PROVIDING URBAN STYLE WATER CONSERVATION SERVICES TO AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES

Amanda Platt

Project Manager California Association of RCDs

Mark Roberson, PhD

Consulting Scientist Sacramento Area Water Forum Annual CARCD Conference November 15, 2013

American River Basin

Project Objectives

• Provide technical assistance & incentives for water conservation activities on agricultural-residential properties.

• Improve water supply reliability & meet ecosystem goals for ARB.

• Conserve water resources in the basin.

• Engage non-traditional partners to support water conservation efforts.

• Provide service to disadvantaged communities (state defined as 80% of median household income)

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Project Partners

California Association of RCDs

manages and implements program •

Water Forum

technical support on outreach, monitoring, and reporting •

American River Basin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

administers Prop 84 program funding •

Sacramento Central Basin Groundwater Authority

cost share partner •

Sloughhouse RCD

outreach partner •

Placer RCD

outreach partner

Typical Urban Water Conservation Services

• Educational campaign through media and water purveyor • Survey of interior and exterior water use • Rebates available for: toilets, clothes, irrigation controllers, and irrigation system upgrades • Irrigation scheduling support • Services are provided by trained technicians • Professional staff for both office and field work • Statewide support through the California Urban Water Conservation Council

Typical Agricultural Conservation Services

• Provided by water & irrigation districts.

• Agencies typically have professional staff.

• Support through the UC Cooperative Extension, County Ag. Commissioner, Natural Resource Conservation Service, & commodity groups.

• Districts can collect funds from end-users to support conservation activities.

• Provides business level services such as a cost-share on 80 acres of drip irrigation, tile drainage, or irrigation scheduling.

Agricultural Residential Properties

• • • • • • Typically self-supplied through domestic wells Typically no municipal or irrigation district connection Property size from 2 arce-20 acres.

Typically no water meter Mixture of landscape types – turf, trees and shrubs, vineyards, orchards, dust control, etc.

Conservation potential for both interior and exterior water uses

Challenges

Varied land-use results in the need to tailor BMPs There are difficulties quantifying water-use & water savings without metering

Elk Grove, CA Wilton, CA

Rebates & Incentives

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Requirements

No new irrigated areas Landowners must convert existing irrigated area to a higher water-use efficiency, reduce the amount of water used, or a combination of the two.

• • • • •

Rebates Available

• Upgrade irrigation controller Upgrade existing irrigation system Change plant material from high water use to low water use Rainwater Harvest System (Rain Barrels) Greywater “Laundry to Landscape” System Payment for labor is available

Program Marketing

Community Approach

• Selecting applicable communities and outreaching to community leaders.

• Community Leaders help to engage community members resulting in a more captive audience. • Conduct workshops to CPACs, Homeowner Associations, and other community groups. • Participate in community events.

• D.I.Y. Installation Workshop: participants help to install BMP at a host site.

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Program Monitoring

All data, notes, & photos are collected onsite using iPad.

• Application calculates pertinent information onsite. • Reports are generated onsite & emailed to customer • Reports includes peak & non-peak period runtime schedules.

Thank You!

Sacramento Central Groundwater Authority

Managing Groundwater Resources in Central Sacramento County This project is funded by the State of California Department of Water Resources, Proposition 84 funding and help from our generous local partners.