This report marks the first attempt to quantify the water savings associated with increased agricultural water conservation and efficiency. We do not indicate that the improvements included in the report are the only possible solutions; however, they amount to big savings (equivalent to 3-20 dams) and are often overlooked in statewide policy debates. Thus, we argue that conservation and efficiency are important tools, alongside new infrastructure, desalination, recycled water, and many others in our state’s water policy toolbox. California’s water problems are diverse, and thus our responses also need to be diverse. Critics who want to paint the issue as black or white – pro-dam or anti-dam – are creating a specious debate that is not productive in terms of finding tenable solutions to serious problems.

Contrary to what has been suggested here, we do not support a “heavy-handed regulatory approach.” Rather our report discusses financial incentives, educational programs, regulatory approaches, and a wide range of other tools that comprise a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to capture these potential water savings. For example, we recommend a series of financial incentives to help defray investment costs in efficient irrigation systems, which can be significant barrier to implementation. We recommend greater funding for education and technical assistance programs through Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, among others, which facilitate the adoption of advanced management practices. We also recommend that the state invest in more precise data collection and dissemination to provide farmers with more specific information to guide their irrigation scheduling.

Finally, we take the issue of the sustainability of California’s water system head on, addressing the major problem identified by scientific studies, judges, and the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force – that we are simply taking too much water from the Delta.