The UC Water Management Education Initiative
California Irrigation Institute 2016 Conference
January 26, 2016 - Sacramento, CA
Daniele Zaccaria, Ph.D.
Agricultural Water Management Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension
Ph.: (530) 219-7502
Email: dzaccaria@ucdavis.edu
Background information on California Irrigated Agriculture and
on UC Cooperative Extension
The UC CE Irrigation Management Education Initiative
UC Irrigation (& Drought) Management Resources
California Agriculture Facts (USDA, 2014)
81,700 Farms => $49 Billion Industry
14 Million Ac of Pasture and Rangeland
9.4 Million Ac of Irrigated Cropland
# 6.2 Million Ac Annual Crops
# 3.3 Million Ac Orchards/Vineyards
~ 400 crops
 California is the No. 1 food and agricultural producer in the US for
more than 50 consecutive years.
 More than half of the US fruit, nuts, and vegetables is produced in
California.
 California is the No. 1 dairy state in the US
 One in six jobs in California is dependent on the agriculture industry
3.7 MAF
930,000 ac
6.5 MAF
(16%)
5.9 MAF
(15%)
Economic Productivity of Water 2000-2010
680 $/ac-ft => 910 $/ac-ft (34%)
(resulting from more productive crops & more efficient irrigation)
910 $/AF
680 $/AF
The Pacific Institute, 2015
Economic Productivity of Water per crop ($/ac-ft)
The Pacific Institute, 2015
Survey of Irrigation
Methods in California, 2010
Field crops
(Tindula, Orang & Snyder, 2013)
Questionnaire to 10,000 growers
Orchards
Vegetables
51% usable return rate
Vineyards
more frequent and flexible
delivery schedules needed
by farmers
Surface
Sprinkler
Higher skills are necessary onfarm to manage these new
cropping systems
Micro-irr.
Other
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
-- An Engine for Problem Solving -A vast network of UC researchers and educators providing science-based
answers to Californians to solve issues related to agriculture, natural
resources, food security and nutrition
 130 campus-based Cooperative
Extension specialists
 200 locally based Cooperative
Davis
Extension farm advisors and specialists
Berkeley
S. Barbara
Riverside
 700 academic researchers in 40
departments at 4 Campuses
 57 local County offices throughout
California
 9 Research and Extension Centers
OUR PIECES OF THE PUZZLE
EDUCATION, TRAINING & INFORMATION-SHARING
Background information on California Irrigated Agriculture and
on UC Cooperative Extension
The Irrigation Management Education Initiative
UC Irrigation (& Drought) Management Resources
Statewide Certified Irrigator Training Program
“CIA – Certified Irrigation Advisor”
Two main categories of personnel are responsible to manage water on
California’s 80,000 farms
Personnel
small and medium farms
farmworkers (irrigators and
foremen) with limited formal
education
(Tier 1)
farm managers,
medium and large farms
irrigation superintendents,
consultants and practitioners
(Tier 2)
Key issues
The personnel of
small-medium farm
have not been
targeted by traditional
extension efforts
Irrigation practitioners
have hard time staying
current about
innovations and
improved water
management practices
Statewide Certified Irrigator Training Program
“CIA – Certified Irrigation Advisor”
scope
tools
Funding
programs
Main goal
• upgrading irrigation hardware
• fostering the adoption of microirrigation
• no training farm personnel on
improved irrigation practices
+
• knowledge-sharing,
Hands-on
training and
• information-delivery
demonstrations • demonstrational activities
Improving the
competence of farm
personnel on practices
and state-of-the-art
technologies for wateruse-efficient irrigation
WHAT WE ENVISION?
A tiered training program throughout the State, tailored to
1. Farmworkers (Tier 1)
2. Irrigation practitioners (Tier 2)
Training will be provided to irrigators by
community educators via a Statewide
Certification Program (CCA) and a network
of farm water management demonstration
A 3-PHASE PROGRAM
Phase 1
Compilation of educational materials
(English & Spanish) and creation of the
irrigator/practitioner certification program
1. documenting the specific training needs by farm personnel
2. screening all existing available materials
3. compiling and organizing new materials.
Phase 2
Training of a cohort of community educators
who will implement the locally-based
educational programs tailored on Tier 1 and 2
Phase 3
Creation of a California agricultural water
management farm demonstration network to
further extend training and education
PILOT TRAINING
On-site pilot training & demonstration events will be performed
preferably at UC-ANR RECs in:
 the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley
 the Central Coast
 the Imperial Valley
Measureable outcomes would be the specific number of farm
personnel trained to meet some minimum standards:
 correct irrigation system operation and maintenance,
 checking/monitoring flow and pressure,
 correct adjustment of pressure regulators,
 correct fertilizers injection,
 adequate leaching, correct record-keeping
1. On-farm irrigation management practices
 Irrigation methods and systems
 Pumps and infrastructure management
 Correct systems operation and maintenance, performance
evaluation
 Irrigation scheduling
 Nutrient management & Fertigation
 Salinity and water quality
2. Climate change impacts and adaptation
3. Hydrology of irrigated agriculture
 Hydrology principles
 Drought, Floods
 Groundwater
4. Environmental externalities and compliance
POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS
 CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED CROP ADVISER (CA CCA)
 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES (DWR)
 USDA (NRCS, ARS)
 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (CDFA)
 OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN CALIFORNIA
 NATIONAL CENTER FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY (NCAT)
 CALIFORNIA ISTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES (CIWR)
 CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
 IRRIGATION INDUSTRY (TORO, NETAFIM, JAIN, Etc.)
Background information on California Irrigated Agriculture and
on UC Cooperative Extension
The Irrigation Management Education Initiative
UC Irrigation (& Drought) Management Resources
UC IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT RESOURCES
Drought Management
Irrigation Water Management
DWR-funded Technical
Assistance Project on Drought
Irrigation Research and
Information Center (IrRIC)
78 + FACT SHEETS
(’70s & ’90s) ON WATER
MANAGEMENT UNDER
DROUGHT
42 DROUGHT TIPS
http://ucanr.edu/insights
http://irric.metro.ucdavis.edu/
THANK YOU !
N.
Drought tips
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Citrus irrigation scheduling during a drought
Leaching under saline shallow water tables
Managing rootzone salinity in a drought year
Managing irrigation in nut trees during drought
Managing irrigation in fruit trees during drought
Rational early season drought planning for Almond growers
Drought irrigation strategies for deciduous orchards
The use of treated waste water
Field use of soil moisture sensors
Managing turfgrasses during drought
Furrow irrigation
Scheduling of surface-irrigated crops during a drought
Leaching
Drought strategies for wine grapes
Crop salinity tolerance
Water quality guidelines for vegetables and row crops
Water quality guidelines for trees and vines
Drought tips for vegetable and field crop production
Drought strategies for feeding beef cattle and sheep
Managing livestock nutrition during drought
Coping with declining groundwater levels
Cost comparisons between electric motors & engines for irrigation pumping
Reuse of Saline and Drainage Water for Irrigation