California is a state blessed with rugged mountains, dramatic coastlines, some of the world’s richest soils, a climate perfect for agriculture - and not very much water. As a matter of course, Californians, particularly those in the Central Valley and southern half of the state, do not expect rain for at least half of each year.

Fruit of the Vine . . . and the Rivers
Nevertheless the Golden State produces more than half of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables including almost all of the country’s almonds, apricots, dates, figs, kiwi, nectarines, olives, pistachios, prunes, and walnuts. California is also the nation's number one dairy state, and the value of its output far exceeds that of second-place Texas, with $27.3 billion worth of output in 2008 (17% of US agricultural output). As the world’s fifth largest producer of agricultural commodities, California farm products were shipped to 194 individual countries worldwide in 2008. Since 2011, agricultural prices and income are up significantly, and production has risen steadily since 2000.

In such an arid state, how is this amazing production of thirsty crops possible? In the gently ironic words of Marc Reisner, author of Cadillac Desert:

“In the East, to ‘waste’ water is to consume it needlessly or excessively. In the West, to waste water is not to consume it - to let it flow unimpeded and undiverted down rivers.”

Massive Dams, Massive Water Use, Massive Overdraw
And indeed, Californians have let precious little of their water go to waste. California’s construction in the first half of the 20th century of two gargantuan dam systems - the federal Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project and the State Water Project - has allowed it to wrest 15-25 billion gallons of water per day from its rivers and underground aquifers. The dams send water from the wet northern counties and Sierran rivers fed by snowpack to the state’s hothouse of agricultural production, the Central Valley.

Likewise, Californians’ wells continue to draw water from underground aquifers unmonitored and unregulated, despite recent NASA satellite data indicating that pumping for irrigation is occurring at rates that are “not sustainable if current trends continue.” Groundwater overdraw leads to declining water tables, water shortages, decreased crop sizes and land subsidence. Land subsidence in the San Franciso Bay Delta then threatens the levee system that is the linchpin of California’s water works.

The Clouds on the Horizon
Over time, California’s success in avoiding water “waste” has contributed to a range of problems exacerbated by more insidious threats, such as climate change and its associated ills. There is naked conflict between urban and agricultural water users and ecosystem advocates who are concerned about leaving enough water in rivers to support salmon and other aquatic species.

Through a 1922 agreement among seven Southwestern states, Colorado River water dispensed via the Hoover dam supplies southern CA with a minimum of 4.4 million acre-feet of water per year. However, California has been in the habit of using “surplus” (unused) Colorado River water until the supply became tighter during recent drought periods. To make matters worse, recent tree ring studies of the region have shown that the long-term average flow of the Colorado River is lower than originally thought, and California can no longer count on the Colorado’s surplus.

Modeling of climate change effects in this temperate state also anticipates a decreased Sierran snowpack, which acts as California’s “water bank” throughout the dry season. Sea level rise threatens to inundate and destroy countless thousands of acres of marsh and coastal habitats while also sending saltwater further into the San Francisco Bay Delta, making the water useless for irrigation.

In the course of dealing with these many challenges, Californians have worked hard, disagreed bitterly, and collaborated reluctantly with state and federal governments to address these issues in myriad ways. The future will be challenging, but many efforts to conserve and rationally manage California’s water are ongoing and initiated everyday.

 

Innovative growers and water managers throughout California are finding sustainable ways to manage water, providing benefits both on and off the farm. Here is an overview of the California Farm Water Success Stories interviews.

By: Char Miller
"One of the foundational principles of the U.S. Forest Service is water." This observation was made in reference to the impact of the Clean Water Act on the importance to watershed management within the national forests. This insight is now a matter of heightened concern as a shifting climate alters the levels of precipitation across the country. Read More »


By: Jeff Kray
A federal court held last month that the Environmental Protection Agency cannot regulate storm water flow in setting a total maximum daily load for impaired waters under the Clean Water Act. The court found that EPA can only issue TMDLs for actual pollutants. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) is an independent testing laboratory, applied research facility, and educational resource center based at California State University, Fresno Read More »


By: Maryland Department of the Environment
A rain barrel is an effective small-scale conservation practice that collects and stores rooftop runoff for future use to water lawns and gardens. It is estimated that during summer months, nearly 40% of household water is used for lawn and garden watering. Using a rain barrel may save the average homeowner up to 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months. Read More »


The University of California Drought Management Website contains useful information on the available stratgeis for maximizing irrigation water efficiency. 


