SSJID Wins Farm Water Conservation Award

The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, in South Korea, presented its WatSave Technology Award to the South San Joaquin Irrigation District

The $14 million project involved about 3,800 acres in the southwest part of the district. SSJID in 2012 replaced open-canal deliveries with pressurized pipelines that allowed more direct application of water to crops. The result was a 30 percent drop in water use and a 30 percent gain in yields, consulting engineer Jeff Shaw told the district board last week.

"The international community understands what you're doing and is looking at you guys as the leaders in irrigation management in the world," said Shaw, who works in the Rocklin office of the Stantec engineering firm.

SSJID's supply from the Stanislaus River is fairly abundant, even during the drought, but leaders have taken up conservation to prepare for possible future shortages. The project had the added benefit of allowing some growers to stop using groundwater, which can harbor crop-damaging salts in that part of the district.

The project reduced fuel consumption for well pumping, and the new water lines can deliver fertilizer directly to crops, reducing the risk of nitrate pollution.

"It's an economic benefit for your farmers, as you know, as well as for society at large," Shaw said.

The project includes a two-acre reservoir, fed by a canal, that sends water into 19 miles of pipe serving growers of almonds, grapes and other crops. They can use computers, smartphones or iPads to schedule deliveries. Many of them irrigate with drip lines or microsprinklers, which reduce water use compared with flood irrigation.

Source: Modbee

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