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Water Quality & Management

Current Projects

Yolo-Colusa Mobile Water Lab

The Yolo-Colusa Mobile Water Lab, operated by the Yolo County RCD, conducts field evaluations of irrigation system distribution uniformity (DU). DU is a measure of the uniformity with which irrigation water is distributed to different areas in a field. The evaluation takes one day to complete, covers the entire field, orchard, or vineyard evaluated, and includes standardized data collection, computations, and definitions. The primary field activities for evaluating DU are pressure measurements, flow rate measurements, and other qualitative observations of pump and filtration systems, emitters/sprinkler heads, and observed particulates flushed from lateral ends. A non-uniform distribution can deprive portions of the crop of needed water, but can also over-irrigate portions of a field, resulting in water logging, plant injury, and transport of chemicals to ground water.

Start Date: May 2006

End Date: On-Going