Read More »


California’s water wars are legendary, the stuff of books and the Hollywood drama, Chinatown, and they’ve been fought largely in agricultural ditches and the courts up until the creation of CALFED in 1994. Read More »


By: Dr. Peter H. Gleick, Heather Cooley, Juliet Christian-Smith,
A new study by the Pacific Institute shows that agriculturalists employing new steps to significantly increase the efficiency of water use in California fields will result in a strong and healthy California agricultural sector that can flourish despite diminishing water supply. Read More »


Save water by implementing these tips to reduce losses of water and energy resources from your swimming pool. Read More »


By: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Irrigation Water Management (IWM) is applying water according to crop needs in an amount that can be stored in the plant root zone of the soil. Read More »


In 2005-06, a long-range strategic visioning process was begun to take the state of California beyond the 1994-2024 time frame of the Bay-Delta Accord decision.  This long-range process resulted in the “Delta Vision Strategic Plan” of 2008. Read More »

Conducting a water audit can help you save money by reducing your home water bill (and sewer bill if you are connected to a public sewer system).  Conducting a water audit will make you aware of how you use your water and help to identify ways you can minimize water use by implementing certain conservation measures.  It is possible to cut your water usage by as much as 30 percent by implementing simple conservation measures and without drastically modifying
your lifestyle.

Read More »



Methylmercury is a form of mercury that is found in most freshwater and saltwater fish. In some lakes, rivers, and coastal waters in California, methylmercury has been found in some types of fish at concentrations that may be harmful to human health. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has issued health advisories to fishers and their families giving recommendations on how much of the affected fish in these areas can be safely eaten. In these advisories, women of childbearing age and children are encouraged to be especially careful about following the advice because of the greater sensitivity of fetuses and children to methylmercury.  Read More »


Mercury (Hg) contamination and, particularly, the bioaccumulation of toxic methylmercury (MeHg) in food webs is one of the primary water quality issues in the San Francisco Bay-Delta watershed of California. This is the result, in large part, of the Gold Rush era legacy of extensive Hg use in Sierra Nevada gold mining, as well as the now-abandoned Hg mines in the California coast ranges that supplied this Hg. It is clear that both regions remain major sources of ongoing Hg contamination, both locally and downstream (Slotton et al. 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, Suchanek et al. 1997, Foe and Croyle 1998, Domagalski 1998, Roth et al. 2000). During the past 150 years, significant amounts of Hg, coming from mining operations on both sides of the state, have been deposited in Bay-Delta sediments. The extensive Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta levee system that originated in the 1860’s effectively isolated and converted ("reclaimed") wetlands for the production of agricultural crops and other uses and, in so doing, dramatically altered the natural functioning of these wetlands. Many levees were likely constructed at locations which already contained significant Hg deposits, and some of these historic Hg-laden diked wetlands have long been isolated from normal tidal inundation.


The Agricultural Regulatory Program of the State Water Resources Control Board regulates discharges from irrigated agricultural lands to protect surface water and groundwater. In 2004, the Water Board issued a general conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements that applies to owners and operators of irrigated land used for commercial crop production from which there may be a discharge of waste (irrigation or stormwater runoff or discharge to groundwater) that could affect the quality of waters of the State.  Read More »


The State Water Resources Control Board has set up the "GeoTracker" web portal to serve data directly from monitoring wells, particularly those required at cleanup sites, to businesses and individuals throughout California.   Read More »


The original PRINCIPLES FOR AGREEMENT ON BAY-DELTA STANDARDS BETWEEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, which has guided the development of CALFED and its ecosystem restoration programs since it was signed in 1994 - up until the creation of the Delta Stewardship Council in 2010. Read More »


A factsheet all about nitrate pollution from agriculture and how to safeguard groundwater quality. Read More »

This brief factsheet from the Community Water Center provides tips to private well owners on how to ensure the health of their drinking water.  

