Water Resources Control Board Meeting

State Water Board officials briefed on broad scope of Almond Board water research initiatives

From educating almond growers about water management and efficiency to helping develop sustainable water resources, Almond Board of California (ABC) is engaged in a broad array of research initiatives focused on maximizing “crop per drop.”

That was the central message Almond Board staff delivered in a wide-ranging briefing for key staff of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in Sacramento. 

“It was a great opportunity to talk to water board staff about the vast array of research ABC is conducting on many critical water resource issues,” explained Sustainability and Environmental Affairs Director Dr. Gabriele Ludwig. “Overall, they came away impressed by the financial commitment the almond community is making to researching these issues. They have a much better understanding of the complexity of growing almonds and how committed we are to finding answers based on the best available science.” 

Conducting the briefing were Ludwig; Agricultural Affairs Director Bob Curtis; Irrigation and Water Efficiency Senior Manager Spencer Cooper and Environmental Affairs Senior Specialist Jesse Roseman. 

Ludwig outlined how ABC’s Accelerated Innovation Management (AIM) research projects are designed to fulfill the vision of the almond orchard of the future while building on the fact that growers have used 33% less water per pound of almonds produced in the last 20 years.¹

Curtis noted the benefits of hullsplit Strategic Deficit Irrigation (SDI) (aka Regulated Deficit Irrigation) in reducing water use by as much as 34% during hullsplit while reducing overall seasonal water use as much as 10-15%. However, he pointed out that not all growers can implement these methods as it requires access to water on demand, which most growers do not have, and also depends on careful monitoring of tree stress levels, which many growers are not in a position to do.

Spencer Cooper detailed the workings of the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum, a comprehensive manual of irrigation practices which has the goal of improving water use efficiency by moving growers along the continuum. The first year focused on distribution uniformity, how to calculate ET and basic system performance. The focus is “boots on the ground” with growers, irrigation services providers, UCCE farm advisers and specialists to build a basic understanding of on-farm water management using the tools available. 

Cooper explained the irrigation continuum is being developed to accelerate the transition of growers to more efficient irrigation by use of scheduling and management practices with the goal of maximizing “crop per drop.” Data gathered from ABC’s California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP) helps identify the key water use efficiency practices growers are using and how existing outreach programs may help growers achieve their goals.