NRCS California: USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies. This web site will provide the address of a USDA Service Center and other Agency offices serving your area along with information on how to contact them. You may also access the helpful NRCS Technical Guide of practices (as well as natural resources data and planning tools) tailored to your location.
Resource Conservation Districts: RCD offices around California were set up to administer needs of local people for pest control, fire fighting, water distribution, and a host of other services. Several RCDs partner with landowners to enhance water management.
UC Cooperative Extension: County-based Cooperative Extension offices are local problem-solving centers. Farm advisors, who are University of California employees, and professional staff work to bring science-based information to bear on local problems in their counties. Many farm advisors across the state work with farmers to develop and test crop-specific irrigation methods and smart water-use strategies.
Agricultural Water Management Council
The Agricultural Water Management Council (AWMC) webpage provides information on drought assistance for farmers, including education and training, water management planning, irrigation scheduling, mobile labs, professional irrigation consultants, and financial advice and assistance.
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC), a resource of the USDA, identifies resources about sustainable food systems and practices to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture and farmers worldwide. AFSIC includes a page on water conservation resources.
Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas
Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas (ATTRA) is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). The website includes sustainable agriculture and organic farming news, events, publications and funding opportunities. ATTRA has published an excellent Drought Resource Guide, which covers soil management, pasture and rangeland management, irrigation, and water management.
California State University
California State University Fresno offers the Center for Irrigation Technology to develop best practices to manage agricultural water use and crop water use efficiency including APEP, the on-farm pump efficiency program funded by PG&E. The CalPoly Irrigation Training and Research Center provides programmatic irrigation training and technical expertise to industry, farmers, irrigation districts and state/federal agencies for system management either on-farm or agency delivery systems.
Drought Proofing Your Farm
This comprehensive checklist of on-farm drought management strategies and practices was presented by UC Cooperative Extension Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor, Michael Cahn, at the Ecological Farming Conference, January 22, 1010.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides a wide range of support and information options, including assistance with drought planning through the creation of conservation plans. NRCS has compiled a Drought Page with further helpful information and resources. See also the NRCS publication: Effective Irrigation Practices to Improve Short Term and Long Term Water Management.
Recharge: EcoFarm’s Water Blog
This blog serves as a community forum, highlighting issues and solutions pertaining to ecological agriculture and on-farm water use management practices.
Russian River Coho Water Resources Partnership
The landowner tools section of the site includes information on water savings, frost protection, stormwater catchment, groundwater recharge, and permitting.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) website includes information on grants and education to advance sustainable innovations within American agriculture. SARE also published Smart Water Use on Your Farm and Ranch, an overview of soil, water, and crop management options for sound water use.
US Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Program
Focused on improving water conservation and helping water and resource managers make wise decisions about water use, Reclamation’s portion of the WaterSMART program is achieved through administration of grants, scientific studies, technical assistance, and scientific expertise.
Agricultural Water Stewardship Recommendations
On June 22, 2011, the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply released a set of proposed strategic actions to increase water security for California agriculture while maintaining or improving other beneficial uses. Roundtable members identified agricultural water stewardship as a key area of importance for sound long-term water management. In its report, Agricultural Water Stewardship: Recommendations to Optimize Outcomes for Specialty Crop Growers and the Public in California, Roundtable members present a unified set of principles for agricultural water stewardship. The report also identifies a set of targeted recommendations for state agencies, water suppliers, local water management groups, and the agricultural and research communities designed to facilitate long-term solutions.
Policy Brief Makes Case for Ag Water Stewardship
In July 2010, then CAWSI members CAFF, EcoFarm, OAEC WATER Institute, Polaris Institute, and Wild Farm Alliance released a 4-page brief outlining the critical importance of incorporating a stewardship approach to water management on farms in California. While many farmers recognize the role that smart water management plays in ensuring the economic viability of farms as well as its conservation value, public programs that provide support for ag water stewardship lag. The paper Why Water Stewardship for Agriculture provides a brief overview of the approaches needed, particularly at this time of water scarcity in California and beyond.
Water Stewardship: Ensuring a Secure Future for California Agriculture
This publication, produced by then CAWSI members CAFF, California Institute for Rural Studies, EcoFarm, OAEC WATER Institute, Polaris Institute, and Wild Farm Alliance in 2008, outlines the case for agricultural water stewardship in the current political, environmental, and economic context. It proposes a set of principles to guide ongoing agricultural water stewardship efforts. Finally, this document offers a strategic framework for on-farm practices, policies, and the multi-stakeholder collaborations necessary to implement meaningful solutions.
California Water Stewards: Innovative On-Farm Water Management Practices
California Institute for Rural Studies conducted a series of case studies highlighting California farms successfully implementing a broad range of “water-wise” practices. In addition to reduced water use, benefits of these practices include improved soil health, increased carbon sequestration, enhanced wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and reduced costs associated with water, energy, and labor. The case study findings provide information for growers interested in implementing more sustainable water practices.