If you are served by your own private well, then you are solely responsible for the quality of that water. There are no requirements or regulations regarding testing, quality, or reporting of private wells under the state and federal Safe Drinking Water Acts. However, most county ordinances set basic construction permit requirements before a well can be drilled, and some require testing of private wells before a title can change hands on a residential property. Overall, there is virtually no oversight of private wells in California. All maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the landowner, and to get water quality information you will need to do your own water testing.

Read More »



The San Joaquin Valley is the center of California’s growing drinking water crisis. Five of its eight counties – Fresno, Madera, Merced, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare – have some of the highest rates of water contamination per person in the state.1 Contaminated drinking water causes many adverse human health effects, including gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous or reproductive system impacts, and chronic diseases such as cancer.

This is the first of a series of reports from the Community Water Center that examine the prevalence of common drinking water contaminants in the San Joaquin Valley and the rates of related health indicators as outlined in public health literature.

The research does show two things, however: the San Joaquin Valley has high rates of nitrate contamination from agriculture and large animal facilities, and San Joaquin Valley residents face many health problems at rates much higher than elsewhere in the state. We believe that these two facts alone should be enough to compel us – as water providers, as government regulators, as residents in the San Joaquin Valley, and as a society – to ensure that our drinking water sources are protected to the utmost of our ability and to prioritize reducing the number of people drinking contaminated water. Safe, clean water is a human right, not a privilege. Read More »


Precise guidelines about how to implement retention irrigation systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


There are approximately 1.7 million lactating dairy cows in California. Sale of milk from these cows is estimated at $4.6 billion of the state’s $30 billion agricultural market. Nearly 73% of the cows are located in the San Joaquin Valley, which consists of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board submitted a list of questions to Vice President Gomes requesting specific information related to dairy manure. The answers to these questions are the basis for this lengthy report. Read More »


Key scientific conclusions regarding the future status of the Bay-Delta ecosystem, water supply through the Delta, and levee stability.  Read More »


This brief but comprehensive list from UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County offers a checklist of irrigation practices, design and equipment, and scheduling to increase your water security. Read More »



The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a regional, state and national treasure.
More than 515,000 people in dozens of communities call the Delta home. It is also home to more than 750 animal and plant species, some of them threatened or endangered. It supports California’s $27 billion agricultural industry with an average annual gross value of more than $500 million in corn, grain, hay, sugar beets, alfalfa, pasture, tomatoes, asparagus, safflower, a range of fruits and more. More than 1,800 agricultural users draw water from the Delta. Read More »


Water conservation begins at home. Taking a few, simple steps when washing your boat or vehicle (including automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and trailers) can help to conserve water and protect the quality of nearby water bodies. Read More »


Find watering tips for your garden. Read More »


By: Ron Smith

• Irrigation water resources in the Texas Southern Plains are diminishing.
• The number of irrigation systems and irrigation wells are increasing.
• The problem will only get worse i the future.

Read More »

The following are a selection of BMPs culled from various national, regional, state and local sources. Each is available for download as a pdf.

Discusses grass, 3-zone, 2-zone, wildlife, urban and naturalized buffers and recommendations for how to choose, establish and cost-share. Read More »


Defines riparian buffers and discusses various benefits, including property value, wildlife habitat, timber, and recreational/aesthetic/spiritual values.
Read More »


This 26-page booklet introduces the Stream-A-Syst system to help landowners assess and manage their streams.  It contains a worksheet, action plan with recommended steps and sources of information to address various issues, and a visual (photographic) assessment guide. Read More »


This factsheet from the Univ. of Ark., Division of Agriculture delineates nutrient content, application procedures and guidelines for application and storage of poultry litter as a fertilizer and source of organic matter for row crops. Read More »


A practical guide to ways agricultural producers can profit from the growing environmental marketplace from American Farmland Trust, 2010. An in-depth 55-page handbook that introduces and surveys the types of environmental markets, how to get involved including evaluating financial returns and assessing risks, and what farmers and ranchers can do to encourage these markets.

