As a California grower, you know better than anyone how challenging and taxing your occupation can be — especially when faced with so many unique issues and regulations.
Whether you’re aiming to best address challenging restrictions or combat issues surrounding drought using water conservation systems, it’s imperative that you take a proactive approach when aiming to tackle common irrigation challenges.
Challenges Facing California Growers
As a California grower, aside from juggling key business operations and licensing, in order to succeed, you must also implement the most efficient use of energy, water, and labor. Only then will you be profitable and sustainable.
While there are a number of challenges facing California growers today, few are more alarming than issues surrounding water shortages. Considering agriculture accounts for approximately 80 percent of California’s water consumption, new irrigation techniques are imperative.
The goal here is to increase yields while using less water.
Overall, some of the most commonly discussed and most critical challenges to address include but are not limited to:
- Tight laws and restrictions
- Recurring droughts
- The need for more water based on the type of crop grown
How California Farmers Irrigate Their Crops
Approximately one-tenth of California, which equates to around 10 million acres, is designated as irrigated farmland. While cotton is a major crop grown in California, citrus and deciduous fruits, sugarbeets, corn, grapes, nuts, and other crops are also common.
Currently, California farmers apply irrigation water in one of many ways, including the use of surface systems or pressure systems. For example, surface systems are used on about 75 percent of the state’s irrigated farmland, implementing furrow irrigation, flood irrigation, and basin irrigation.
Related: Understanding Evapotranspiration — Key to Smart Irrigation
Unfortunately, these systems are often not as efficient as they could be, resulting in uneven water distribution. That is why it’s imperative to understand how your system operates and if it’s operating to its maximum capacity — without wasting precious resources.
Installing and Maintaining the Type of Irrigation System That Optimizes Business Growth
In order to maximize yields, you need to be aware of minor issues before they become overly costly. That is why your irrigation system design and associated services are so critical for your long-term success. Effective irrigation scheduling and maintenance strategies should be implemented as soon as possible.
Whether you require a new irrigation system or would like to update your current system, finding the right company is crucial in regards to design and installation. Although you’ll want to find an experienced team that follows best practices, they should also be able to offer the latest technologies, maintenance programs, and skilled professionals.
For example, the water treatment preventative maintenance offered by the Fruit Growers Supply Company team offers the following benefits:
- The program helps prevent the buildup of bacteria, algae, or minerals
- A longer system life and most importantly, maximum crop yield
- Ongoing support, as the Fruit Growers Supply Company will visit your farm at least once a month during the irrigation season to monitor your system in order to ensure the best possible performance
- Additional services offered at no additional charge, including free water analysis, the monitoring of treatment drum levels, visual inspections regarding possible leaks, etc.
In need of irrigation support? If so, be sure to contact the Fruit Growers Supply Company team. You can also source parts at one of our stores
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