Moving Up the Irrigation Continuum to Move the Industry
Ahead: A Water Use Efficiency Q&A with Spencer Cooper
Irrigation management is dynamic and ever-changing, both by nature of each season’s varying weather patterns and the
evolution of technologies to improve its efficiency. Irrigation management is unique to each farm and every stage of an
almond tree’s development. And, there is always room for improvement.
If anyone’s committed to improving water use efficiency, it’s California almond growers, who are some of the most
innovative in the industry. Thanks to the adoption of practices like microirrigation and demand-based irrigation,
California almond growers have reduced the amount of water needed to grow a pound of almonds by 33 percent
over the past 20 years. It doesn’t stop there. Almond Board of California (ABC), in partnership with respected experts
at the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension, has rolled out the
Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum, a comprehensive manual of irrigation management and scheduling practices
that meet growers at every stage of irrigation efficiency to improve their ‘crop per drop.’
To take a deeper dive into the
Continuum, and get the scoop
on other irrigation-related
issues, we sat in for a chat
with Spencer Cooper, Senior
Manager of Irrigation and
Water Efficiency at Almond
Board of California.
Q: Can you provide an
overview of the Almond
Irrigation Improvement Continuum and the purpose it
serves for growers?
SC:
The Continuum looks at all five aspects of irrigation
management:
1. Measuring irrigation system performance and
efficiency
2. Estimating orchard water requirements based on
evapotranspiration
3. Determining the water applied
4. Evaluating the soil moisture
5. Evaluating plant water status
The Continuum is broken up into three proficiency
levels — 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. Level 1.0 is focused on the
fundamentals and foundation of irrigation scheduling
and outlines the irrigation management practices within
reach for all California almond growers. As growers
move up the Continuum, it progresses into more technical
operations regarding irrigation management and almond
production. The Continuum was developed in a way
that can really bring a grower along the journey through
irrigation management.
Q: What are the main differences in irrigation
management practices as one moves up the
Continuum?
SC:
The biggest change you’ll see when moving up
the Continuum is in the frequency of monitoring and
measurement. For example, if you’re looking at soil
moisture, in level 1.0, you may be using the hand-feel
method monthly with a shovel or auger to determine
soil moisture, whereas in levels 2.0 or 3.0, you’d be
using sensors to provide weekly or daily updates, which
allows for real-time monitoring. In the applied water
section, level 1.0 is all about understanding the system-
designed application rate, and levels 2.0 and 3.0 involve
IN YOUR ORCHARD
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