Do you have experience applying available floodwater in your orchards in excess of the crop’s demand? Are you willing to use available floodwater this winter (2016–2017) to accelerate groundwater recharge? If so, Sustainable Conservation would like to hear from you.
The Accelerated Groundwater Recharge Assessment project, which is supported by Almond Board of California (ABC), will be putting into practice an affordable and practical tool to move groundwater basins on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley (Stanislaus County to Kern County) toward balance through capture and recharge of available floodwater on working farmland.
“There is a lack of scientific information about the acceptable timing and duration of water being captured on farmland for recharge,” said Alex Karolyi, Marketing and Communications director for Sustainable Conservation, San Francisco. “Sustainable Conservation is confidentially interviewing farmers who have had success with this practice.”
Findings of this project will be used to develop decision-support tools to:
- Guide other growers in assessing the suitability of their lands for on-farm recharge; and
- Enable Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to assess how on-farm recharge can contribute to achieving groundwater recharge sustainability1 goals.
Demonstrations and field assessments will take place the winter and spring of 2017. To participate, please contact Joseph Choperena, senior project manager, Sustainable Conservation, at JChoperena@suscon.org or (415) 977-0380, ext. 320.
1. Sustainable almond farming utilizes production practices that are economically viable and are based upon scientific research, common sense and a respect for the environment, neighbors and employees. The result is a plentiful, nutritious, safe food product.
