- Author: Chris M. Webb
Developed in partnership with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), UC ANR’s Farm Water Quality Planning (FWQP) series is designed to provide water quality and technical assistance to California growers.
The structure of this series is extremely practical. With 30 separate publications covering specific aspects of water quality planning, users can access information needed for their operations. Most FWQP reference sheets are less than 10 pages. All pack a great deal of knowledge in easily digestible formats. Links and suggestions for further information can be found at the end of each.
This series shines in the range of topics covered and care taken to tailor information to a variety of audiences. Examples of topics available for free download in this series include:
- Basic concepts of Groundwater Hydrology
- Identifying Your Farm Water Quality Goals
- Developing a Nonpoint Source Pollution Evaluation Program
- Irrigation Water Salinity and Crop Production
- Groundwater Quality and Groundwater Pollution
- Watershed Response to Storm Events
- Legal Descriptions of Property
- Pesticide Selection to Reduce Impacts on Water Quality
- Nutrient Management Goals and Management Practices for Nursery and Floriculture
- Practices for Reducing Nonpoint Source Pollution from Irrigated Agriculture
To view additional topics and to download the publications, please click here.
Mulches used to cover bare soil can reduce soil runoff and promote infiltration. Photo by A. Ellis.
For most farms, adopting conservation cropping sequences or changing the way you manage your irrigation water will provide the quickest and most economical means of reducing pollution by sediment.
Vegetation is a better option than pavement or bare soil for open areas because it can absorb water and prevent the movement of runoff, nutrients, and pesticides. Photo by D. Zurawski.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Recognizing the benefit through permeable surfaces as a way to reduce pollutants carried in urban runoff the use of pervious materials in urban landscape design is increasing.
How do permeable surfaces reduce pollutants in urban runoff? When flowing over concrete and asphalt, contaminated runoff continues along quickly, increasing pollutant levels in nearby lakes, streams and oceans. Alternatively runoff that comes into contact with permeable surfaces infiltrates the soil beneath the surface reducing the amount of pollutants carried into nearby water bodies.
A recent UC IPM Green Bulletin provides interesting and practical information for using permeable materials in landscapes and how to maintain and care for them once installed. In addition, suggestions for applying pesticides safely near hardscape surfaces to reduce contaminated runoff can also be found in this newsletter.
UC IPM Green Bulletins are produced to provide “specific practices and information that pest management professionals can incorporate into their daily work to manage pests effectively while reducing pesticide runoff and other environmental problems.” Other bulletins can be found here.
For related information, please see our previous post Manage Runoff with Vegetated Buffers.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Ventura County Cooperative Extension’s Oleg Daugovish will hold a free commercial grower vegetable production and water management meeting Thursday, December 9 from 7:30am to 12:30pm. The meeting will be held at Freedom Center, 516 Eubanks Road in Camarillo.
Scheduled meeting topics are:
- Vegetable pathogens: recent and persistent pathogens of vegetable crops
- Weed control with drip activated herbicides in celery and cabbage
- Precision weed management tools in vegetable crops
- Update on Ag waiver regulations for the LA/Central Coast region
- Soil and water analyses, results and implications for Ventura County vegetable fields
- Best management practices for fertilizer management in coastal vegetable crops
- Insect pest management in warm and cool season vegetables
Lunch will be provided, and continuous education credits have been requested from DPR (Department of Pesticide Regulation).
For special arrangements, for questions or to register please contact Oleg Daugovish at (805) 645-1454 or at odaugovish@ucdavis.edu. Additional details can be found here.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
UC ANR’s new free publication, Home Gardens and Lead What You Should Know about Growing Plants in Lead-Contaminated Soil provides science-based information to alert gardeners to this potential danger along with practical, low-cost ways to limit potential health risks from lead-contaminated soil.
Topics covered in the publication include:
- Home gardens and lead.
- How does lead get into the soil?
- What are the hazards associated with lead?
- Will plants grow in lead-contaminated soil?
- Is it safe to eat plants that have been grown in lead-contaminated soils?
- What precautions should I take before eating plants grown in lead-contaminated soils?
- Can I do anything to reduce the amount of lead my vegetables take up from the soil?
- Can I reduce or remove the lead in my soil?
- And more
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Today, Ventura County Cooperative Extension's Maren Mochizuki shares with us about
a local research project.
Preliminary results on the synergistic effect of soil amendments and elemental sulfur to reduce soil pH were presented on Aug. 3 at the ASHS annual conference in Palm Desert, CA. To view the presentation abstract, please click here.
For more information on this project, please see this previous post:
Ground lemon waste, pine needles, peat moss, and coffee grounds applied to soil to ascertain impact on soil pH. Amendments were incorporated using a rototiller.
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