Irrigation Mobile Lab

Yolo, Solano, & Colusa County Resource Conservation

DistrictsThe Yolo Resource Conservation District (RCD) is a farmer-led special district working with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to support local landowners’ efforts to sustain local agricultural & natural resources. The Yolo RCD promotes stewardship by demonstrating conservation practices through cooperative land users, educating the public in resource conservation & enhancement, and providing technical expertise.

What is the Mobile Water Lab?Free service offered by the Yolo RCDIncludes:Irrigation EvaluationsOptional Source Water Quality TestingRecommendation on Irrigation

ManagementWater Quality Management Practices

Application Efficiency and Distribution Uniformity

• Deprive portions of the crop of needed water

• Over-irrigate portions of the field

A Non-Uniform Distribution can:

Irrigation Evaluations provide:• Analysis of the system distribution uniformity

(defined as a measure of the uniformity with which irrigation water is distributed to different areas in a field)

• Determination of application rates• Qualitative observations of clogging and emitter

wear• System map of pressure and flow measurements• Suggestions for system improvements and

maintenance

District Programs multi-benefit/water quality

•Water Use Efficiency (WUE) – funding for irrigation evaluations (through Mobile Water Lab) – 10 more

•NRCS – AWEP (Ag Water Enhancement Program), greater water quality emphasis in 2010, many practices:

•Pipelines, drip, vegetated systems, sediment traps, etc.

•CARCD – AWEP: many central valley counties•Glenn, Colusa, Yolo, Solano, Sutter, San J, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern•Water Use Efficiency vs benchmark 25.5 A-inches•Tomato, tracking/documenting yield & solids

District Programs (cont.)multi-benefit/water quality

•Yolo-Solano Conservation Partnerships on working lands: •Ditch vegetation (with/for irrigation districts)•Riparian buffers/reveg – filtering irrigation/storm runoff

•Cache Creek Geomorphic Assessment & Local Youth Stream Monitoring

•Capay Valley Riparian Vegetation Management

•Yolo County Weed Management Area (with Yolo Ag Dept)

•Yolo-Solano Ag Water Quality Support Program•Grant closed, some money for practices went unused.

Conservation Planning and Farmland Protection

• Watershed analysis, • Support for landowner groups• Permit coordination• Safe Harbor agreement

Watershed Coordination, Planning, Implementation

Restoration and Revegetation

• Invasive weed control• Land management• Conservation projects• Native, beneficial insect, wildlife habitat• Bioengineering

Photo credit: Joe DiTomaso

Education and Outreach

• Annual workshop series• Special events and tours• School programs

2010 Strategic Plan Priorities• Water Resources• Farmland Protection and Agricultural

Sustainability• Soil Erosion• Air Quality• Energy Efficiency and Conservation• Habitat Protection and Restoration• Education and Outreach • District Operations

Geographic priorities: Headwaters, prime farmland and rural/urban interface,

alluvial soil areas and riparian areas.

Contact

Heather Nichols-CrowellYolo Resource Conservation District

530-662-2037 ext .112Nichols-Crowell@yolorcd.org