Tuesday, April 17, 2012 by Lee Mannering Sustainability stories:
Driscoll’s Pajaro Valley water conservation It’s been a few
weeks since the last sustainability story here on Field to Fork,
but recently I received some information from Driscoll’s
Strawberry Associates concerning its first large-scale
sustainability project, which is focused on water conservation
and improving water quality in California’s Pajaro Valley. For
decades the Pajaro Valley aquifer has been in overdraft due to
groundwater depletion and saltwater intrusion since the 1950s.
To remedy this, Driscolls has been actively working to improve
water levels and the water quality of the aquifer to ensure that
agriculture can continue to thrive in the valley. Some of its
key projects include: - Establishing a formal forum for dialogue
and collaborative projects with more than 50 community leaders
and stakeholders - Conducting water use research and data
collection - Piloting irrigation technologies, and efficiencies
- Conducting grower irrigation