Read More »


This brief factsheet from the Univ. of Ark defines liquid manure, discusses storage and management options, as well as solids removal and equipment. Read More »


This 2011 document from EPA provides an extensive listing of service providers who can assist farm operations in turning waste into energy.  EPA’s AgSTAR Program produces this Industry Directory to assist livestock producers and others involved in developing anaerobic digestion systems to identify consultants, designers, developers, equipment vendors, and other providers of biogas energy services. Read More »


Improved performance at competitive costs is promised by this 2002 EPA publication all about anaerobic digestion and biogas recovery for energy. Read More »


When managed properly, irrigation of crops with effluent reduces a producer’s reliance on commercial ferti- lizers and helps protect surface and groundwater quality. To use effluent efficiently while avoiding over irrigating it on crop and pasture land, producers must know:
• The N, P and K needs of the crop,based on a realistic goal for yields.
•    The N, P and K in the soil available to the plants before irrigation.
The amounts of N, P and K in the effluent that will be irrigated.
This Texas Agrilife publication tells you how. Read More »


Application of dairy compost for stormwater management and on Dept of Transportation projects. Read More »


Texas Agrilife summarizes how to use soil, manure and effluent testing to determine  and calibrate land application rates for nutrients. Read More »


A lengthy document from EPA (2004), Managing Manure contains information pertinent to Large CAFOs in the Dairy Cows and Cattle other than Veal Calves and the Swine, Poultry, and Veal Calves subcategories of the final CAFO regulations. Read More »


For horse enthusiasts, veterinarians and operators of boarding stables, handling and disposing of horse manure can pose numerous challenges. Frequently, operators of equine facilities and large-animal veterinary clinics must pay someone to take the manure off the property.  However, there is an excellent way to stimulate demand for a product that would otherwise be a liability. Composting manure can eliminate a messy problem and provide a modest additional income. Read More »


Best Management Practices For: Boarding Stables, Equestrian Centers, Small Farms, Urban Horse Owners, and Kennels.  Developed because animal waste contributes to water pollution when it is improperly stored or left uncovered near small streams and storm drains. During rainfall, without proper precautions it is washed into storm drains and flows untreated, directly into surface waters. Read More »


Best Management Practices For: residential homeowners, small businesses, landscapers, teenagers taking care of lawns as a summer job, golf courses, etc. Read More »


A publication that addresses issues arising when landowners answer “yes” to these questions:
Are you aware of manure sampling and testing procedures?
Do you store livestock waste for longer than 90 days on your property?
Do you store livestock waste for short periods (30 to 90 days) on your property?
Do you store livestock waste closer than 150 feet from any water wells?
Do you use lagoons or detention ponds to store livestock waste?
Are there any abandoned livestock waste storage facilities on your property? Read More »


Texas Agrilife discusses the efficiency, bacteria, management, pumping, salts and pH of lagoon management for poultry and livestock waste.
Read More »


This 1998 document from Florida Dept. of Agriculture provides educational, rather than regulatory, information on pesticide storage, mixing, application and spill management as well as practices for fertilizer, solvents and other chemicals associated with agricultural operations. Read More »

Under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and California's pioneering Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the State and Regional Water Boards have regulatory responsibility for protecting the water quality of nearly 1.6 million acres of lakes, 1.3 million acres of bays and estuaries, 211,000 miles of rivers and streams, and about 1,100 miles of exquisite California coastline.

The Guide provides an overview of the Water Boards and the many opportunities that all Californians have to participate with the Water Boards in decisions and activities that affect the state’s water resources. While some of the public participation opportunities are formal, e.g., at a Water Board hearing, others are less formal, but just as important, e.g., a stakeholder process implemented by a Regional Board. Although the Guide doesn’t contain information about specific water quality decisions that are before the Boards, it will direct you where you can find that information. We look forward to updating this Guide periodically to assure its continuing usefulness to you, the public.

