Vineyard water consumption being studied
By Felicia Alvarez, Davis Enterprise
At a time when agriculturists are looking for ways to cut back on water usage, researchers at the UC Davis viticulture and enology department are paving the way for sustainable techniques in winemaking and grape-growing.
To make a gallon of wine, it takes 4 to 6 gallons of water under current production techniques. Researchers such as UCD’s David Block, however, are strategizing ways to use a quarter of this amount to create a 1-to-1 ratio of water to wine.
Out in the field, viticulturists are searching for ways to deliver water to plants effectively. Every plant is unique, meaning every vine doesn’t need the same amount of water, Block said. If a grower knows exactly how much water needs to be given to each plant, not a single drop of water needs to be wasted.
Vineyard water consumption? How about local water consumption? Are they being looked at? City property lined with over watered turf that could be replaced with native plants using much less water.
Residential areas with lawns being over watered to the point where the water runs down the street pooling up in the low spots down the road.
Going into our fourth year or fifth year of drought we really need to watch our water useage in the Tahoe area.
Yes, we do live next to a big shrinking lake but most of us live on well water. Once the wells run dry we are in a bad way, big time!
Watch what happens to our food prices go ever higher as the result of crops not being planted, our local economy suffers due to tack of boat accses because of low lake level. Lowest snow pack in years resulting in dried up creeks not flowing into the lake. Resavoirs at half or less than there normal levels.
Be fire safe and conserve water. OLS
I think Tahoe will have a GREAT summer, OLS! Sure, getting boats into the water will be a little more difficult, but we’ve got more water than anybody else does! Our lake is still big, blue, and cool, rather than being a mud puddle like most other California lakes.
And our water shed doesn’t even go to California, so I don’t see why the governor would have much say over our local usage. Sure, we should conserve. It’s the right thing to do. But we don’t need the draconian measures here.