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Irrigation Technical Resources for SWEEP Applicants and Awardees

There are many resources available in California for farmers to learn and strengthen technical irrigation knowledge. When it comes to optimizing irrigation for yield and for environmental benefit, the management of the irrigation system is just as important, if not more, than the technology that is employed. This page highlights just a few of the resources that farmers can use to find training or to increase knowledge about the irrigation technologies that are funded through SWEEP.

Training Resources:

CDFA recommends that agricultural operations participate in training regarding agricultural water management to maximize water and energy savings from SWEEP projects. SWEEP applicants that indicate that they will obtain training will receive additional consideration of their SWEEP application during the review period. Applicants may select one of the training resources below or another course that is relevant to their project type.

SWEEP awardees who indicated that they would commit to irrigation training may utilize these resources to identify a relevant course, seminar, or in-field training activity to meet the terms of the grant agreement. When participating in a training, obtain evidence (e.g., certificate of completion or receipt) to submit to the grant analyst. Training that was completed in the past two years may also be submitted to satisfy this requirement. Contact your grant analyst if you have questions on the types of training required.

SWEEP Irrigation Training Resources (PDF)

Technical Resources:

Cal Poly Consumer Bill of Rights

  • Cal Poly Irrigation Training & Research Center (ITRC), together with various irrigation industry leaders and the Irrigation Dealers Association of California, plus with assistance from the California Energy Commission and Pacific Gas & Electric Co., developed the Irrigation Consumer Bill of Rights (ICBR) in 1994.
  • Irrigation Consumer Bill of Rights

The 2019 update includes the following versions:

Cal Poly Resources – The ITRC has provided select reports written by staff for use online.

CSU Fresno Center for Irrigation Technology Pump Testing Resource

  • The objective of this manual is to promote diesel-powered pump testing in California. This package assembles the latest methodology, procedures, reference materials and software available to successfully and accurately test a diesel-powered pump. This package is not meant to create or redefine any existing or proposed standard for pump testing, under either laboratory or field conditions. Additionally, it assumes that the reader is familiar with standard field test methods for electric-powered pumps.
  • Diesel Pump Tester Resource Manual

CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Irrigation Maintenance Checklist

  • FREP has published irrigation maintenance checklists for various systems. These checklists summarize important aspects of pressurized systems to maintain and inspect while they are operating. They can be a useful tool for growers and irrigators to print and reference when running irrigation sets so that they can best insure that the system is performing optimally.

CIMIS

  • The California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) is a program unit in the Water Use and Efficiency Branch, Division of Regional Assistance, California Department of Water Resources (DWR) that manages a network of over 145 automated weather stations in California. CIMIS was developed in 1982 by DWR and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). It was designed to assist irrigators in managing their water resources more efficiently. Efficient use of water resources benefits Californians by saving water, energy, and money.
  • CIMIS Website

University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR)

  • Water and Drought Information - this page provides research-based water and drought information in a series of drought tips for growers, ranchers, landscapers, and homeowners.
  • Irrigation Management – this page provides several presentations and publications on irrigation management topics.
  • Maintenance of Microirrigation Systems – the objective of this website is to provide information to irrigations about the causes of clogging and the methods for preventing or correcting clogging problems in microirrigation systems.
  • Various Irrigation Management Topics – this page provides a variety of PowerPoint presentations regarding irrigation management topics.
  • Drought Management Strategies – this page provides information on strategies for maximizing irrigation water efficiency.