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| Tuesday, 18 March 2008 | |
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How much water is there in California? How much water to California Farmers use? How do farmers get their water? What is Irrigation? How efficiently do farmers use water? Do farmers have to pay for water? Is agriculture important to California's economy? Do some crops waste water? How much water is there in California? According to the Department of Water Resources, average annual statewide precipitation is about 23 inches, corresponding to a volume of 182 million acre-feet, over the state's land surface. (An acre-foot is the amount of water that covers one acre to a depth of one foot, approximately 326,000 gallons.) About 65 percent of this precipitation is consumed through evaporation and transpiration by trees, plants and other vegetation. The remaining 35 percent comprises the state's average annual runoff of about 62 million acre-feet. How much water do California farmers use? Of the average annual runoff of about 62 million acre-feet, not all can be developed for urban or agricultural use. The environment uses a large portion to maintain healthy ecosystems in our rivers, estuarine systems and wetlands. Out-of-state supplies from the Colorado and Klamath rivers bring the available surface water supply total to 78 million acre-feet. According to the Department of Water Resources, at a 1995 level of development, water in California was used as follows: How do farmers get their water? In an average year, about 30 percent of California's agricultural applied water is provided by groundwater extraction. In drought years, when surface water supplies are reduced, groundwater supports an even larger percent. Surface water supplies were developed early in the state's history. Californians built dams, canals, pumping plants and aqueducts to carry water to burgeoning cities and productive but dry farmland. These supplies were developed to compensate for the state's uneven natural water distribution and to supplement available groundwater supplies. The major projects that have been the primary sources of water for most Californians include the federally built Central Valley Project, the State Water Project and on the Colorado River the Colorado River Aqueduct and the All-American Canal. Many smaller water projects have also been developed to satisfy local or regional drinking water or irrigation needs. Examples of such projects include Don Pedro Reservoir, which is operated jointly by the Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts and San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Aqueduct. What is irrigation? Irrigation is replacing the soil water that crop plants have used to grow. California farmers use irrigation because rainfall in a Mediterranean climate, such as California's, occurs in the winter, opposite of crop needs during the summer growing season. How efficiently do farmers use water? Very! Farmers in California are continually testing new technologies to maximize their production and economic return, and to save water! They increase their efficiency through various farm management practices, including improved plant varieties, laser guided leveling of land, irrigation techniques and delivery systems designed to ensure optimum efficiency, water recycling programs and more. Advanced irrigation technology and practices, such as buried drip systems and deficit irrigation, have helped farmers more efficiently manage their water use and minimize waste. Additionally, about one-third of California's irrigated land is covered under a memorandum of understanding obligating irrigation districts to identify and implement efficient water management practices that are cost effective. Do farmers have to pay for water? Yes. The cost of pumping or purchasing water from a supplier, such as an irrigation district, is a significant cost in a farming operation. Although agriculture is often criticized for paying less for water than urban users, agricultural water does not have the same level of quality and reliability as urban water. Also, the delivery distance for agricultural water is usually shorter than for urban water and agricultural water supplies were developed earlier than many municipal supplies when costs were lower. Is agriculture important to California's economy? Yes! Agriculture is one of the state's top industries, providing one in ten jobs. In 2004 the agricultural industry contributed $32 billion to the economy through direct sales. When the overall economic impact is figured, the industry is responsible for over $100 billion by creating jobs for additional products and services such as transportation and packaging. Ensuring a reliable, affordable supply of water for agriculture is key to the industry's continued economic contributions. Do some crops waste water? Californians are constantly reminded to conserve water. Because the water supply in California is so precious, certain crops are often targeted as being wasteful of water. A crop should be evaluated on both its economic contribution and social value. For example, rice, alfalfa, cotton and irrigated pasture, plus the livestock and dairies they support, account for nearly one-third of all agricultural output in the state. Crops such as rice and alfalfa provide valuable wildlife habitat and growing diverse crops can be invaluable to a farmer's overall enterprise. Different crops use and return different nutrients to the soil and many crops are planted in rotation to provide to the soil balance and allow the land to regenerate. Some crops, such as grains, are less water intensive per unit of production and therefore allow a farmer to keep more land in production when less water is allocated. |
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2008 Farm Water Leadership Tour |
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