Read More »


By: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Nutrient Management is defined as the management of the 4R's of Nutrient Management:Right amount (rate), Right source, Right placement (method of application), Right timing of commercial fertilizers, manure, soil amendments, and organic by-products to agricultural landscapes as a source of plant nutrients while protecting local air, soil and water quality.
 
The corner stone for Nutrient Management is the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 590 Nutrient Management Conservation Practice Standard. Contact John Davis via phone at 202-720-2308, or email j.russell.davis@wdc.usda.gov
 
In addition to the 590 Nutrient Management Standard, NRCS provides further guidance on the application of nutrient management via the National Nutrient Management Policy and National Instruction.
Read More »


A factsheet all about nitrate pollution from agriculture and how to safeguard groundwater quality. Read More »

This brief factsheet from the Community Water Center provides tips to private well owners on how to ensure the health of their drinking water.  

If you are served by your own private well, then you are solely responsible for the quality of that water. There are no requirements or regulations regarding testing, quality, or reporting of private wells under the state and federal Safe Drinking Water Acts. However, most county ordinances set basic construction permit requirements before a well can be drilled, and some require testing of private wells before a title can change hands on a residential property. Overall, there is virtually no oversight of private wells in California. All maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the landowner, and to get water quality information you will need to do your own water testing.

Read More »



The San Joaquin Valley is the center of California’s growing drinking water crisis. Five of its eight counties – Fresno, Madera, Merced, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare – have some of the highest rates of water contamination per person in the state.1 Contaminated drinking water causes many adverse human health effects, including gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous or reproductive system impacts, and chronic diseases such as cancer.

This is the first of a series of reports from the Community Water Center that examine the prevalence of common drinking water contaminants in the San Joaquin Valley and the rates of related health indicators as outlined in public health literature.

The research does show two things, however: the San Joaquin Valley has high rates of nitrate contamination from agriculture and large animal facilities, and San Joaquin Valley residents face many health problems at rates much higher than elsewhere in the state. We believe that these two facts alone should be enough to compel us – as water providers, as government regulators, as residents in the San Joaquin Valley, and as a society – to ensure that our drinking water sources are protected to the utmost of our ability and to prioritize reducing the number of people drinking contaminated water. Safe, clean water is a human right, not a privilege. Read More »


Precise guidelines about how to implement retention irrigation systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


The Center for Irrigation Technology has published an exhaustive  Landowner's Manual for Managing Agricultural Irrigation Drainage Water, A guide for developing Integrated On-Farm Drainage Management Systems. Read More »


There are approximately 1.7 million lactating dairy cows in California. Sale of milk from these cows is estimated at $4.6 billion of the state’s $30 billion agricultural market. Nearly 73% of the cows are located in the San Joaquin Valley, which consists of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board submitted a list of questions to Vice President Gomes requesting specific information related to dairy manure. The answers to these questions are the basis for this lengthy report. Read More »


This brief but comprehensive list from UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County offers a checklist of irrigation practices, design and equipment, and scheduling to increase your water security. Read More »


Pros and cons and essentials for this system.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


The basics on “the most important species of aquatic animal commercially cultured in the United States.”  Discusses blue, white, brown bullhead, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, and flathead catfish species.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/
Read More »


Discusses general considerations and various designs for such systems. Read More »


This Univ. of Arkansas fact sheet discusses the relationship between the poultry and cattle industry in Arkansas, namely their production and use, respectively, of phosphorus-rich poultry litter.  It concludes, “Inherent in the different grazing techniques is the potential to reduce compaction and improve vegetative surface cover (percent), which has a dramatic impact on runoff, erosion and P loss.”  Inclusion of vegetated buffers can have an even more dramatic impact. Read More »


This Univ. of Arkansas fact sheet discusses benefits and sampling principles for testing poultry litter because, “Applying poultry litter without knowing its nutrient content is similar to applying commercial fertilizer without knowledge of its nutrient content (e.g., % N/P/K).” Read More »


Explains the benefits of using alum for both poultry production and water quality. Read More »


Defines stormwater and its associated management issues and gives guidelines for the use of trees to filter and mitigate the effects of stormwater in developed areas. Read More »


Beyond simply covering poultry mortality with litter, includes water contamination concerns. Read More »

BMPs oriented more specifically toward invasive & native species, farming & agriculture, energy efficiency and wildlife habitat management are also available.

