent of all grapes. The state
also produces half of all domestically-grown fruits, nuts and
vegetables, including some products, such as almonds, walnuts,
artichokes, persimmons and pomegranates, of which 99 percent are
grown in California.
Overall, about 3 percent of employment in the state is directly
or indirectly related to agriculture.
Two years ago, California water regulators were stunned to
learn that a major river in the San Joaquin Valley had stopped
flowing. The waterway ran dry for 5 miles, leaving young fish
stranded in muddy pools, birds fleeing to new homes, and
paddlers, waterfront property owners and farmers gripped with
frustration. In a state partly defined by its thirst for water,
the emptying of the Merced River for four months in 2022
remained something of a mystery. Fed by the snowy peaks of the
Sierra, the Merced has long been heavily pumped for
agriculture, and its levels often dip considerably during
droughts. Yet California generally restricts water draws to
keep at least some flow moving downstream. An investigation
that state water regulators are just finishing into why the
river dried up offers some insight: While water users clearly
drew out more water than was healthy for the Merced, the
California State Water Resources Control Board found that the
users were largely within their legal rights to do so,
highlighting a fundamental problem with the state’s regulatory
system.
For decades, California’s water debates have centered on a
familiar tension: agriculture versus urban consumption.
Agriculture, which consumes 80% of the state’s developed water
supply, has long dominated discussions about conservation and
efficiency. Yet, a new contender is emerging, one poised to
dwarf agriculture in water demand and reshape the state’s water
future: artificial intelligence (AI). … For decades,
agriculture has been framed as the primary focus of water
conservation efforts, with farmers frequently cast as both
stewards and villains of California’s strained water
resources. While agriculture dominates the present, the
future tells a different story. AI, fueled by data centers
housing millions of servers, is on a trajectory to become a
massive water consumer. These data centers rely heavily on
water-intensive cooling systems to maintain the functionality
of high-performance chips that power AI applications. —Written by Dean Florez, past senator from Central
Valley and a member of the California Air Resources Board
There is almost no disagreement any longer among scientists
that climate change is a reality and that its effects are
already upon us. A number of researchers at Cal State Monterey
Bay are engaged in work that is either measuring those effects
or finding ways to combat them. Among the studies are those
looking at off-gassing from agricultural fields, warmer ocean
water’s impact on coral reefs, and wildlife preservation.
… Arun Jani, assistant professor in the Biology and
Chemistry department, is trying to determine the optimum use of
nitrogen as a fertilizer in agricultural fields in the hope of
reducing current levels. His projects run from fields near
Soledad to test plots in Watsonville. In addition to
decreased fertilizer use, Jani is also evaluating the effects
of using a material called biochar in the soil and determining
ideal crop rotations. … Nitrogen fertilizers not only produce
nitrous oxide gas, but they can also leach into groundwater and
raise levels of nitrate, a harmful chemical. The industry
standard for nitrogen fertilizers is to use 150 pounds per
acre. Jani’s studies have shown that much less of the chemical
can be used effectively for area crops.
Coby Hunt’s farm field near the southeast Utah town of Green
River would normally be filled with alfalfa growing up to his
knees. This year, however, it was barren — pale gray dirt
cracking under the late summer sun. The only green things were
scraggly scraps of whatever accidental plants somehow survived
without irrigation. … “It hurts,” he said as he surveyed
the desolate field. “But there’s also a benefit of it looking
like this, right?” That benefit is taking the water he could
have used to irrigate his land and leaving it in the nearby
Green River, which flows to the increasingly strained Colorado
River. … Across Utah, farmers are experimenting with ways to
tighten their water use as agriculture, drought and population
growth collide to put pressure on the state’s limited water
resources. Some are installing more efficient irrigation
technology. Others are testing unconventional crops. In Hunt’s
case, he’s taking some of his farmland out of commission
entirely — for a time and for a price.
… The Imperial Irrigation District uses more water from the
Colorado River than any other single entity – farm district,
city, or otherwise – from Wyoming to Mexico. As climate change
shrinks the river’s supplies, its biggest users are facing
increasing pressure to cut back on their demand. … Over the
course of three years, [the federal government] agreed to send
more than $500 million to the district to use less water and
leave it in Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir. That
money comes from the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction
Act. Water leaders in the West and Washington D.C. alike have
lauded the effort as a pivotal way to boost the reservoir,
which has dropped to all-time low levels in recent years.
