Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/235941
grapegrowing some places the riverbed has dropped 20 feet, and many of the bridges below Coyote dam have been replaced because their abutments and supports have been undercut and became structurally unsound. More worrisome for fisheries, the drop in the river has caused the end of many fish bearing tributaries to become hydraulically disconnected, meaning that even though the tributary may be flowing, it becomes dry before it reaches the river as there is a sudden drop in water level as it flows through large accumulations of gravel to reach the degraded river bed. This greatly restricts the areas available for salmon species to reproduce, and in fact, there is a precipitous decline in salmonid species numbers starting in 1959 after the dam was built. aged, but frost-protection pumps can drain tributaries and cause young fish to die. In 2008, during a very severe frost event, the river discharge rate fell to 83 cubic feet per second and allegedly caused fish kills for some very small salmonid fish (fry). Fol- What is a grower to do? tom Agriculture by far is the most visible water user in both watersheds. Consequently, regulatory agencies have big expectations for the agricultural industry to use water wisely. This is further complicated by the fact that most frost protection and irrigation occurs when flows are at the lowest in these watersheds, between the months of March and October. This corresponds with a time when salmonid fish are in juvenile form, either growing or migrating to the ocean. Sudden changes in water level in the main stem of the Russian Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley is part of the Navarro Watershed. River can be man- In both watersheds, growers are planning vineyards that will grow well with less water. lid en lowing the reported fish strandings and 41 dead juvenile fish that spring, the State Water Resources Control Board tried to have frost protection declared an "unreasonable use of water" and proposed onerous new rules that would be expensive and time consuming for growers to implement. With the help of Mendocino County Farm Bureau, Fish Friendly Farming and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Mendocino growers made an amazing effort to reduce water diversions during frost events by building on-farm water storage. Despite the agricultural community trying to work with state and federal resource agencies to solve the problem of low water levels during frost- Vintage nurseries. Growing With You For 25 Years Visit Unife us at the d Sym posiu Boo m. th #15 20 a name rooted in quality customer relationships, a company dedicated to vine craftsmanship. For 25 years, that's been the winning formula for Vintage nurseries, north america's largest grapevine nursery. today, we're growing even stronger with some of the industry's youngest mother blocks, innovative production techniques and exemplary personal service that continues to emphasize our customer partnerships. come celebrate Vintage's expertise and excellence with us, and enjoy the value that we continue to cultivate, season after season. Wasco 661-758-4777 Paso Robles 805-237-8914 Modesto 209-523-8036 santa Rosa 707-542-5510 www.Vintagenurseries.com | 800-499-9019 | serving the Wine, table Grape and Raisin Industries See us at Unified booth #1520 Win es & Vin es Ja n ua ry 20 14 47