Farm-level and district efforts to improve water management during drought

Abstract

The fifth year of drought in California brought reductions in surface water deliveries to many water districts. In the central San Joaquin Valley, water deliveries to Broadview Water District were reduced by 50% in 1990 and by 75% in 1991. The district increased the level of service provided to farmers during these years by providing accurate water use data, increasing the flexibility allowed in scheduling water deliveries, and managing water transfers and purchases when water was available. Farmers in the district implemented new irrigation practices and increased the efficiency of water applications. Several crops were irrigated more frequently than usual, but the amount of water applied during each irrigation event was reduced. The total amount applied during pre-irrigations and seasonal irrigations was also reduced. More than 38% of district land was idled in 1991, with the largest proportional reductions in melon, sugarbeet, and grain plantings. Field application efficiencies increased for all crops in 1990 and 1991 and the district-wide field application efficiency increased from 0.73 in 1989, to 0.77 in 1990, and 0.81 in 1991.