IID and AG growers doing their part to conserve water
In preparation for the next drought, California Governor Jerry Brown signed water conservation rules for cities and water districts to follow. The Imperial Irrigation District and AG Growers are doing their part to conserve water.
“We were probably against it because nobody like to have their amount of water that they’ve been used to cut. And told that you’re no longer going to be given what you’ve been used to,” said Mark Mcbroom, grower.
Mcbroom is one of the many AG growers who were against the idea of using less water while still producing the same amount of crops annually.
Since 2013, the Imperial Irrigation District’s On-Farm Efficiency program which pays growers to save water has already conserved over 440,000 per acre-feet of water.
Mcbroom who farms close 3,000 acres, says it’s made him use his water more wisely.
“It helps me be an efficient farmer. It helps me maintain my resource. Control where we have our applications of fertilizers. Puts it right where I need it,” said Mcbroom
The program has made other growers cut their water uses in half by thinking outside the box.
Mcbroom said, “It’s made, I think all of the growers here in the Imperial Valley be a lot more creative. And how they apply their water. How they utilize their water. How they apply it in an efficient way to where the runoffs are minimized.”
One IID official says this helps the state maintain their water supply.
Tina Shields, Imperial Irrigation District Water Department Manager said, “Growers are stepping up and supporting the districts in its effort to ensure that California is on track to live within its water supply entitlements. And also ensure that we have water supply reliability not only for the urban areas but also for our own growers.”
While the water that’s being conserved is transferred to urban coastal areas, IID officials say because growers have been overachieving when it comes to conservation, they’ve been able to store water in the valley and put it back into the AG industry.
