PROGRAMS :: Watershed Stewardship Project Summary
During April and May 2002, CAFF's Watershed Stewardship Project surveyed farmers
and landowners in Merced and Solano counties to determine which common agricultural
practices were being used to protect water resources. The survey results, based
on an eight-percent response rate, show a wide variety of sound practices are
used in both regions.
Other findings included:
- Primary crops being grown by respondents are fruits and nuts, alfalfa,
hay, with lesser amounts of vegetables and forage crops.
- Farm size is represented fairly evenly from 1-40 acres on the low end, rising to 501 acres or more. The highest number of respondents (19 percent) work 501 acres or more.
- Beef cattle account for 24 percent of all livestock.
The project is funded by CalFed and wants to work with landowners interested in adjusting their farming and ranching practices to help their respective watersheds.
Differences between Merced and Solano growers are primarily in crops grown, irrigation methods, and farm size.
Merced has a larger number of nut tree growers, but growers of other crops varied only slightly in the practices surveyed. Merced growers use significantly more flood and overhead irrigation than Solano growers and Solano County has smaller farm size.
Our questions asked about irrigation, livestock grazing patterns, riparian buffer
strips, sedimentation and erosion control, pest management, flooding and water
quality standards. The respondents generally share interest and concern for
all of those issues, but the three topping their list are:
- learning more about how government agencies can help them pay for conservation measures,
- how current and planned water quality standards affect them,
- and how they can monitor the quality of their tailwater themselves.
The results of this survey will in part determine the direction of the Watershed Stewardship Project.
- We will select topics for field days based on interest levels expressed by farmers and ranchers.
- Demonstration activities will be based on information from the survey and scientific water quality data.
Land Management Practices Survey
Watershed Stewardship Project
Survey Findings, May, 2002
We received 55 completed surveys or 47% from Merced County and 61 or 53% from Solano County.
The following percentages do not include respondents that did not answer the question. At the end of each answer set, ( n = #) represents the number of positive responses to that particular questions. In some cases, respondents answered a question with more than one response so the total number of responses exceeds 116.
1) My primary source of new agricultural information is:
| Agricultural newsletters |
27.9% |
| Trade magazines |
19.9% |
| Other farmers |
17.4% |
| Industry representatives |
9.7% |
| Meetings |
8.9% |
| University of California farm advisors |
7.1% |
| The internet |
5.8% |
| University of California publications |
2.1% |
| ( n = 157) |
2) Which of the following were your most significant crops in the last two years?
| Nut trees |
36.6% |
| Other _____________ |
13.0% |
| Alfalfa or hay |
11.0% |
| Fruit trees |
9.7% |
| Vegetables |
8.3% |
| Forage crops |
8.3% |
| Feed grains |
6.9% |
| Grapes |
5.5% |
| ( n = 145) |
3) What type of irrigation do you use?
| Overhead sprinklers |
30.5% |
| Flood |
28.4% |
| Microsprinklers |
15.6% |
| Drip |
14.9% |
| Furrow |
10.6% |
| ( n = 141) |
4) How many acres of land do you farm or ranch? (include leased, rented, and owned)
| 1-40 |
37.2% |
| 501 or more |
19.5% |
| 201 or 500 |
16.8% |
| 41-100 |
14.2% |
| 101-200 |
12.4% |
| ( n = 113) |
5) If you manage livestock, what type of livestock do you manage?
| No livestock |
42.9% |
| Beef cattle |
24.3% |
| Dairy cows/calves |
12.9% |
| Sheep/goats |
10.0% |
| Poultry |
5.7% |
| Other |
4.3% |
| ( n = 70) |
6) If you manage livestock, how many animals do you manage in a typical year?
| No livestock |
40.3% |
| 1,101 or more |
19.4% |
| 1-50 |
15.5% |
| 51-200 |
6.5% |
| 201-500 |
3.2% |
| 501 –1,000 |
1.6% |
| ( n = 62) |
7) If you have land directly on the river or stream, is bank erosion a problem?
| No land on rivers or streams |
48.0% |
| No |
29.0% |
| Yes |
23.0% |
| ( n = 100) |
8) If yes, what method of bank stabilization do you use?
| Rip rap |
40.6% |
| Don't use any method |
31.3% |
| Other |
12.5% |
| Erosion control plantings |
9.4% |
| Setbacks to ag land to allow for flooding |
6.3% |
| ( n = 32) |
9) Do you keep a strip of non-crop plants, such as grasses, natural vegetation, etc… (a buffer strip)
between crop fields and waterways?
| Yes |
39.8% |
| My farm is not on a waterway |
38.2% |
| No |
8.2% |
| ( n = 101) |
10) If yes , how wide is this strip?
| Over 31 feet |
36.2% |
| 11- 20 feet |
27.7% |
| 21- 30 feet |
17.0% |
| 1 - 10 feet |
17.0% |
| Less than one foot |
2.1% |
| ( n = 47) |
11) If no, please select the most important reason that you don't keep a strip of non-crop plants
between crop fields and waterways.