Similar spending has saved water on farms and tribal land
across the region. It has also made city utilities more
efficient. But now, on the cusp of Donald Trump’s return to the
White House, those who use the river’s water are worried that
funding could disappear.
The Tulare County Farm Bureau intends to send a “strong
message” to the state by pledging $10,000 to its counterpart,
the Kings County Farm Bureau, in the latter’s legal fight
against groundwater sanctions issued by the Water Resources
Control Board. “We felt it was still a warranted action to lend
support to our neighboring county,” said Tricia Stever
Blattler, executive director for the Tulare farm bureau. The
farm bureau’s most recent newsletter called the donation a
“strong message to the state water board that we are committed
to supporting this legal battle in hopes it brings positive
change to the SGMA process for all landowners involved.”
As President-elect Donald Trump vows to impose tariffs on
imports from China, Mexico and Canada, economists are warning
that a retaliatory trade war could cause major financial damage
for California’s agriculture industry. In an analysis published
before the presidential election, researchers examined
potential scenarios of tariffs and retaliatory measures, and
estimated that if a significant trade war occurs, California
could see the value of its agricultural exports reduced by up
to one-fourth, bringing as much as $6 billion in losses
annually. … “We have climate uncertainty already. We
have water policy uncertainty,” [Sandro]
Steinbach said. “And if you add now an additional layer of
trade and tariff policy on top of it, why would I want to
invest a large amount of money into producing agricultural
commodities?” … Agriculture uses much of the water that
is diverted and pumped in California. But Steinbach said the
potential effects on farms’ water use, both regionally and
statewide, are uncertain and will depend on a complex mix of
factors.
Yuma farmers and members of water allocation organizations are
waiting to see how the new Presidential administration moves
forward before they can determine which proposed alternatives
will benefit the area the best following the federal
government’s release of next steps in guiding post-2026
operations for the Colorado River. … According to the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Colorado River Basin has
experienced its driest period in over 1,000 years during these
last few decades. “As the West continues to face drought
conditions, now is the time for more investment, innovation and
collaboration for urgent and essential progress across the
Colorado River Basin,” said White House National Climate
Advisor Ali Zaidi. “We owe it to future generations to find
long-term solutions that ensure the river’s continued
stability.”
… Sam Cobb, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, bright-green cap
and jeans, is hunched over the flood irrigation system at his
farm in Blythe, California, near the Arizona border. … Cobb
says some people call his method of watering crops archaic
because it isn’t efficient at reaching the roots of crops, but
it’s the best for growing dates that have roots everywhere. He
has over 2,000 date palm trees on his farm, all of them
originally born at his “home ranch” two hours away in Desert
Hot Springs, California. He spends his summers — a
critical time for dates because that’s when they’re the
thirstiest and the fruit ripens — “chasing water.”
Californians reliant on the Colorado River have saved
over 1.2 million acre-feet of water in just two years,
potentially raising Lake Mead’s water levels by an
estimated 16 feet. This achievement, announced by the Colorado
River Board of California on Wednesday, is a significant
achievement given the worsening crisis unfolding along the
Colorado River and its reservoirs. An acre foot is a commonly
used term in water management. It equates to the volume
required to cover an acre of land with one foot of
water—approximately 326,000 gallons. The progress stems from a
series of conservation agreements implemented in 2023 and 2024.
Since winning the election, President-elect Donald Trump has
been talking about immigration, border security and government
efficiency. But in California farm country, his comments about
water are also getting top attention. The Golden State grows
three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts and more than a
third of its vegetables, largely thanks to a complex network of
dams and canals that funnel water to the state’s fertile
Central Valley. In recent years, farmers have faced more limits
on how much water they can access from this network because of
environmental concerns, as well as on how much groundwater they
can pump after years of overuse and drought. Now, farmers are
hoping the second Trump administration will ensure more stable
water flows to their fields from the federally managed Central
Valley Project and a plan for future water supplies.
