UC Cooperative Extension seeks funding to update Ukiah Valley agricultural water inventory

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) presented a proposal to update the Ukiah Valley agricultural water-use inventory, currently relying on data that is nearly two decades old.

Laura Garza Diaz said the team proposes a two- to three-year field campaign with 12 field stations across the basin to install soil sensors, weather stations, and flow meters, perform in-field irrigation measurements, and interview producers to refine estimates of evapotranspiration and irrigation source (surface water vs. groundwater). "An update of this inventory will benefit the GSA by improving the accuracy and refinement of their water mass balance," Garza Diaz said.

UCCE estimated the project would cost about $140,000 for three years or roughly $100,000 for a shorter two-year campaign, with most costs going to equipment. The presenters asked the board for feedback and said they would seek funding, either partly from the GSA or from other sources, and welcomed an endorsement from the GSA to strengthen grant applications.

Directors did not take formal action at the meeting; staff noted potential overlap with DWR and other agency datasets and suggested coordination on methodology.