| Too much work to maintain strips |
26.7% |
| Wastes valuable cropland |
26.7% |
| High cost |
20.0% |
| Other |
13.3% |
| Encourages pests and insects on my farm |
6.7% |
| Doesn't help clean run-off |
6.7% |
| Looks messy |
0.0% |
| Buffer plants migrate into crop fields |
0.0% |
| ( n = 15) |
12) Which of the following practices did you use in the last two years to control sedimentation or erosion?
| Reduced tillage |
19.6% |
| No tillage |
14.7% |
| Install or maintain a tailwater return system |
14.1% |
| Farmed on the contour |
10.4% |
| Applied gypsum to increase permeability |
8.6% |
| Use sediment basin to prevent offsite erosion |
7.4% |
| Kept vegetation on non-crop areas |
6.1% |
| Kept a vegetated buffer near waterways |
5.5% |
| Cover crops/resident veg in orchards/vineyards |
5.5% |
| Other |
3.7% |
| Leveled the land |
2.5% |
| Changed irrigation system to drip/micro |
|
1.8% |
| ( n = 163) |
13) Please list the letters of the practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Reduced tillage |
22.8% |
| No tillage |
15.8% |
| Keeping vegetation on non-crop areas |
12.3% |
| Keeping a vegetated buffer near waterways |
10.5% |
| Leveling the land |
10.5% |
| Applying gypsum to increase permeability |
8.8% |
| Using sediment basin to prevent offsite erosion |
8.8% |
| Installing or maintaining a tailwater return system |
7.0% |
| Cover crops/resident veg in orchards/vineyards |
1.8% |
| Changing irrigation system to drip/micro |
1.8% |
| Farming on the contour |
0.0% |
| Other |
0.0% |
| (n = 57) |
14) If a crop grower, which of the following nutrient management practices did you use in
the last two years?
| Test irrigation water for nitrate levels budget |
27.3% |
| Protect wellheads from nutrient pollution |
8.6% |
| Cover crop nutrient values in nitrogen budget |
7.0% |
| Apply nitrogen in small applications over growing season |
5.1% |
| Annual tissue analysis to determine crop needs |
3.0% |
| An annual soil test to determine nutrient levels |
.0% |
| Other |
.1% |
| ( n = 187) |
15) Please list the letters of the practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Protecting wellheads from nutrient pollution |
26.2% |
| Annual tissue analysis to determine crop needs |
21.3% |
| Testing irrigation water for nitrate levels budget |
18.0% |
| Annual soil test to determine nutrient levels |
16.4% |
| Cover crop nutrient values in nitrogen budget |
11.5% |
| Applying nitrogen in small applications over growing season |
4.9% |
| (n = 61) |
16) If a crop grower, which of the following pest management practices did you use in the last two years?
| Vegetative buffer of at least 35 feet between crop fields/waterways |
17.3% |
| Monitored insect pests weekly during the season |
14.2% |
| Install or maintain a tailwater return system |
11.9% |
| Hired a private pesticide service |
10.6% |
| Store pesticides on a non-permeable surface |
9.7% |
| Consider impacts to beneficial insects when selecting pesticide |
6.6% |
| Avoid use of Diazinon or Chlorpyrifos (Dursban, Lorsban) |
6.6% |
| Monitor diseases weekly during the season |
5.3% |
| Released beneficial insects |
4.9% |
| Eonomic injury levels to determine if a pesticide application necessary |
4.0% |
| Use approved organic methods only |
2.7% |
| Install or kept insectary plantings/hedgerows |
2.2% |
| Maintain a distance of at least 100 feet between |
| waterways or wells and pesticide mixing and storage areas. |
1.8% |
| Use degree days to determine proper timing for pesticide applications |
1.3% |
| Other |
.9% |
| ( n = 226) |
17) Please list the letters of the practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Monitoring diseases weekly during the season |
18.4% |
| Using degree days to determine proper timing for pesticide applications |
18.4% |
| Storing pesticides on a non-permeable surface |
10.5% |
| Economic injury levels to determine if a pesticide application necessary |
10.5% |
| Monitoring insect pests weekly during the season |
7.9% |
| Vegetative buffer of at least 35 feet between crop fields/waterways |
5.3% |
| Considering impacts to beneficial insects when selecting pesticide |
5.3% |
| Avoid use of Diazinon or Chlorpyrifos (Dursban, Lorsban) |
5.3% |
| Releasing beneficial insects |
5.3% |
| Other |
5.3% |
| Installing or maintaining a tailwater return system |
2.6% |
| Maintaining a distance of at least 100 feet between |
2.6% |
| waterways or wells and pesticide mixing and storage areas. |
| Using approved organic methods only |
2.6% |
| Installing or keeping insectary plantings/hedgerows |
0.0% |
| Hiring a private pesticide service |
0.0% |
| ( n = 38) |
18) Which of the following habitat management practices did you use in the last two years?
