Water
Russian River water curtailment likely to continue in California
Due to ongoing drought and a limited water supply, farmers and ranchers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, California, are awaiting adoption of an amended emergency order that would extend last year's curtailment of water rights... more »
Klamath Basin farmers facing water cuts in California
Food production along the California-Oregon border will likely be significantly curtailed after the federal government announced April 11 that it intends to allocate 50,000 acre-feet of water to Klamath Basin irrigators in California this year.... more »
Small wetlands adjacent to farms can reduce runoff
Wetlands built next to farms can dramatically reduce excess nutrients reaching vital waterways, according to a study. Crops need nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to grow and thrive. However, excess nutrients from farms can wash... more »
Judge halts curtailment for Siskiyou County, California, irrigators
Irrigators in Siskiyou County have won a court ruling to temporarily block a state water curtailment order that would have prevented area farmers and ranchers from tapping into percolating groundwater supplies they have relied on... more »
MDARD, USDA to implement conservation program in Michigan
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced April 5 a pivotal conservation agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Services Agency (FSA), which reinstates Michigan’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The... more »
Funds allocated for repairs to Friant-Kern Canal
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) allocated nearly $30 million this month to repair segments of the Friant-Kern Canal, which delivers water to 1 million acres of farmland from Fresno to Bakersfield. “Through this... more »
As western drought worsens, Newsom bolsters regional conservation efforts
Following the driest first three months of a year in the state’s recorded history, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced March 29 he is taking several steps to drive water conservation at the local level. Newsom... more »
California Farm Bureau urges action to achieve water promises
As California farmers and ranchers face another year of drought and cutbacks in water deliveries, a page out of history served as a reminder that the state's water problems remain urgent – and that their... more »