Water Management

Grant Resources for Improving Irrigation Efficiency

CDFA's State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP): provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations. Eligible system components include (among others) soil moisture monitoring, drip systems, switching to low pressure irrigation systems, pump retrofits, variable frequency drives, and installation of renewable energy to reduce on-farm water use and energy.

Educational Webinars & Videos

North Bay Drought Webinar 2021: Crops & Orchards
UCCE Sonoma Video Series Farming in Drought Conditions
Water Webinar Series


Educational Written Resources

The Big Picture: Irrigation in the California Backyard Orchard
Sunburn Prevention: Whitewashing Tree Trunks
Water Quality Self Assessments
Maintenance of Micro Irrigation Systems: Filtration
Drought Tips

• Drought Tip: Keeping plants alive under drought or water restrictions
  (En español) Consejo Sobre La Sequía: Mantener las plantas del exterior vivas con poco agua
• Drought Tip: Citrus
• Drought Tip: Olives (table and oil)
• Drought Tip: Prune
• Drought Tip: Vegetables
• Drought Tip: Crop salt tolerance
  (En español) Consejo Sobre La Sequía: La tolerancia del cultivo a la sal
• Drought Tip: Water quality guidelines for vegetable and row crops
  (En español) Consejo Sobre La Sequía: Calidad del agua para cultivos de verduras y en línea
• Drought Tip: Reclaiming saline, solid, and saline-sodic soils
  (En español) Consejo Sobre La Sequía: Recuperar los suelos salinos, sódicos, y salino-sódicos

Dry Farming Resources

Dry Farm Tomato Research on California's Central Coast with PhD student Yvonne Socolar and farmers Veronica & Cole Mazariegos-Anastassiou, Jim Leap, and Josh Richland 
Organic Dry-Farmed Tomato Production on California's Central Coast: A guide for beginning specialty crop growers
Oregon State University's Dry Farming Resources Webpage
CAWSI (California Ag Water Stewardship Initiative) Dry Farming Webpage

PowerPoint Presentations

Dealing with Drought in Fruits & Nuts (2014)
Apple Orchard Irrigation Presentation May 23, 2024

Other Educational Resources

Water Talk Podcast: a podcast for the water curious, with Drs. Mallika Nocco, Faith Kearns, and Sam Sandoval.
Drought and Water Experts List
California Institute for Water Resources
UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources


Weather Information

California Irrigation Management Information System
UCCE Sonoma County Weather & Climate page
Sonoma County Climate Zones