| Install wildlife habitat on some portion of the farm |
27.2% |
| Install owl/bat/duck boxes or similar structures on the farm |
21.4% |
| Install plantings that encourage beneficial insects |
20.9% |
| Install native plants on the river/stream bank |
12.1% |
| Install or kept trees that shade the river or stream. |
8.1% |
| Determine if threatened/endangered species exist on the farm |
5.2% |
| A buffer of at least 35 feet between farming operations and waterways |
3.4% |
| Kept some part of the farm in a conservation easement |
.6% |
| Manage cereal crops so that they were compatible with wildlife |
.6% |
| Other |
.6% |
| ( n = 173) |
19) Please list the letters of the practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Installing owl/bat/duck boxes or similar structures on the farm |
26.7% |
| Installing plantings that encourage beneficial insects |
24.4% |
| Installing wildlife habitat on some portion of the farm |
17.8% |
| Keeping some part of the farm in a conservation easement |
11.1% |
| Determining if threatened/endangered species exist on the farm |
4.4% |
| Installing native plants on the river/stream bank |
4.4% |
| Keeping a buffer of at least 35 feet between farming operations and waterways |
4.4% |
| Managing cereal crops so that they were compatible with wildlife |
4.4% |
| Installing or keeping trees that shade the river or stream. |
2.2% |
| Other |
0.0% |
| ( n = 45) |
20) If a grazing manager, which of the following grazing management practices did you use in
the last two years?
| Rotate pastures so they receive alternate periods of grazing and rest |
25.0% |
| No streams on property |
23.2% |
| Left at least 2 inches of residual dry matter after grazing |
16.1% |
| Place mineral blocks to enhance cattle distribution |
12.5% |
| Place watering troughs to attract livestock away from streams |
8.9% |
| Avoid grazing on wet soils |
7.1% |
| Use fences to reduce grazing pressure in streams |
3.6% |
| Other |
3.6% |
| (n = 56) |
21) Please list the letters of the practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Place watering troughs to attract livestock away from streams |
1 |
| Rotate pastures so they receive alternate periods of grazing and rest |
1 |
| Leaving at least 2 inches of residual dry matter after grazing |
1 |
| Using fences to reduce grazing pressure in streams |
0 |
| Avoiding grazing on wet soils |
0 |
| Placing mineral blocks to enhance cattle distribution |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
| No streams on property |
0 |
| ( n = 3) |
22) If a confined livestock operator, which of these nutrient management practices did you use in
the last two years? (Circle all that apply)
| Ensured lagoon was sized for 120 day holding capacity |
28.0% |
| Produced or kept a nutrient management plan |
24.0% |
|
|
|
| Installed or kept a tailwater return system |
16.0% |
| Adjust application rates of lagoon water based on measured nutrient content |
12.0% |
| Applied dairy nutrients to be timed with crop uptake |
8.0% |
| Exported nutrients to neighboring farms |
8.0% |
| Composted manure solids |
4.0% |
| Other |
0.0% |
| ( n = 25) |
23) Please list the letter of practices above that you would be interested in learning more about.
| Produced or kept a nutrient management plan |
2 |
| Composted manure solids |
2 |
| Applied dairy nutrients to be timed with crop uptake |
1 |
| Exported nutrients to neighboring farms |
0 |
| Adjust application rates of lagoon water based on measured nutrient content |
0 |
| Installed or kept a tailwater return system |
0 |
| Ensured lagoon was sized for 120 day holding capacity |
|
| Other |
0 |
24) Are you concerned that your tailwater may not meet current water quality standards?
| Not concerned |
60.0% |
| Somewhat concerned |
30.0% |
| Very concerned |
10.0% |
|
| ( n = 66) |
25) If very concerned or concerned, circle the area of greatest concern with your tailwater.
| Agricultural chemical residue |
40.0% |
| Nutrients from livestock |
26.7% |
| Soil sedimentation |
16.7% |
| Minerals or salts |
13.3% |
|
| Other |
3.3% |
| Pathogens |
0.0% |
| ( n = 30) |
26) Are you concerned that storm or flood run-off from your farm may not meet current water
quality standards?
| Not concerned |
62.8% |
| Somewhat concerned |
27.9% |
|
| Very concerned |
9.3% |
| ( n = 86) |
27) If very concerned or concerned, circle the area of greatest concern with storm or flood water run-off.
| Agricultural chemical residue |
32.4% |
| Nutrients from livestock |
29.4% |
| Soil sedimentation |
23.5% |
|
|
| Minerals or salts |
8.8% |
|
| Other |
1.7% |
| Pathogens |
0.0% |
| |
| ( n = 34) |
28) Circle the three topics that would be of greatest value to you at a workshop.
| Cost share programs with government agencies |
23.0% |
| How current and planned water quality standards affect me |
22.5% |
| How I can privately monitor the quality of water myself |
22.5% |
| Help in getting permits for on-farm conservation projects |
17.0% |
| How I can privately identify endangered plant/animal species on my farm |
7.5% |
| Conservation or Agricultural Conservation easements |
5.5% |
| Methane digesters for confined livestock operations |
2.0% |
| |
| ( n = 200) |
 |
