The need to use water wisely has been realized in California for decades. Until recent years, however, little attention was paid to another natural resource, energy, and its relationship to water. Since most of California does not receive significant amounts of rain during the growing season, the state depends on the storage of winter rain and the runoff from snow in lakes, reservoirs, and underground aquifers. Very little of Californias vast water storage system could be used if it were not for pumps and the energy they require to move water—and energy costs continue to increase. The study summarized here was undertaken as a first step in understanding the energy requirements for irrigation.

Vashek Cervinka is Senior Analyst, California Department of Food and Agriculture.