Central Valley growers fed up with reduced water allocations
and pumping penalties are seeking answers from state Water
Resources Control Board officials at a workshop Thursday in
Visalia. The Punjabi American Growers Group, formed in
2020, is sponsoring the event, where the Sustainable
Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and its implications for
farming operations are on the agenda. All farmers are invited
to attend. “We are answering questions on behalf of our
members, but this really needs to be done by the state,” said
Jasbir Sidhu, co-founder of the Punjabi American Growers Group.
“Since SGMA passed, the outreach has not been done and a lot of
people have questions and concerns. What we’re trying to do is
build a bridge between the government and farmers.”
California farmers could soon be caught up in a political fight
between Sacramento and Washington. State Democrats want $25
million to sue the Trump administration. Water
policy is among the issues. “I think you’re going to
see the State of California be very vigorous in defending the
values that we’ve already implemented into our water policies,”
Democratic Assemblymember Steve Bennett of Ventura said.
Bennett served on the Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee
during the previous legislature. It is unclear what federal
water policy will look like under the second Trump
Administration, but Bennett is preparing for the possibility of
significant changes.
Ensuring the survival of agriculture under an increasingly
erratic climate is approaching a crisis in the sere and
sweltering Western and Southwestern United States, an area that
supplies much of our beef and dairy, alfalfa, tree nuts and
produce. Contending with too little water to support their
plants and animals, farmers have tilled under crops, pulled out
trees, fallowed fields and sold off herds. … In the last five
years, researchers have begun to puzzle out how brackish water,
pulled from underground aquifers, might be de-salted cheaply
enough to offer farmers another water resilience tool. …
Desalination renders salty water less so. … Inland
desalination happens away from coasts, with aquifer waters that
are brackish — containing between 1,000 and 10,000 milligrams
of salt per liter, versus around 35,000 milligrams per liter
for seawater. Texas has more than three dozen centralized
brackish groundwater desalination plants, California more than
20. Such technology has long been considered too costly for
farming. Some experts still think it’s a pipe dream.
There are three policy issues particularly important to
California’s farmers that Trump wants to change. If he does
what he has promised, one might benefit the industry and two
might damage it. The beneficial change is what California Farm
Bureau President Shannon Douglas, in a post-election statement,
calls “securing a sustainable water supply.” For years, state
officials have been trying, either through regulatory decrees
or negotiations, to reduce the amount of water San Joaquin
Valley farmers take from the San Joaquin River and its
tributaries to enhance flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta, thus improving its water quality to support fish and
other wildlife. Farmers are miffed that after two wet winters
filled the state’s reservoirs, state federal water managers
still limited agricultural deliveries. … The two pending
issues that could backfire on farmers who voted for Trump
are imposing tariffs on imports from China, which could invite
retaliatory tariffs on agricultural exports, and deporting
undocumented immigrants, who comprise at least half of the
state’s agricultural workers. —Written by Dan Walters, columnist for CalMatters
Just outside Canyonlands National Park in San Juan County,
rancher Matt Redd walked to a spot where two of his pastures
meet. One side is growing alfalfa and other traditional grazing
crops with wheel line irrigation. The other is home to a
lesser-known grain called Kernza. … Perhaps the most
beautiful thing about it, though, is how little water Kernza
needs compared to the neighboring pasture. Even though this
summer brought Utah record-breaking heat, Redd didn’t
water it from July through September. … That means more
of his ranch’s water can stay in nearby creeks that flow toward
the Colorado River.
The Colorado State University research center in Fruita looks
similar to other farm operations in the valley, except these
workers have another full time job on top of planting, growing,
and harvesting crops. Researchers gather data on water usage,
nutrient quality of the crops they grow and even the
temperature of the soil two feet underground. All this
information is vital for CSU projects that look to make
agriculture more efficient in a semi-arid
environment. “[There’s] processing and sampling those
crops and then sending them off for analysis.It’s really like
working on your own farm, but add in the data part of it,” said
Michael Lobato, a CSU researcher. He drives around in a golf
cart, irrigating his hay field, and recording exactly how much
water is applied to the two halves of the experiment. One half
is regular farm ground, the other half has a supplement added
into the soil. That’s the side Lobato hopes will be just as
healthy, but with less water.
