A Regional Management Plan to Improve Water Quality in the Grassland Basin

by Dennis Wichelns,
Laurie Houston,
Dan Nelson,
Joseph McGahan,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

Seven irrigation and drainage districts on the west side of Californias San Joaquin Valley have formed a regional drainage entity to implement programs that will reduce the load of selenium in agricultural drainage water discharged to the San Joaquin River. Drainage water that currently flows through wetland areas to the River will be re-routed around those areas to protect wildlife habitat. Irrigation and drainage districts will coordinate efforts to manage the generation and flow of drainage water in the region, to achieve water quality objectives. Farmers will improve irrigation practices, to reduce deep percolation and drain water volume. A real-time monitoring program, selenium removal methods, and a carefully designed land retirement or land fallowing program will be examined as possible components of a long-term strategy to achieve water quality objectives.

Subject Headings: Water quality | Drainage | Water management | Water discharge | Urban and regional development | Water flow | Selenium | California | United States

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