California passed the Water Conservation Act of 2009 (SBx7-7) to encourage water conservation practices across the State’s agricultural water suppliers. Among other mandates, it required suppliers serving more than 25,000 acres to develop an agricultural water management plan (AWMP). Davids Engineering first prepared an AWMP for Turlock Irrigation District (TID) in 2011 and has since updated the plan in 2015 and 2021. TID was founded in 1887 under the Wright Act and is the oldest irrigation district in California. The plan includes a description of the District’s regional setting and water supplies; water management activities, objectives, and opportunities; potential effects, impacts, and mitigation strategies for climate change; regional and detailed water budgets; ongoing and planned efficient water management practices; and recommendations for modernization projects, additional data collection, additional studies and planning, and partnerships to improve water management in the region.
The AWMP allows TID to evaluate its ongoing water management practices and identify opportunities for improvement. A key aspect of TID’s water management strategy highlighted in the AWMP is conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater supplies. The District encourages the use of surface water when it is available to reduce reliance on groundwater and maintain long-term water supply reliability. Its operations and surface water use also facilitate groundwater recharge through seepage and deep percolation., allowing the District to pump groundwater later to meet water demands during times of reduced surface water availability.
Davids Engineering has also provided technical assistance to TID for a number of projects stemming from concepts and needs identified in the AWMP, water use and water management studies to development of a semi-automated water balance. Davids Engineering continues to be actively involved in advancing water management in the region.
The AWMP allows TID to evaluate its ongoing water management practices and identify opportunities for improvement. A key aspect of TID’s water management strategy highlighted in the AWMP is conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater supplies. The District encourages the use of surface water when it is available to reduce reliance on groundwater and maintain long-term water supply reliability. Its operations and surface water use also facilitate groundwater recharge through seepage and deep percolation., allowing the District to pump groundwater later to meet water demands during times of reduced surface water availability.
Davids Engineering has also provided technical assistance to TID for a number of projects stemming from concepts and needs identified in the AWMP, water use and water management studies to development of a semi-automated water balance. Davids Engineering continues to be actively involved in advancing water management in the region.
