Irrigation Efficiency Study

William Baker and Associates LLC is the contractor for an irrigation efficiency study that includes over 30 sites located across six geographic and climatic regions of California. It is sponsored by the Department of Water Resources and administered by  the University of California.  It is titled the Evapotranspiration Adjustment Factor Study and its objective is to examine the potential for reducing applied water, while maintaining a healthy and attractive landscape.  The study documents the performance and appearance of landscape plants grown under a variety of species mixes, landscape irrigation technology and irrigation practices, microclimates, and densities in several climatic zones throughout California.
The study is expected to run through 2014.  Site cooperators include cities, universities, corporate campuses, park districts, golf courses, demonstration gardens, and large common area landscapes.  Study regions include Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley, The Central Coast, the South Coast, the Los Angeles Basin, the Inland Empire, the Coachella Valley.  Data collection includes testing for distribution uniformity, precipitation rates, metering and documenting all water use, soil and water testing, and inventorying all plant species in the study zones.  The findings are expected to be instrumental in the determination of future horticultural irrigation use regulations for California.