The following news articles are provided by the Google News service and do not reflect the views or imply an endorsement by the California Conservation Center and its affiliates. We cannot guarantee the relevance of the content of this page or any links that may be followed from the articles herein.

Water District Goes Paperless for Annual Water Quality Report Patch.com This is the first year that the California Department of Public Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have allowed community water systems to provide the required report electronically instead of mailing a paper copy to every customer. All ...

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NBC Southern California

Proposed EPA Budget Would Cut Funds for Beach Water Quality Testing NBC Southern California “California has some additional supplemental money, but it's not enough," James said. "We need that federal money.” Some states, including Oregon, rely entirely on federal funding to pay for beach water quality testing. “We've spoken to representatives ... and more »

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Pentagon Post

EPA Disappointed With California Public Health Department Pentagon Post 628x471. As per reports by US officials, the state has failed to spend 455 million dollars as promised in federal funds and the program that is intended to improve the quality of safe drinking water in rural communities is not carrying out the task ... and more »

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California short on key state water workers, officials say Sacramento Bee Apprentice dispatchers, for example, train three or four years to learn how to control system water flows, maintain pumping and power facilities and monitor water quality. The state spends a total $300,000 to $400,000 per apprentice. "Currently, many ... and more »

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Suit filed over 199/197 plan Daily Triplicate The suit says that the environmental analysis failed to legally and adequately address these and other concerns under the California Environmental Quality Act. The suit was filed jointly by the local group Friends of Del ... “For more than five years ... and more »

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Report Finds an Increase in Pyrethriod Pesticides in California Waters eNews Park Forest A 2011 report found increased levels of chemical pollution, including pesticides, in California water bodies. According to the report, which gathered monitoring data for 2008-2010, more than half of the state's water bodies do not meet existing water ...

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Pesticides polluting California streams Mendocino Beacon The survey was designed and is implemented in collaboration with the California Regional Water Quality Control Boards. The monitoring is conducted by scientists from the University of California Davis' Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory at Granite ... and more »

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10News

San Diego sues water quality board over polluted plume under Qualcomm 10News "Kinder Morgan believes that the City's lawsuit against the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Division (RWQCB) is ill-advised and without merit. The issues raised in the City's lawsuit were extensively briefed and argued during ... San Diego Sues State Regulators Over Kinder Morgan's Water Discharges Into ...KPBS all 5 news articles »

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Food stamp recipients want to eat healthy, limited by cost, USDA studies find 77Square.com An April study entitled “SNAP participation leads to modest changes in diet quality” shows the diet of food stamp users is not that different from that of non-users. Food stamp recipients increase their ... sheds light on food buying decisions. It ... and more »

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Delta plan a concern for local officials The Reporter "We will now be able to focus on implementing the policies and recommendations that will help achieve the state's co-equal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem while ... and more »

What is a home water audit?
A home water audit is an assessment of how much water is used and how much water can be saved in the home. Conducting a water audit involves calculating water use and identifying simple ways for saving water in the home.

What are the benefits of conducting a water audit? Conducting a water audit can help you save money by reducing your home water bill (and sewer bill if you are connected to a public sewer system). Conducting a water audit will make you aware of how you use your water and help to identify ways you can minimize water use by implementing certain conservation measures. It is possible to cut your water usage by as much as 30 percent by implementing simple conservation measures and without drastically modifying your lifestyle.

How do I calculate water usage in my home?
It is important to realize that water use throughout the year often varies with the season. Most people use more water in the warmer months for gardening, washing cars, and other outdoor uses. If you conduct your water audit in the winter or fall, you should still consider the additional water you use in the summer months. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimates that the average indoor water use per person is 94 gallons of water per day; this does not take into account outdoor water use (watering lawns, washing cars).

