- Author: Devii R. Rao
Senate Bill 88 requires that all water right holders who have previously diverted or intend to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year (riparian and pre-1914 claims), or who are authorized to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year under a permit, license, or registration, to measure and report the water they divert. Detailed information on the regulatory requirements for measurement and reporting is available on the State Water Resources Control Board Reporting and Measurement Regulation webpage. The legislation as written requires for diversion (or storage) greater than or equal to 100-acre feet annually that installation and certification of measurement methods be approved by an Engineer/Contractor/Professional. Diverters across CA were concerned about this requirement.
California Cattlemen's Association heard from their membership and worked with Assemblyman Bigelow on a bill that would result in a self-certification option. Assembly Bill 589 was passed and became law on January 1, 2018. This bill, until January 1, 2023, allows any diverter, as defined, who has completed this instructional course on measurement devices and methods administered by the University of California Cooperative Extension, including passage of a proficiency test to be considered a qualified individual when installing and maintaining devices or implementing methods of measurement. The bill requires the University of California Cooperative Extension and the board to jointly develop the curriculum for the course and the proficiency test.
At the workshop you will:
- Clarify reporting requirements for ranches.
- Understand what meters are appropriate for different situations.
- Learn how to determine measurement equipment accuracy.
- Develop an understanding of measurement weirs.
- Learn how to calculate and report volume from flow data.
This is likely the last training being held in 2021. If you need this training, register and pay here: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=33616. If you encounter any issues with registering with the link provided, contact Sara Jaimes with the contact info found below. The scheduled training is:
November 4, 2021 Virtual Training. If you have any questions about this training, please contact Larry Forero (lcforero@ucanr.edu) or Sara Jaimes (sbjaimes@ucanr.edu) or by calling the Shasta UCCE office at 530-224-4900. Training will begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 12:30 pm.
- Author: Devii R. Rao
If you are interested in soil health or rangeland drill seeding you may be interested in these two upcoming in-person, outdoor workshops.
Workshop 1: The Central Coast Rangeland Coalition Fall's Meeting is titled Let's talk about compost and rangelands: field data, roundtable discussion, and field tour
The Central Coast Rangeland Coalition invites you to a day of conversations about compost application to degraded rangelands. The day's host, Alameda County Resource Conservation District, will describe its Healthy Soils Demonstration project examining the effects of compost on steep (15-30%) slopes. Preliminary field data will be shared, as well as diverse perspectives on grassland and soil responses to compost, costs, benefits, logistics, and potential problems. After lunch, participants will tour the field site and engage in stations focused on vegetation, soils, and compost quality.
Date:
Thursday, October 21, 2021, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Location (update):
Alameda RCD, Martinelli Center (morning - outdoor)
Open-air presentations and discussion.
3585 Greenville Rd #2, Livermore, CA 94550
StopWaste Altamont Property (afternoon - outdoor)
A short drive from Alameda RCD.
Register Here:
https://ccrc-fall2021-gathering.eventbrite.com
Registration deadline is Thursday, October 14 at 5 pm
Cost:
This is a FREE Program
Space is limited - we expect a waiting list
Goals
1. Share resources for implementing soil health practices on degraded rangelands.
2. Improve understanding of feasibility of compost addition on degraded rangelands with difficult terrain.
3. Improve understanding of degraded rangeland responses to compost addition.
4. Improve participant understanding of where and how to appropriately apply the compost addition practice on degraded rangelands.
For more information, contact Ian Howell at ian.howell@acrcd.org.
Workshop 2: Rangeland Drill Seeding Demonstration Field Day
Rangeland seeding is a practice that can restore degraded land while increasing healthy forage for livestock. It can also improve soil health, re-establish native vegetation that increases habitat value, create pollinator habitat, improve water filtration, increase carbon sequestration, among many other benefits. Depending on your goals and your land features, drill seeding can be an effective method to implement during your seeding project. Additional Information and registration is available here and a flyer is attached for posting. Please help by sharing this event within your network.
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM PT
Location:
Mark's Ranch,
Adjacent to Toro Park on 117th Dr.
Salinas, CA 93908
36.607796, -121.691916
Parking: Street parking is available. (Please do not park under the tree in front of the entrance to Marks Ranch.)
For more information, contact Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz at jazmine@californiamsf.org.
- Author: Devii R. Rao
Did you miss the Fire and Grazing on Rangelands webinar? Don't worry. We recorded it, and here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKpqWks81Io.
As a reminder, this 1-hour workshop provided updates on:
• A project exploring differences in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter from burned grasslands that were grazed versus those that were ungrazed; and
• Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (CCPBA) activities, including hands-on opportunities to learn about and practice pile burning, prescribed burning, home hardening and defensible space.
Speakers were Felix Ratcliff, LD Ford, Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science; Devii Rao, UCCE; Jeff Popnoe, Schmidt Ranch; Sara French, Amah Mutsun Land Trust; and Matthew Timmer, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.
- Author: Devii R. Rao
Join UC Cooperative Extension for a 1-hour workshop about fire and grazing on rangelands.
Date: Monday, August 30, 2021
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: This will be a virtual meeting. You can join by Zoom or by telephone.
Cost: Free, but registration is required.
Click here to register or contact Devii Rao at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-205-3125. Once you register, you will receive Zoom/call-in information. Registration deadline is August 27.
This 1-hour workshop will provide updates on:
• A project exploring differences in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter from burned grasslands that were grazed versus those that were ungrazed; and
• Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (CCPBA) activities, including hands-on opportunities to learn about and practice prescribed burning, pile burning, home hardening, and defensible space.
Speakers will include Felix Ratcliff, LD Ford, Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science; Devii Rao, UCCE; Jeff Popnoe, Schmidt Ranch; and Matthew Timmer, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Additional speaker TBD.
Click here for the flyer.
Fire and Grazing on Rangelands Flyer
- Author: Devii R. Rao
The San Benito Resource Conservation District (SBRCD) in collaboration with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) developed a detailed questionnaire to better understand our community needs. The survey is completely anonymous.
The locally led conservation effort is the foundation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) conservation program delivery process. The local work group supports the locally led conservation effort by coordinating USDA programs with other Federal, State, tribal, and local conservation programs to provide an integrated solution to addressing natural resource concerns.
NRCS and the RCDs are committed to developing service priorities from a local perspective. The local work group helps them coordinate with the communities they serve to develop natural resource priorities specific to local needs and focus areas. The following questions will be asked during the meeting to help inform development of NRCS resource priorities for the coming year.
If you are interested in providing local feedback, please click the link below to fill out the survey to help inform NRCS/RCD priorities for the coming year.
