Educational Materials from The Conference on Water Recycling and Treatment

Educational Materials from

The Conference on Water Recycling and Treatment

January 28 and 29, 2010
Center for Applied Horticultural Research
3742 Blue Bird Canyon Road
Vista, CA 

“Water Treatment for Pathogens and Algae” edited by Paul Fisher
available as an ebook on the Water Education Alliance web site

“Greenhouse and Nursery Management Practices to Protect Water Quality”  edited by Julie Newman
Available for purchase on the ANR Catalog web site

Agenda

(Click on underlined titles to view PDF files)

January 28, 2010 (Thursday) Atman Plants and CfAHR

Session (I) 

Biology and Ecology of the Plant Pathogens in Water Systems- Deborah Mathews (Univ of California)

Management Practices to Improve the Quality of Surface Runoff- Darren Haver (Univ of California)

The Benefits of Slow Sand Filtration- Loren Oki (Univ of California)

Session (II) 

Overview of Technologies Available for Water Use on Ornamental Production Facilities-  Paul Fisher (Univ of Florida)

Technology Presentations by Water Treatment Companies

Session A – Water testing equipment and demonstration
Paul Fisher, Dustin Meador (Univ of Florida), Valerie Mellano (UCCE San Diego)

Session B – Water retention, capture, and treatment
Tom Costamagna and Loren Oki (UC)

Session C – Water quality and treatment from a plant nutrition viewpoint
Bill Argo (Blackmore Co.)

Session D – Tour of Rote Greenhouses

January 29, 2010 (Friday)
Summary of tour

Irrigation water capture is required on all production facilities in California.  What to do with that captured water is the challenge facing most ornamental producers, especially since water is in such short supply.  The growers we will visit have retrofitted their properties to capture the irrigation water, filter, treat, and reuse the water.

Tour of Olive Hill Greenhouses

Olive Hill Greenhouses has been in business since 1973 and has evolved into one of the largest interior plant producers in Southern California, producing a wide variety of foliage plants. With two production facilities totaling 760,000 square feet, the modern greenhouses feature galvanized steel exterior walls, inside insulation, and computer control of misting, propagation, environment, and shade curtains. Some of the water captured at the facility is reused and sterilized via a chlorine generator, and Bromeliads and orchids are grown using reverse osmosis for increased water quality.

Tour of Premier Color Nursery

Premier Color Nursery has been providing Southern California retail nurseries, hotels, theme parks, landscape firms, & country clubs with gourmet grown bedding plants since 1991. Premier Color utilizes state of the art runoff recapture and filtration systems.

Tour of Pardee Tree Nursery

Supplying the landscape industry for more than 25 years, operating on more than 300 acres in the majestic San Luis Rey River Valley, Pardees is one of the largest wholesale tree nurseries in San Diego County, serving the western U.S. and Canada. All irrigation runoff at Pardees is channeled through vegetative filters on its way to a retention pond. Sediment buildup from the runoff and all organic plant material including wooden boxes are reused in potting mixes. 

Tour of Rote Greenhouses (Twin Oaks)

Michael Rote began a part time business in his backyard in 1976 and went to full time production in 1983.  He grew to four locations on a total of 14 total acres that includes 355,000 ft2 in buildings and 13,000 ft2 in shadehouses.  Rote Greenhouses recaptures nearly all used water, and he was one of the first on the block to try the Pure-O-Tech water purification system, which includes UV and ozone sterilization.