Calculating water use from your water bill
If you obtain water from a community water system, you probably receive a water bill that tells you how much water you use. Many water utilities provide customers with bills that contain information regarding the amount of water consumed and average daily consumption during the billing period. If the average daily consumption is not provided, you can calculate it by dividing the total amount of water used by the number of days in the billing period. Determine whether your water is measured in cubic meters (m³), cubic feet (ft³), gallons (gal), or liters (L) and convert to gallons.

For converting into gallons, use the following conversion factors:
m³ x 264 = gal
ft³ x 7.48 = gal
L x 0.264 = gal

There are several conversion tools available on the Internet that can be used to make your calculations easier. www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm or www.mathconnect.com/volume1.htm

Calculating water use with a meter
If your water bill does not provide water consumption data, then you can read your water meter to obtain this information. Water meters measure the total amount of water used in your home and are usually located at the property line or on the house. The meter may measure in cubic meters, cubic feet, gallons, or liters. To obtain your water use over the course of a 24-hour day, read your meter at the same time on two consecutive days. You may want to measure water use for several days and then calculate a daily average.

Estimating water use without a meter
If you do not have a water meter you can estimate your water use. It will be important to measure all water use, indoor and outdoor, to accurately estimate the quantity of water used. To determine how much you consume water in your home it is necessary to measure water flow from each fixture in your house:

• To calculate flow for faucets (indoor and outdoor) and showerheads, turn faucet to the normal flow rate that you use, and hold a container under the tap for 10 seconds and measure the quantity of water in the container. Multiply the measured quantity of water by 6 to calculate the gallons per minutes (gpm).
• To calculate flow for toilets, turn off the water supply to the toilet, mark the water line on the inside of the tank, flush, and then fill tank with water from tap. Measure the volume of water that is required to fill water back up to the water line mark on the tank and record this number. Turn water on to the toilet to resume normal use.
• If your appliances or fixtures are relatively new, you may be able to obtain the flow rate from the manufacturer's specifications. Otherwise, use the following averages:
• Washing machine - 41 gal per use
• Dishwashing machine - 9 gal per use

Next, measure how many times per day or how many minutes each day you use each fixture or appliance. Multiply the water flow per fixture by the minutes per day the fixture is used. Multiply the flow average for each appliance by the number of times the appliance is used each week. Don't forget to include the amount of time you use outdoor faucets each day. The water audit spreadsheet is a useful tool to evaluate water use in the home.

How does my water useage rank?
The average citizen uses about 100 gallons of water per day. This includes indoor as well as outdoor water usage. To calculate the per person daily water usage rate, divide your daily water usage by the number of people in your home, and then look at the following chart to rate your water usage.

Gallons Per Person Per Day	Rank	Comments
< 80 gal/day	Excellent	Wow! You use water wisely.  Please share your conseravtion techniques with friends and neighbors
80-100 gal/day	Good	Good Job!  You use less water than the average citizen
101-120 gal/day	Fair	You use more water than the average citizen
>120 gal/day	Poor	You use a lot of water

Daily indoor per capita water use in the typical single family home is 69.3 gallons. Here is how it breaks down: Use Gallons per Capita Percentage of Total Daily Use Showers 11.6 16.8% Clothes Washers 15.0 21.7% Dishwashers 1.0 1.4% Toilets 18.5 26.7% Baths 1.2 1.7% Leaks 9.5 13.7% Faucets 10.9 15.7% Other Domestic Uses 1.6 2.2%

Source: AWWA

Water Savings
The amount of savings depends on current water consumption habits, water, sewer and energy costs, current flow rates of fixtures and flush volumes of toilets, system pressure, and the amount of water leakage through fittings and toilets. Water can be conserved by making improvements in the home or by modifying behavior.

Retrofit or Replace Water Fixtures
Water-saving devices are economical and permanent. Low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators save valuable water and energy used to heat water without requiring changes in personal water use habits. The following chart highlights how much water can be conserved by installing water-saving equipment in place of conventional plumbing fixtures, fittings and appliances.






