Drought in Sonoma County

Strategies for dealing with drought in Sonoma County by topic:

• Livestock & Range Management
• Specialty Crops - Farming in Drought Conditions video series
• Vineyards
• Master Gardeners for home gardeners
• Waterwise Gardening for landscaping

Presentations from Drought Workshop:

• Drought Survey Results by Tony Linegar, Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner 
• Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) by John Harrington, USDA-NRCS
• Livestock & Range Management: Drought Management Strategies  by Stephanie Larson, Livestock & Range Management Advisor for UCCE Sonoma and Marin Counties
• Specialty Crops & Orchards by Paul Vossen, UCCE Specialty Crop Farm Advisor 
• Vineyard Irrigation with a Limited Supply of Water by Glenn McGourty, Viticulture Advisor for UCCE Mendocino and Lake Counties
• What's Your Drought Vulnerability? Surviving the Drought of 2012-2014 Surviving the Drought of 2012-14 by Jay Jasperse, Chief Engineer for Sonoma County Water Agency
• Winery Water Conservation by John Nagle, Environmental Manager for E&J Gallo Winery

UCCE Web Resources

• UC Agriculture & Natural Resources, California Institute for Water Resources: California Drought Resources and Insights: Water and Drought Online Seminar Series covering all topics including row crops, permanent crops and landscape gardening.
• UC Davis Rangeland Wathershed Laboratory: Managing for Drought 
• UC team launches 'Voices from the Drought' where farmers and ranchers are interviewed and recorded by a friend, colleague or loved one. They document their stories of the drought, explaining what practices have worked for them so that others dealing with these struggles can better cope.

UCCE Free Publications 

• Rangeland Management Series: Livestock Management During Drought
• Drought Irrigation Strategies for Alfalfa
• Managing Turfgrasses during Drought

Water & Drought Management Series by FarmsReach

As the effects of California's historic drought continue to persist, farmers and ranchers of all experience levels are looking for better ways to prepare for the future. FarmsReach created a Water & Drought Management Series:

• 
  American Farm Trust’s Outstanding Leaders in Drought Management
• Livestock Strategies To Withstand A Drought: Options & Tips from Flying Mule Farm
• Practical Tools & Resources ~ FarmsReach Water & Irrigation Toolkit!
• Checklist to Drought-Proof Your Farm
• Drought Adjustment Strategies from Mendocino Organics
• Understanding Groundwater Management ~ Tips from UCCE Advisor, Allan Fulton
• Managing Energy & Lowering Costs with Irrigation ~ Tips from Derek Moffitt, Farmer and Rain Bird Sales manager
• Drought Effects & Tips from Lonewillow Ranch goat dairy in Firebaugh, CA

Other Resources

California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) - Drought Resources for farmers, rangers and farm workers. Includes grant information.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - Drought Programs & Resources. The support programs and resources included in this publication are geared specifically to the California drought, but do contain links and information to national resources good for the whole country.

Sonoma Resource Conservation District's Water Resource Management Program. The RCD works with landowners on a variety of water resource management issues. “Slow it, Spread it, Sink it!,” is their guide to beneficial stormwater management and assists landowners in managing runoff and offers best management practices featuring small to large scale techniques.