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2009/10 Small Acreage Audit? Assessment? Evaluation? Program

2009/10 Small Acreage Audit? Assessment? Evaluation? Program. Denis Reich – Colorado Water Institute

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2009/10 Small Acreage Audit? Assessment? Evaluation? Program

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  1. 2009/10 Small Acreage Audit? Assessment? Evaluation? Program Denis Reich – Colorado Water Institute Would not have happened without: Dr. Curt Swift (CSUE), Wayne Guccini (Mesa CD), Rham Dan Khalsa (USBR), Zane McAllister (GRMCD), Tom Orr (Mesa Co. Health), ArdithBlessinger(local landscape auditor) WWUC: Wed July 27th 2010

  2. Background • Commercial “family farm” acreage is shrinking (~5% drop 1997-2007*) • Small farms, especially “small acreage” land parcels are growing (now ~1/4 total acreage of “family farms”*): • Primary source of income is off-farm • Most operators are new to irrigation • Typical enterprise includes horses and/or perennial grass based crop *NASS Colorado

  3. Mesa County Pilot • ~$5,000 from CSU Extension in 2009: • Auditor • Magflow meter • Advertising • Mileage • Fall 2009: Developed audit protocol (furrow and side-roll) in cooperation with: • Western Colorado Research Centers (Fruita and Orchard Mesa), • US Bureau of Reclamation (Rham Dan Khalsa), • Landscape Audits (Curt Swift, ArdithBlessinger), • Don Lancaster (local side-roll irrigator).

  4. Mesa County Pilot Basic Outline: • Book 1-2 hour slot with auditor during next irrigation • Visit includes: • Furrow / sprinkler snapshot (%DU) • Soil moisture measurement / root zone examination • Discussion of set and interval management • Free soil and water test • Examination of problem areas • Pond / Landscape issues • Report within 2 weeks of visit (soil and water usually take < 1 week) • Follow up call at end of audit period

  5. Distribution Uniformity Average (lower ½ of catch-can volumes) Average (all catch-can volumes) • DU = • Furrow Snapshot:

  6. “Outside” Test can placement (opposite side of lateral to “Inside” test) Diesel Engine for moves EIW ½ sprinkler throw Catch Cans “Inside” Test can placement Distribution Uniformity Average (lower ½ of catch can volumes) Average (all catch can volumes) • DU = • Side-roll Snapshot:

  7. Audit Algorithm

  8. Audit Algorithm

  9. Mesa County Pilot • Spring 2009: Began Advertising with Grand Junction Sentinel: • Excellent Response: • About 50 phone calls over 2 months. • Some looking for landscape audits, with others there were scheduling conflicts. • 14 audits completed: 164 acres (average of ~12 acres). All furrow pasture/hay • 2 audits in Delta Co.

  10. Loma mini-workshop 4-23-10

  11. Sample Audits • Important to note: Calculations were only part of the visit. Establishing a relationship with the irrigator was probably more important: • Irrigator A: Good Irrigator • Irrigator B: Decent Irrigator

  12. Sample Audits • Irrigators C & D: “Well that’s just makin’ a mess!”

  13. Next Steps • Two State Conservation Board “Matching Grant” proposals for 2011: • Joyce Foraker (Mesa Conservation District) • Sarah Sauter (Lower Gunnison Wise Water Use Council / Shavano & Delta CDs) • Programs set to expand if funded with full-time auditor for each grant. • Will take lessons learned from 2010 and 2011 and roll into larger grant application for a 3+ year regional program in 2012. • Thanks to: • Wayne Guccini • Curt Swift • ArdithBlessinger • Rham Dan Khalsa • Zane McCallister • Thomas Orr • John Wilhelm • Calvin Pearson • Bob Hammon • Don Lancaster • Sarah Sauter • Sonja Chavez de Baca

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