… [Last] Tuesday, Californians voted to approve Proposition
4, $10 billion in bonds for environmental projects. That
includes $200 million for the state’s Multibenefit Land
Repurposing Program (MLRP) which pays farmers and local
agencies to put farmland to less water intensive uses such
as, solar, wildlife habitat, recreation and groundwater
recharge basins. … Research shows that when farmland is
converted to other beneficial uses near disadvantaged
communities, that can also uplift the local
economy. Residents in the small town of Fairmead in Madera
County are trying to do just that. Fairmead is surrounded by
crops and has suffered from plummeting aquifer levels which
have left household wells dry in recent years and
even dried up one of the community wells.
… Pistachios are growing fast in California, where farmers
have been devoting more land to a crop seen as hardier and more
drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in
precipitation. The crop generated nearly $3 billion last year
in California and in the past decade the United States has
surpassed Iran to become the world’s top exporter of the nut.
… Much of the crop is headed to China, where it is a
popular treat during Lunar New Year.
Seeking to prevent the California State Water Resources Control
Board from stepping in to regulate groundwater in critically
overdrafted subbasins, local agencies are working to correct
deficiencies in their plans to protect groundwater. With
groundwater sustainability agencies formed and groundwater
sustainability plans evaluated, the state water board has moved
to implement the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act,
or SGMA. … Under probation, groundwater extractors in
the Tulare Lake subbasin face annual fees of $300 per well and
$20 per acre-foot pumped, plus a late reporting fee of 25%.
SGMA also requires well owners to file annual groundwater
extraction reports.
Catastrophic weather events wreaked havoc on U.S. agriculture
last year, causing nearly $22 billion in crop and rangeland
losses, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
California accounted for $1.14 billion of that figure,
including nearly $880 million in damages from severe storms and
flooding. The figures represent a significant shift from
previous years, when drought and wildfires were California’s
biggest challenges. Since then, atmospheric rivers, Tropical
Storm Hilary and other weather events battered our farming
communities. - Written by Matthew Viohl, director of federal
policy for the California Farm Bureau
Explore the lower Colorado River firsthand where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs is the focus of this tour.
Hilton Garden Inn Las Vegas Strip South
7830 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89123
Water, the essence of life, is an indispensable resource
intricately woven into the fabric of our daily existence. From
the food on our plates to the gadgets in our hands, water
silently plays a pivotal role in the creation of almost
everything we encounter. In a world where water scarcity is a
looming concern, it is essential to explore the profound impact
of water in the production of goods and services that shape our
lives as well as the food we feed our families. -Written by Mike Wade, executive director of the
California Farm Water Coalition
This tour explored the Sacramento River and its tributaries through a scenic landscape while learning about the issues associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.
Water Education Foundation
2151 River Plaza Drive, Suite 205
Sacramento, CA 95833
The 3ʳᵈ International Conference, Toward Sustainable Groundwater in Agriculture: Linking Science & Policy took place from June 18 – 20. Organized by the Water Education Foundation and the UC Davis Robert M. Hagan Endowed Chair, the conference provided scientists, policymakers, agricultural and environmental interest group representatives, government officials and consultants with the latest scientific, management, legal and policy advances for sustaining our groundwater resources in agricultural regions around the world.
The conference keynote address was provided by Mark Arax, an award-winning journalist and author of books chronicling agriculture and water issues in California’s Central Valley. Arax comes from a family of Central Valley farmers and is praised for writing books that are deeply profound, heartfelt and nuanced including The Dreamt Land, West of the West and The King of California. He did a reading from his latest book The Dreamt Land and commented on the future of groundwater in the Valley during his keynote lunch talk on June 18.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
1333 Bayshore Hwy
Burlingame, CA 94010
This tour explored the lower Colorado River firsthand where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hilton Garden Inn Las Vegas Strip South
7830 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89123
This special Foundation water tour journeyed along the Eastern Sierra from the Truckee River to Mono Lake, through the Owens Valley and into the Mojave Desert to explore a major source of water for Southern California, this year’s snowpack and challenges for towns, farms and the environment.
This tour explored the Sacramento River and its tributaries through a scenic landscape while learning about the issues associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.
Water Education Foundation
2151 River Plaza Drive, Suite 205
Sacramento, CA 95833
This tour explored the Sacramento River and its tributaries
through a scenic landscape while learning about the issues
associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of
California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State
Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.
