Westlands has been providing its growers with current data, state-of-the-art technical assistance, and sustainability education since 1972. The Westlands Water Conservation Program has evolved into an exceptionally innovative and effective program recognized worldwide for its efficiency and sustainability.
Westlands encourages environmental responsibility by providing advanced strategies for the safe and effective application of water allotments by water users. Due to exhaustive and varied conservation techniques, the Westlands Water Conservation Program continues to surpass sustainability goals under increasingly difficult water supply and drainage conditions.
Water Conservation Practices
The increased efficiency, groundwater stabilization, and advanced irrigation practices exist due to a multifaceted sustainability program that has been studied, modified and improved for over 40 years. Results are achieved through unrelenting dedication to the following practices:
- Providing individually-tailored satellite imagery to growers on a bimonthly basis, allowing them to adjust irrigation accordingly based on visual, accurate imagery of each of their fields.
- Providing growers with current Irrigation Guides detailing water requirements for crops based on actual weather and computer modeling. A separate weekly Guide is sent to growers providing detailed information on the three climatic regions throughout Westlands.
- Providing growers with The Water Conservation and Management Handbook, containing specific water management information on Westlands’ farming conditions.
- Organizing regular workshops and meetings with small groups of growers to facilitate a two-way flow of water management information. These seminars grant growers firsthand access to Westlands’ staff, private sector water management experts, scientists, and government figures as they share innovative and advanced information on water supply, equipment, and available resources.
- Providing technical assistance and conservation computer programs to growers, allowing growers to personally study irrigation management issues and solutions.
- Maintaining an aggressive program to install, upgrade and repair water meters.
- Monitoring groundwater to provide growers with up-to-date information on the quality and depth of groundwater.
- Ongoing efficiency testing for Westlands’ pumps, preventing potentially catastrophic system downtime and reducing electrical consumption and costs.
- Improving overall water supply reliability through the efficient use of surface and groundwater to extract maximum benefit and preserve environmental resources.
- Offering opportunities to growers to lease or own innovative equipment such as drip, micro-spray, sprinkler, and aluminum piping to encourage conversion to more efficient irrigation technology.