Water

Irrigation technology is evolving rapidly.

IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY New data and advancements designed to improve efficiency

2013 May 1.

What if irrigation was an exact science?  It may not be that far off thanks to evolving technology and teams of dedicated researchers working toward that and other water solutions.

Early in 2010, Western Growers joined NASA Ames Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Marshall Space Flight Center, California State University (CSU) Monterey Bay, and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to work on a joint project, “Water Supply and Management in California.”

Sprinkler efficiency has improved tremendously in recent years.

SPRINKLER EFFICIENCY Switching from brass could pay dividends

2013 May 1.

If there was one thing, Craig Stafford of Nelson Irrigation could get growers to do it would be to replace their brass sprinkler heads with his firm’s proprietary Rotator® sprinklers made of high impact strength plastic.

Irrigation — A Priority?

2013 May 1.

The simple truth that people need both food and water, and plants need water to produce food has long been recognized in California.  Water Code section 106 provides “the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water and that the next highest use is for irrigation.”

DRY CONDITIONS Water deliveries to be curtailed due to light snowpack

2013 May 1.

The April 1 survey showed that water content in California’s snowpack is only 52 percent of normal, with the spring melt season already under way.

WG TOOLBOX Web-Based Platform to Aid Growers Track & Accumulate Data

2013 April 1.

For several years now, Hank Giclas, Western Growers senior vice president of science, technology and strategic planning, has had a vision for a web-based platform that could help growers accumulate, store and regurgitate the data they need to provide to both government officials and the buyer community about the products they grow and ship.