Water Education Foundation
2151 River Plaza Drive, Suite 205
Sacramento, CA 95833
This tour traveled along the San Joaquin River to learn firsthand
about one of the nation’s largest and most expensive river
restoration projects.
The San Joaquin River was the focus of one of the most
contentious legal battles in California water history,
ending in a 2006 settlement between the federal government,
Friant Water Users Authority and a coalition of environmental
groups.
Hampton Inn & Suites Fresno
327 E Fir Ave
Fresno, CA 93720
This tour explored the lower Colorado River firsthand where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to some 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hyatt Place Las Vegas At Silverton Village
8380 Dean Martin Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89139
This tour ventured through California’s Central Valley, known as the nation’s breadbasket thanks to an imported supply of surface water and local groundwater. Covering about 20,000 square miles through the heart of the state, the valley provides 25 percent of the nation’s food, including 40 percent of all fruits, nuts and vegetables consumed throughout the country.
The lower Colorado River has virtually every drop allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
Hyatt Place Las Vegas At Silverton Village
8380 Dean Martin Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89139
This tour guided participants on a virtual exploration of the Sacramento River and its tributaries and learn about the issues associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.
This tour guided participants on a virtual journey deep into California’s most crucial water and ecological resource – the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The 720,000-acre network of islands and canals support the state’s two major water systems – the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. The Delta and the connecting San Francisco Bay form the largest freshwater tidal estuary of its kind on the West coast.
This event explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs was the focus of this tour.
This tour explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial needs is the focus of this tour.
Silverton Hotel
3333 Blue Diamond Road
Las Vegas, NV 89139
This 2-day, 1-night tour offered participants the opportunity to
learn about water issues affecting California’s scenic Central
Coast and efforts to solve some of the challenges of a region
struggling to be sustainable with limited local supplies that
have potential applications statewide.
This tour explored the Sacramento River and its tributaries
through a scenic landscape as participants learned about the
issues associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of
California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State
Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. Tour
participants got an on-site update of Oroville Dam spillway
repairs.
We explored the lower Colorado River where virtually every drop
of the river is allocated, yet demand is growing from myriad
sources — increasing population, declining habitat, drought and
climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in
the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin
states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this
water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial
needs was the focus of this tour.
Hampton Inn Tropicana
4975 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89118
This three-day, two-night tour explored the lower Colorado River
where virtually every drop of the river is allocated, yet demand
is growing from myriad sources — increasing population,
declining habitat, drought and climate change.
The 1,450-mile river is a lifeline to 40 million people in
the Southwest across seven states and Mexico. How the Lower Basin
states – Arizona, California and Nevada – use and manage this
water to meet agricultural, urban, environmental and industrial
needs is the focus of this tour.
Best Western McCarran Inn
4970 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
This tour explored the Sacramento River and its tributaries
through a scenic landscape as participants learned about the
issues associated with a key source for the state’s water supply.
All together, the river and its tributaries supply 35 percent of
California’s water and feed into two major projects: the State
Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. Tour
participants got an on-site update of repair efforts on the
Oroville Dam spillway.
Participants of this tour snaked along the San Joaquin River to
learn firsthand about one of the nation’s largest and most
expensive river restoration projects.
The San Joaquin River was the focus of one of the most
contentious legal battles in California water history,
ending in a 2006 settlement between the federal government,
Friant Water Users Authority and a coalition of environmental
groups.
Groundwater replenishment happens
through direct recharge and in-lieu recharge. Water used for
direct recharge most often comes from flood flows, water
conservation, recycled water, desalination and water
transfers.
Water is expensive – and securing enough money to ensure
reliability and efficiency of the state’s water systems and
ecosystems is a constant challenge.
In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 1, authorizing a
$7.5 billion bond to fund water projects throughout the state.
This included investments in water storage, watershed protection
and restoration, groundwater sustainability and drinking water
protection.
California agriculture is going to have to learn to live with the
impacts of climate change and work toward reducing its
contributions of greenhouse gas emissions, a Yolo County walnut
grower said at the Jan. 26 California Climate Change Symposium in
Sacramento.
“I don’t believe we are going to be able to adapt our way out of
climate change,” said Russ Lester, co-owner of Dixon Ridge Farms
in Winters. “We need to mitigate for it. It won’t solve the
problem but it can slow it down.”
