Sustainable Agricultural Lands ConservationProgram · 8/6/2020 · Madera County GSA Advisory...

August 6, 2020Madera County GSA Advisory Committee

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., August 6, 2020Zoom, Madera County

Madera, CA

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Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program

GSA Advisory Committee

Madera County


• GSP specifies a demand management (water use reduction) program

• Allocation• Allocation + Water Market• Land Resting/Retirement and Easements• Fee structures

Need to Reduce Consumptive Use

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• Review of project objective, tasks, and timeline• Program options• Incentive structure• Initial maps• Stakeholder outreach• Next steps

Outline

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• Assess and develop an agricultural land conservation program with the primary objectives of developing:

• Criteria for identifying and prioritizing land for its potential to be temporarily rested, permanently retired, or retired and restored and

• An incentive program structured for resting, retiring, restoring, or protecting land under alternative water-centric conservation easements/land retirement

• Program incentives should be consistent with other GSA demand management program efforts

Project Objective

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• Collaborative Outreach—meetings with key Stakeholders, obtain input• Maps—land use categories• Criteria and fee structure• Collaborative Outreach--Meetings, present criteria and fee/incentive structure for feedback• Final plan—Land use categories, criteria, fee/incentive structure

Project Timeline and Workplan

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Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb MarTask 1. Collaborative OutreachTask 2. Create a map of relevant layers for land prioritizationTask 3. Create criteria for land ranking and fee structureTask 4. Collaborative OutreachTask 5. Completion of Final Plan

Tasks2020 2021


• Objective • Specify program structure and approach

• Method• Specify the desired program objective/goal for:

• Range of annual water use reduction achieved by the program• Land that remains unirrigated• Other stakeholder/GSA objectives yet to be determined

• Specify program land conservation mechanism: • Bids, offers/incentives, and hybrid structure

• Review and ensure that the program is consistent with:• Other existing land conservancies/programs• Other Madera County GSA demand management programs

Agricultural Land Conservation Program Options

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• Objective • Work with stakeholders to specify SALC

program incentive structure for each goal/objective and different land use types

• Method• Review different land use classifications and

program objectives (see subsequent mapping discussion)

• Evaluate potential incentive structures by estimating the return to land/water in different activities, considering:

• Crop type/land use• Capital investments• Other county economic implications• Other stakeholder feedback

Incentive Structure

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Note: 2016 crop data for Madera County GSA irrigated cropland only

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Over 50 GIS Layers Obtained Thus Far…

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GIS Layer Category Layer CountBoundaries 8Environmental 13Land Use 7Roads 3Soils 4Urban 10Water 17

Totals 62


Madera County GSAs and Subbasins

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DRAFT


Unirrigated land that is currently in use as grazed rangeland

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DRAFT

Note: Rangeland data source is Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP, 2016)

Land Category 1


1. Unirrigated land that is currently in use as grazed rangeland

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Note: Rangeland data source is Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP, 2016)

Total Acres: 81,601Total Madera County GSA Acres: 66,638

DRAFT

GSA Total AcresSJR Exchange Contractors -Delta Mendota in Madera County

633

Aliso Water District GSA 62County of Madera GSA -Delta-Mendota 51

GSA Total AcresCounty of Madera GSA -Madera 65,035

Madera Irrigation District GSA 11,917

Gravelly Ford Water District GSA 453

City of Madera GSA 249

Root Creek Water District GSA 122

Madera Water District GSA 1

New Stone Water District GSA 1

GSA Total AcresCounty of Madera GSA -Chowchilla 1,552

Chowchilla Water District GSA 1,481

Triangle T Water District GSA 44County of Merced GSA –Chowchilla 0

Chowchilla Subbasin

Madera Subbasin

Delta-Mendota Subbasin


Irrigated land that could become unirrigated (annual crops)

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DRAFTNote: Data source is Land IQ, 2016. Annual crops include Bean (Dry), Bush Berries, Carrots, Cotton, Flowers/Nursery, Idle, Lettuce, Melons/Squash, Misc. Truck Crops, Onions/Garlic, Tomatoes, Wheat.

Land Category 2.a


Note: Data source is Land IQ, 2016. Annual crops include Bean (Dry), Bush Berries, Carrots, Cotton, Flowers/Nursery, Idle, Lettuce, Melons/Squash, Misc. Truck Crops, Onions/Garlic, Tomatoes, Wheat.

