Many decision-makers, both on the farm and in public office, lack accessible information on a range of practices that can alleviate farmers’ dependence on insecure water supplies and better steward the water that flows through farms. This resource center is a clearinghouse of information and resources on important on-farm practices for good agricultural water stewardship: managing farm water wisely, relying less on applied water, and transforming the farm into a water catchment and storage system that reduces evaporation, stores water in the soil for longer, reduces erosive runoff, and ultimately returns quality water to the basin. Water use efficiency has long been an important effort on California farms and ranches, yet many of the practices featured here have been overlooked as effective strategies to complement irrigation technology and system-wide approaches. If California is to thrive as an agricultural producer, agricultural water stewardship must become a central focus of policy and practice. Collectively, broad implementation of the practices described here has the potential to have a profound effect in ensuring the long-term viability of the industry and enhancing local ecosystems and watersheds.
This resource center aims to provide information to assist in decision-making; it is not a technical guide. Growers and ranchers should consult with their Farm Advisor, NRCS, local Resource Conservation District, or other technical support entities before implementing significant changes in farm practices.
This resource center does not constitute a comprehensive list of water-saving practices. It is a work in progress and we anticipate expanding the content over time as new practices and information emerge. Please contact us with any information you would like us to consider adding to the website and check back periodically for additional content.
Many thanks to the Columbia Foundation for their generous support in making this resource center possible. Thanks also to those who contributed substantial content to the site: Brock Dolman, Dr. Will Horwath, Lisa Kresge, Katy Mamen, David Runsten, Dr. Bahman Sheikh, Kaomine Vang and Dr. David Zoldoske.