Repair All Leaks
A dripping faucet is more than annoying...it is expensive. Even small leaks can waste significant amounts of water. Hot water leaks are a waste of water and of the energy used to heat the water. Leaks inside the toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. Toilet leaks can be detected by adding a few drops of food coloring to water in the toilet tank. If the colored water appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking. If you have a leaking faucet or toilet, stop pouring money down the drain and repair it.

How To Save Water In The Bathroom

• When constructing a new home or remodeling your bathroom, install low consumption (1.6 gal/flush) toilets.
• Place a weighted plastic one-half gallon jug or a toilet dam in the tanks of conventional toilets to displace and save water with each flush.
• Install low-flow aerators and showerheads. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and save water and energy.
• Do not let the faucet flow while brushing your teeth or shaving. Use a glass of water for rinsing teeth.
• Take showers instead of tub baths. Consider bathing small children together.
• If your shower has a single-handle control or shut off valve, turn off the flow while soaping or shampooing.
• Leaking diverter valves (valves which divert water from the tub spout to the showerhead) should be replaced.

How To Save Water In The Kitchen And Laundry Room

• Refrigerate a pitcher of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold enough to drink.
• Use a dishpan or plug the sink for washing and rinsing dishes. Install a low-flow aerator on all faucets.
• Do not pre-rinse dishes prior to loading in a dishwasher. Prerinsing is an unnecessary and wasteful use of water.
• Operate the washing machine and dishwasher only when they are fully loaded.
• Use the proper water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
• When purchasing a washing machine or dishwasher, consider water consumption as well as energy efficiency. Most manufacturers now provide this information to consumers.

How To Save Water Outside The Home
Watering of lawns and gardens can double normal household water use during the hot, dry summer months. At standard household water pressures, a garden hose will discharge up to 10 gallons of water per minute. To apply an inch of water to 1,000 square feet of lawn or garden requires close to 1,000 gallons of water.

Watering should be limited to gardens, and newly planted lawns and landscaped areas. Established lawns and landscape plantings will usually survive without watering. Inadequate watering encourages shallow root growth and increases the risk of mortality. When water is scarce, your community or individual water supply should be reserved for your most essential needs.

• Equip your hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, steps and sidewalks.
• Water your garden during the coolest part of the day. Do not water on windy days.
• Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and cut down on weed growth.

Tips for the Home Gardener for Efficient Water Use

Water infrequently, deeply, and thoroughly. This will encourage rooting and greater tolerance to dry spells. Plants send out extra roots in dry conditions to seek water. Plants often bloom more profusely when stressed, as the natural instinct to reproduce creates more flowers.

Water responsibly, using correct watering techniques. Water early in the day, especially as the weather warms, to reduce evaporation loss. Water less often for longer lengths of time to encourage deep root growth. Be sure your irrigation system is in proper working condition. If drip irrigation won’t work for you, try a hand held hose rather than a sprinkler.

Properly condition your soil. Water does not easily penetrate clay soils and water passes too quickly beyond the root zone of plants in sandy soil. Adding organic matter to clay and sandy soils will increase the penetrability of clay soils and the water holding capacity of sandy soils. Claybreaker and Ultra-light soil amendments are suggested for proper conditioning.

Mulch soil surface. Mulching cuts down on water loss due to evaporation. A two-inch layer of mulch or compost is recommended. Apply mulches to shrubs, trees, annuals, vegetable gardens, and even containers.

Shelter container plants. To conserve water, move containers to areas with partial shade to keep them from drying quickly in hot windy areas.

Install a drip or other water conserving irrigation system. Slow drip and deep root watering systems can save up to 60% of all water used in garden care. Professionally installed and maintained irrigation systems will further help conserve water.

Discourage water competition from weeds. Keep weeds pulled and reduce the likelihood of them returning by mulching. Consider using landscape fabric between the soil and your mulch to further reduce weeds.

The following news articles are provided by the Google News service and do not reflect the views or imply an endorsement by the California Conservation Center and its affiliates. We cannot guarantee the relevance of the content of this page or any links that may be followed from the articles herein.

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