From the Greek “xeros” and Middle Dutch “scap,”
xeriscape was coined
in 1978 and literally translates to “dry scene.”
Xeriscaping, by extension, is making an environment which can
tolerate dryness. This involves installing drought-resistant and
slow-growing plants to reduce water use.
Irrigation is the artificial supply
of water to grow crops or plants. Obtained from either surface or groundwater, it optimizes
agricultural production when the amount of rain and where it
falls is insufficient. Different irrigation
systems are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but in
practical use are often combined. Much of the agriculture in
California and the West relies on irrigation.
Excess salinity poses a growing
threat to food production, drinking water quality and public
health. Salts increase the cost of urban drinking water and
wastewater treatment, which are paid for by residents and
businesses. Increasing salinity is likely the largest long-term
chronic water quality impairment to surface and groundwater in California’s Central
Valley.
California’s severe drought has put its water rights system under
scrutiny, raising the question whether a complete overhaul is
necessary to better allocate water use.
(Read the excerpt below from the July/August 2015 issue along
with the editor’s note. Click here
to subscribe to Western Water and get full access.)
Introduction
California’s severe drought has put its water rights system under
scrutiny, raising the question whether a complete overhaul is
necessary to better allocate water use.
This issue looks at remote sensing applications and how satellite
information enables analysts to get a better understanding of
snowpack, how much water a plant actually uses, groundwater
levels, levee stability and more.
This 3-day, 2-night tour, which we do every spring,
travels the length of the San Joaquin Valley, giving participants
a clear understanding of the State Water Project and Central
Valley Project.
Located just north of Fresno, the
Friant Dam helps deliver water as it runs towards the Merced River, though its
environmental impacts have caused controversy.
This printed issue of Western Water examines
agricultural water use – its successes, the planned state
regulation to quantify its efficiency and the potential for
greater savings.
This Western Water looks at proposed new measures to deal with
the century-old problem of salinity with a special focus on San
Joaquin Valley farms and cities.
The Reclamation Act of 1902, which could arguably be described as
a progression of the credo, Manifest Destiny, transformed the
West. This issue of Western Water provides a glimpse of the past
100 years of the Reclamation Act, from the early visionaries who
sought to turn the arid West into productive farmland, to the
modern day task of providing a limited amount of water to homes,
farms and the environment. Included are discussions of various
Bureau projects and what the next century may bring in terms of
challenges and success.
30-minute DVD that traces the history of the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation and its role in the development of the West. Includes
extensive historic footage of farming and the construction of
dams and other water projects, and discusses historic and modern
day issues.
A new look for our most popular product! And it’s the perfect
gift for the water wonk in your life.
Our 24×36-inch California Water Map is widely known for being the
definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the
state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s
natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts
– including federally, state and locally funded
projects – the wild and scenic rivers system, and
natural lakes. The map features beautiful photos of
California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects,
wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses and the
text focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water
projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado
River.
This beautiful 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, features
a map of the San Joaquin River. The map text focuses on the San
Joaquin River Restoration Program, which aims to restore flows
and populations of Chinook salmon to the river below Friant Dam
to its confluence with the Merced River. The text discusses the
history of the program, its goals and ongoing challenges with
implementation.
This beautiful 24×36-inch poster, suitable for framing, displays
the rivers, lakes and reservoirs, irrigated farmland, urban areas
and Indian reservations within the Klamath River Watershed. The
map text explains the many issues facing this vast,
15,000-square-mile watershed, including fish restoration;
agricultural water use; and wetlands. Also included are
descriptions of the separate, but linked, Klamath Basin
Restoration Agreement and the Klamath Hydroelectric Agreement,
and the next steps associated with those agreements. Development
of the map was funded by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
This beautiful 24×36-inch poster, suitable for framing, displays
the rivers, lakes and reservoirs, irrigated farmland, urban areas
and Indian reservations within the Truckee River Basin, including
the Newlands Project, Pyramid Lake and Lake Tahoe. Map text
explains the issues surrounding the use of the Truckee-Carson
rivers, Lake Tahoe water quality improvement efforts, fishery
restoration and the effort to reach compromise solutions to many
of these issues.
