- Author: Ben Faber
Please register for Nitrogen Management Plan Self-Certification Webinar on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 17/18, 2020 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST at:
https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/2352520986463929090
This workshop is intended for growers, and their representatives, who are looking to learn more about nitrogen management planning and/or intend to self-certify their plans. It is also a good education on how nitrogen works in our environment and how it can be managed. The program is sponsored by CA Department of Food and Agriculture, University of CA Cooperative Extension and the Ventura County Irrigated Lands Group.
Attendees must participate in both sessions to receive education credit and qualify to take the online certification test after the final webinar session.
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.
This workshop will open a half hour early at 8:30am, to allow attendees to test their connection and access the GoTo Training webinar link.
Email organizer: training@lwa.com
Image of nitrogen deficient avocado leaf on left
- Author: Ben Faber
INTERACTIVE IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE THE LEACHING OF NITROGEN
IIMRLN PROGRAM
The program purpose is to reduce the amount of nitrogen leached from farms with the goal of enhancing surface and groundwater quality
Participants will be selected based on:
• potential for nitrogen leaching and proximity to nitrogen-impaired waterbody
• potential for water-use and fertilizer use reductions
Participants will receive:
• a free NIM station, irrigation and nutrient data reports, and access to real-time soil moisture data
• free access to irrigation and nutrient management technical assistance and recommendations
Free Zoom Workshops – just click the link to participate on the date and time indicated!
Hear details from Jodi Switzer - Farm Bureau VC, Ben Waddell - Fruit Growers Lab, Israel Camacho - AGQ Labs, Eryn Wingate - Tri-Tech Ag, and Jamie Whiteford - VCRCD
Monday October 19, 12:00 - 1:00 pm. To attend this remote workshop click HERE
Thursday October 22, 9:00 - 10:00 am. To attend this remote workshop click HERE
Friday October 23, 12:00 - 1:00 pm. To attend this remote workshop click HERE
Friday October 23, 1:00 - 2:00 pm. To attend this remote workshop click HERE
For program questions contact JamieWhiteford.vcrcd@gmail.com, 805-764-5132. For program information or to complete an IIMRLN application click: IIMRLN webpage
- Author: Ben Faber
The California Irrigation Institute is the oldest independent forum on irrigation and water in California founded in 1962. The primary purpose of the institute is to host an annual conference on California water issues, water use efficiency, water quality and surface and groundwater management. The conferences feature leading water industry experts, government agency heads, water district managers, innovative farmers and vendors with leading water saving products. The sessions aim to discuss research results and practical field experience.
The two-day, half day meeting is a mix of presentation by irrigation industry representatives, policy discussion and research findings - A little bit of a lot of different topics.
The Agenda :
http://www.caii.org/program-schedule/monday-february-1-2021-schedule/
http://www.caii.org/program-schedule/tuesday-feb-2-2021-schedule/
Registration: http://www.caii.org/registration/
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Estimating Water Demand and Use |
Annie Burkholder, Soil Scientist, Dellavalle Laboratory |
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Water Transfer and Trading Credits: What are the Opportunities and Challenges |
Eric Averatt, General Manager, Rosedale Rio Bravo Water District |
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Water Demand Management Strategies |
John Kirst, Executive Director, Ventura County Farm Bureau |
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Hunter Presentation |
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Pacific Institute Report on Water Trends |
Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute |
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Ag Sensing Project |
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Urban AMI |
Don Schlenger, President, Don Schlenger and Associates |
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Don Schlenger, President, Don Schlenger and Associates |
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Findings from Installation of AMI on Irrigation Meters |
Craig Lauridsen, Meter Operations Supervisor, Marin Municipal Water Disrtict |
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Lessons Learned on Smart Metering in Sacramento |
William Granger, Water Conservation Coordinator, City of Sacramento |
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How Do You Know What You Can't See? AMI exposes it! |
Debby Figoni, Water Conservation Administrator, City of Beverly Hills |
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Regulatory Update by DWR |
Arthur Hinojosa Jr, Chief, Division of Regional Assistance, Department of Water Resources |
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Landscape Area Measurement |
Andrew Brenner, Quantum Spatial |
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Residential End Use Study |
Peter Mayer, Principal and Founder, WaterDM |
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Utility Complying with Framework |
Dave Roberts, Resource Conservation Manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District |
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Developing Institutional Capacity to Cope with Water Limitations: the FAO Water Scarcity Initiative |
Pasquale Steduto, FAO Land & Water Unit |
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Irrigation of Nut Crops Under limited water supply in Europe |
David Doll, former UCCE Nut Crops Advisor |
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Deficit Irrigation of Tree Crops in Mediterranean Regions |
Elias Fereres, CSIC, Spain |
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Coping with Water Limitations in Chile |
Octavio Lagos, Associated Professor, Water Resources Department at the Agricultural Engineering Faculty of the University of Concepción in Chile |
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If you learn one good thing, you could be a better grower. David Doll and Elias Fereres may have some really interesting insights in how to better use water in tree crops.
