Tehama Colusa Canal Authority Deficit Irrigation Impact Assessment

NewFields staff prepared expert witness testimony for United States District Court – Eastern District of California (Judge Oliver W. Wanger) on behalf of the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority. NewFields was retained to prepare a detailed evaluation of the influence of regulated deficit irrigation on a variety of crops including almonds, grapes, walnuts, rice, olives, alfalfa, tomatoes and other permanent and annual field and row crops.

The preparation of this testimony was conducted to determine the deficit of irrigation water at pre-determined periods correlating to the growth cycles of the crops mentioned above, especially perennial crops (e.g., almonds). The results of this work indicate the extreme detrimental effects of insufficient irrigation during key growth stages of the crop. NewFields continues to work extensively with growers, industry representatives, and local and state resources as a multi-stakeholder entity.