This 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, illustrates the
water resources available for Nevada cities, agriculture and the
environment. It features natural and manmade water resources
throughout the state, including the Truckee and Carson rivers,
Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake and the course of the Colorado River
that forms the state’s eastern boundary.
Water as a renewable resource is depicted in this 18×24 inch
poster. Water is renewed again and again by the natural
hydrologic cycle where water evaporates, transpires from plants,
rises to form clouds, and returns to the earth as precipitation.
Excellent for elementary school classroom use.
With irrigation projects that import water, farmers have
transformed millions of acres of land into highly productive
fields and orchards. But the dry climate that provides an almost
year-round farming season can hasten salt build up in soils. The
build-up of salts in poorly drained soils can decrease crop
productivity, and there are links between drainage water from
irrigated fields and harmful impacts on fish and wildlife.
The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the Central Valley Project
explores the history and development of the federal Central
Valley Project (CVP), California’s largest surface water delivery
system. In addition to the project’s history, the guide describes
the various CVP facilities, CVP operations, the benefits the CVP
brought to the state and the CVP Improvement Act (CVPIA).
The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the State Water Project provides
an overview of the California-funded and constructed State Water
Project.
The State Water Project is best known for the 444-mile-long
aqueduct that provides water from the Delta to San Joaquin Valley
agriculture and southern California cities. The guide contains
information about the project’s history and facilities.
The 28-page Layperson’s Guide to Groundwater is an in-depth,
easy-to-understand publication that provides background and
perspective on groundwater. The guide explains what groundwater
is – not an underground network of rivers and lakes! – and the
history of its use in California.
The 28-page Layperson’s Guide to Water Rights Law, recognized as
the most thorough explanation of California water rights law
available to non-lawyers, traces the authority for water flowing
in a stream or reservoir, from a faucet or into an irrigation
ditch through the complex web of California water rights.
The 20-page Layperson’s Guide to Water Marketing provides
background information on water rights, types of transfers and
critical policy issues surrounding this topic. First published in
1996, the 2005 version offers expanded information on
groundwater banking and conjunctive use, Colorado River
transfers and the role of private companies in California’s
developing water market.
Order in bulk (25 or more copies of the same guide) for a reduced
fee. Contact the Foundation, 916-444-6240, for details.
The Water Education Foundation’s second edition of
the Layperson’s Guide to The Klamath River Basin is
hot off the press and available for purchase.
Updated and redesigned, the easy-to-read overview covers the
history of the region’s tribal, agricultural and environmental
relationships with one of the West’s largest rivers — and a
vast watershed that hosts one of the nation’s oldest and
largest reclamation projects.
There are two constants regarding agricultural water use –
growers will continue to come up with ever more efficient and
innovative ways to use water and they will always be pressed to
do more.
It’s safe to say the matter will not be settled anytime soon,
given all the complexities that are a part of the water use
picture today. While officials and stakeholders grapple to find a
lasting solution to California’s water problems that balances
environmental and economic needs, those who grow food and fiber
for a living do so amid a host of challenges.
Land retirement is a practice that takes agricultural lands out
of production due to poor drainage and soils containing high
levels of salt and selenium (a mineral found in soil).
Typically, landowners are paid to retire land. The purchaser,
often a local water district, then places a deed restriction on
the land to prevent growing crops with irrigation water (a source
of salt). Growers in some cases may continue to farm using rain
water, a method known as dry farming.
Evaporation ponds contain agricultural drainage water and are
used when agricultural growers do not have access to rivers for
drainage disposal.
Drainage water is the only source of water in many of these
ponds, resulting in extremely high concentrations of salts.
Concentrations of other trace elements such as selenium are also
elevated in evaporation basins, with a wide degree of variability
among basins.
Such ponds resemble wetland areas that birds use for nesting and
feeding grounds and may pose risks to waterfowl and shorebirds.
The Coachella Valley in Southern California’s Inland Empire is
one of several valleys throughout the state with a water district
established to support agriculture.
Like the others, the Coachella Valley Water District in Riverside
County delivers water to arid agricultural lands and constructs,
operates and maintains a regional agricultural drainage system.
These systems collect drainage water from individual farm drain
outlets and convey the water to a point of reuse, disposal or
dilution.