2.a. Irrigated land that could become unirrigated (annual crops)

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GSA Total Acres

Aliso Water District GSA 1,202SJR Exchange Contractors -Delta Mendota in Madera County

779

County of Madera GSA -Delta-Mendota 199

GSA Total AcresCounty of Madera GSA -Madera 9,815

Madera Irrigation District GSA 9,367

Root Creek Water District GSA 1,315

Gravelly Ford Water District GSA 734

City of Madera GSA 595

Madera Water District GSA 0

New Stone Water District GSA 0 Total Acres: 37,159Total Madera County GSA Acres: 17,116

GSA Total Acres

Chowchilla Water District GSA 7,102County of Madera GSA -Chowchilla 5,361

Triangle T Water District GSA 573County of Merced GSA -Chowchilla 118

Chowchilla Subbasin

Madera Subbasin

Delta-Mendota Subbasin

DRAFT


Irrigated land that could become unirrigated in vicinity of Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)

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DRAFTNote: Irrigated land data source is Land IQ, 2016. Annual crops include Bean (Dry), Bush Berries, Carrots, Cotton, Flowers/Nursery, Idle, Lettuce, Melons/Squash, Misc. Truck Crops, Onions/Garlic, Tomatoes, Wheat. Other crops are permanent crops or crops to support dairy or confined animal operations. DACs data were obtained using DWR’s DAC Mapping Tool and also based on 2016 data.

Land Category 2.b

Crops that Support Dairies


2.b. Irrigated land that could become unirrigated in vicinity of DACs

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Disadvantaged Communities

DRAFT

There are 12 DACs contained within or lying with 1/2 mile of the study area. They are Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos, Chowchilla, Fairmead, Firebaugh, Fresno, Friant, La Vina, Madera, Madera Acres, Parksdale, Parkwood, and Rolling Hills.

Note: Irrigated land data source is Land IQ, 2016. Annual crops include Bean (Dry), Bush Berries, Carrots, Cotton, Flowers/Nursery, Idle, Lettuce, Melons/Squash, Misc. Truck Crops, Onions/Garlic, Tomatoes, Wheat. Other crops are permanent crops or crops to support dairy or confined animal operations. DACs data were obtained using DWR’s DAC Mapping Tool and also based on 2016 data.

Irrigated Land Type Total Acres PercentageAnnual Crops 5,772 16%Permanent Crops or Crops that Support Dairies 29,998 84%

Total Acres 35,770 -


3. Irrigated land that may remain irrigated, for example because of prime soils

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Farmland Category Description

Prime Farmland

Farmland with the best combination of physical and chemical features able to sustain long term agricultural production. This land has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high yields. Land must have been used for irrigated agricultural production at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.

Farmland of Statewide Importance

Farmland similar to Prime Farmland but with minor shortcomings, such as greater slopes or less ability to store soil moisture. Land must have been used for irrigated agricultural production at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.

Farmland of Local Importance

Land of importance to the local agricultural economy as determined by each county's board of supervisors and a local advisory committee.

Unique Farmland

Farmland of lesser quality soils used for the production of the state's leading agricultural crops. This land is usually irrigated, but may include nonirrigated orchards or vineyards as found in some climatic zones in California. Land must have been cropped at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.


Irrigated land that may remain irrigated, for example because of prime soils

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DRAFT

Land Category 3

Note: Rangeland data source is Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP, 2016). Lands identified in Land Category 2 have also been excluded.

DRAFT


3. Irrigated land that may remain irrigated, for example because of prime soils

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Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA)

Prime Farmland

Farmland of Statewide

Importance

Farmland of Local Importance

Confined Animal Agriculture

Unique Farmland GSA Total

Chowchilla Water District GSA 19,662 22,818 1,356 1,508 25,644 70,989County of Madera GSA - Chowchilla 7,284 3,269 807 913 21,767 34,041Triangle T Water District GSA 1,476 266 3 9 11,686 13,441County of Merced GSA - Chowchilla 501 128 15 0 452 1,097County of Madera GSA - Madera 12,301 9,880 1,816 1,391 51,879 77,267Madera Irrigation District GSA 36,277 33,150 1,756 277 33,421 104,882Root Creek Water District GSA 2,902 143 105 0 4,979 8,130Gravelly Ford Water District GSA 750 1,367 0 0 5,035 7,153City of Madera GSA 348 170 171 0 375 1,064Madera Water District GSA 672 202 0 1 2,859 3,734New Stone Water District GSA 254 38 0 0 3,884 4,176Aliso Water District GSA 4,856 6,599 76 0 13,346 24,876SJR Exchange Contractors - Delta Mendota in Madera County 8,792 2,854 166 0 2,641 14,454

County of Madera GSA - Delta-Mendota 714 103 953 0 638 2,408Farmland Category Total 96,790 80,988 7,225 4,099 178,607 367,709County GSA Farmland Category Total 20,300 13,252 3,576 2,304 74,284 113,715

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Ways to stay informed:

• Presentations at Madera County Board/GSA and advisory group meetings

• Get on IP list for email updates • Watch website for info

Stakeholder Outreach

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• Stakeholder outreach• Refine land use categories• Draft incentive structure

Next Steps

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Discussion

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Sustainable Agricultural Lands ConservationProgram · 8/6/2020 · Madera County GSA Advisory...

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