- Author: Ben Faber
Efficient and precise irrigation management is critical if California producers are to maximize crop quality, conserve water, and protect the environment. The use of evapotranspiration (ET) estimates is a significant component of irrigation management. ET refers to the sum of water lost from the soil (evaporation) as well as that used by the crop (transpiration). While the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) network of weather stations derive daily ET values, there is a perception that CIMIS does not produce accurate ET estimates for all locations. This view is particularly prevalent in the canyons of Ventura County where weather conditions differ substantially compared to CIMIS locations. Since avocado and citrus thrive in these areas, it was concerning when it was determined that ET scheduling is not widely used.
That is, a Ventura County Resource Conservation District (RCD) review of California Department of Food and Agricultural State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (CDFA SWEEP) projects concluded that Ventura County growers substantially lagged their state-wide peers with respect to implementing ET-based irrigation scheduling (14% versus 44%).
RCD seeks to reverse the low implementation of ET-based irrigation scheduling within Ventura County by using simple, rugged on-site ET devices (atmometers) to determine on-site ET values. These on-site values will be compared to CIMIS values to determine local correction factors and develop refined ET maps for the canyon and valley areas. RCD will present these results at outreach events and provide workshops demonstrating how ET data, whether from CIMIS or on-site atmometers, can be used for irrigation management.
PHOTO: Atmometer Test/Calibration Site @ UC Hansen
- Author: Ben Faber
A recent review of how irrigation has been used world round has recently been published. It's worth a read to learn how it hs been done and what we might learn for the presnet and the future. Daniele Zaccaria a UC Irrigation Specialist is one of the authors
Irrigation of World Agricultural Lands: Evolution through the Millennia
By: Andreas N. Angelakιs, Daniele Zaccaria, Jens Krasilnikoff, Miquel Salgot, Mohamed Bazza, Paolo Roccaro, Βlanca Jimenez, Arun Kumar, Wang Yinghua, Alper Baba, Jessica Anne Harrison, Andrea Garduno-Jimenezand Elias Fereres
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Supply and Water Scarcity)
Water 2020, 12(5), 1285; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12051285
Abstract
Many agricultural production areas worldwide are characterized by high variability of water supply conditions, or simply lack of water, creating a dependence on irrigation since Neolithic times. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of irrigation of agricultural lands worldwide, based on bibliographical research focusing on ancient water management techniques and ingenious irrigation practices and their associated land management practices. In ancient Egypt, regular flooding by the Nile River meant that early agriculture probably consisted of planting seeds in soils that had been recently covered and fertilized with floodwater and silt deposits. On the other hand, in arid and semi-arid regions farmers made use of perennial springs and seasonal runoff under circumstances altogether different from the river civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and early dynasties in China. We review irrigation practices in all major irrigation regions through the centuries. Emphasis is given to the Bronze Age civilizations (Minoans, Egyptians, and Indus valley), pre-Columbian, civilizations from the historic times (e.g., Chinese, Hellenic, and Roman), late-Columbians (e.g., Aztecs and Incas) and Byzantines, as well as to Ottomans and Arabs. The implications and impacts of irrigation techniques on modern management of water resources, as well as on irrigated agriculture, are also considered and discussed. Finally, some current major agricultural water management challenges are outlined, concluding that ancient practices could be adapted to cope with present challenges in irrigated agriculture for increasing productivity and sustainability.
There's also some added discussion of drainage in this review paper
The Evolution of Agricultural Drainage
from the Earliest Times to the Present
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 416; https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/1/416/htm
Image: Egyptian Shaduf (from: Water Encyclopedia)
