Cover Letter & Instruction - California Irrigation Survey

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS

BERKELEY  DAVIS  IRVINE  LOS ANGELES  RIVERSIDE  SAN DIEGO  SAN FRANCISCO  MERCED SANTA BARBARA  SANTA CRUZ

LAND, AIR AND WATER RESOURCES Tel. (530) 752-4628, Fax (530) 752-1552

University of California, One Shields Avenue Office: 243 Hoagland Hall

1110 PES Building Email: rlsnyder@ucdavis.edu

Davis, CA 95616-8627 WEB LAWR: http://lawr.ucdavis.edu

United States of America WEB BIOMET: http://biomet.ucdavis.edu

July 1, 2022

Dear California Grower:

This important survey is being conducted to update California’s records on irrigation methods used within the state. This same questionnaire is being sent to many of your fellow growers throughout California. The data gathered will be compared with earlier surveys (1972, 1980, 1991, 2001, 2010, and 2016) to study how irrigation methods are changing and to make projections of future changes. Irrigation system designers, manufacturers, and distributors may use the information to plan future production, which may reduce costs to growers. The information may also be used to plan for future energy needs and to help water districts with long-term planning.

This survey is funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Water Resources and being conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Office.

Please take a few minutes of your time to complete the enclosed questionnaire as explained in the instructions on the back of this page.

You can complete the questionnaire online at agcounts.usda.gov. All you need is your unique survey code on the enclosed form to begin. Or you may complete the questionnaire and mail it back in the prepaid return envelope provided, or fax it to 1-855-415-3687.

If possible, please return the completed survey form within two weeks of receiving it. We would like to have your completed questionnaire returned as soon as possible. Your participation in this survey will be completely anonymous, and the results will be published only as county and state totals.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rosa Avilla at (916) 738-6615. Thank you for your participation.

Thank you for your participation.

Respectfully yours,

Richard L. Snyder

Biometeorology Specialist

p.s. Instructions for the questionnaire are on the back of this letter

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING OUT

THE TABLE

1. Fill in the number of acres you farm corresponding to the irrigation method listed at the top of the table and the crop categories given in the left-hand column of the table. Note that we are asking about the crops you grew in the main county where you farm and the irrigation methods that you used in 2021. Because paddy rice is flood irrigated, it is not included in this survey.

2. For example, if you grew 400 acres of cotton that were pre-irrigated with hand move sprinklers followed by furrow irrigation, the number 400 should be entered into the box corresponding to “COTTON” and “FURROW HAND-MOVE” under the “SURFACE/SPRINKLER” methods. If you farm 100 acres of micro-sprinkler irrigated avocados, the number 100 should be entered into the box corresponding to the crop category “SUBTROPICAL” and the “MICRO-MINI’ column under the “SPRINKLER” methods.

3. Irrigation methods are separated into five groups including: (1) sub-surface irrigation, (2) surface irrigation, (3) combined sprinkler and furrow irrigation, (4) sprinkler irrigation, and (5) drip irrigation.

1. In sub-surface irrigation, underground pipe or open ditches are blocked to back up water and force it into a crop root zone.

2. Surface irrigation includes (1) wild flood, (2) border, (3) basin, and (4) furrow irrigation alone.

3. Combined sprinkler and furrow irrigation refers to fields that are first irrigated with sprinklers (side-roll or hand-move) and then are irrigated by furrows.

4. Sprinkler methods include permanent, hand move, linear move, wheel line, micro- or mini-sprinklers, hose pull, and center pivot.

5. Drip irrigation includes surface (applied above ground) and buried drip irrigation.

4. If you had acreage that was intercropped last year, list the acreage corresponding to the principal crop only. If you double or triple-cropped (different crops planted consecutively on the same parcel of land) in 2021, list the acreage under the irrigation method for each crop.

5. If you have any comments, please write them in SECTION 2 – Conclusion.

Thank you for your cooperation.