As part of the Almond Board of California’s (ABC's) larger Accelerated Innovation Management (AIM) program, ABC has partnered with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) to focus on better understanding subsurface water storage, quality and movement in relation to almond orchard groundwater recharge test sites. This research will join the ongoing efforts by University of California, Davis and others to understand the potential of using California’s Almond orchards for groundwater recharge.
The new Berkeley Lab partnership expands ongoing Almond Board–funded work underway to identify which orchards are suitable for recharge; gauge groundwater recharge efforts’ effects on almond trees; and conduct advocacy work to ensure groundwater storage is a policy priority. Current partners include University of California, Davis; the environmental nonprofit group Sustainable Conservation; and the agricultural sciences and private research firm Land IQ.
While groundwater is coming under management by the state of California through the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, research and data are critically needed to fully understand the dynamics of groundwater recharge under a variety of conditions. Recharging groundwater returns water to underground aquifers, collectively California’s largest water storage system, through managed flooding using seasonal floodwater.
“The potential for using almond orchards for groundwater recharge is an increasingly important research area for us to understand as California’s precipitation begins to shift from winter snow to rain, which is more difficult to time and store,” said Gabriele Ludwig, Ph.D., director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs at the Almond Board. “Preliminary analysis of almond acreage indicates that nearly 675,000 acres are moderately good or better in their ability to recharge groundwater, and the new research with Berkeley Lab will bring even more insight into the progress to date.”
While this year’s El Niño storms provided some short-term relief, the ongoing drought continues to impact all Californians.
“The California Almond community is committed to weathering this storm, or lack thereof, by continuing its nearly half-a-century of investment in research and improved production practices, with the goal of responsible and sustainable1 use of California’s valuable natural resources,” Ludwig said.
Through more than 100 innovative Almond Board–funded research projects since 1982, California Almond growers have incorporated state-of-the-art, research-proven irrigation practices that have reduced the amount of water needed to grow each pound of almonds by 33%.2
All project partners believe on-farm groundwater recharge has great potential to help manage California’s vital groundwater resources sustainably. In the longer term, the results of the research may pave the way for a portion of California’s more than 1 million acres of almond orchard to be used as on-farm recharge sites, a potentially valuable tool for the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) (created by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) to use in developing and implementing their Groundwater Sustainability Plans.
1. What defines California Almond sustainability? 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.
2. University of California. UC Drought Management. Feb. 2010. Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 66 – Crop yield in response to water. 2012. Almond Board of California. Almond Almanac 1990-94, 2000-14.
