As a long-term strategy, winegrowers should be planning to use less water to grow fruit.

As we finish our fourth year in California with below normal rainfall, having enough water for irrigation remains a critical issue in many vineyards around the state. Surface water has been in short supply in many areas, as many irrigation districts do not have enough water to honor customers’ allotments. If growers have the option, they are relying on groundwater to replace scarce surface water. This has resulted in lowered water table levels and, in some cases, dry wells.

The California State Department of Water Resources has identified groundwater basins that are either “high” or “medium” priority basins that will require water elevation monitoring. Believing that the best solutions will probably be based on local knowledge, the state is asking land owners or local agencies in these basins to develop groundwater sustainability plans that will monitor well levels and also come up with ways to reverse the declining water tables. It is clear that water use for all of California will be much more closely monitored than in the past.