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A Time to Reap, A Time to Flow: Effects of Irrigation on the San Joaquin Valley of California By Leigh A. Bernacchi Abstract: The San Joaquin Valley of central California is a global
economic power in agriculture. The
natural geographic systems have been escalated and manipulated to increase
production throughout this semi-arid valley.
Heavy irrigation is necessary to force the land to be productive. However, problems with bioaccumulation of
trace elements, specifically selenium, have warned of the dangers of
exacerbating natural cycles with irrigation.
Much of the native wildlife has been adversely affected and may
possibly face extinction unless irrigation practices are changed. The economic sector is difficult to
regulate, but can be influenced through policy restrictions which benefit the
environment while efficiently using natural resources, and protecting the
future of agriculture productivity in the Valley. Key
References: U.S. National Research Council (1989). Irrigation-Induced
Water Quality Problems: What can be learned from the San Joaquin Valley
Experience. Washington, D.C.:
National Academy Press. Luoma, Samuel, & Presser, Theresa (2000). Forecasting
selenium discharges to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary: ecological effects
of a proposed San Luis Drain extension.
Open-File Report 00416. Water Resources Division, National Research Program, U.S. Geological
Survey. Retrieved May 1, 2002 from
the World Wide Web:
http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/of/ofr00-416/pdf/OFR-00-416.pdf Return to Water Resources Papers page. |
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Date:
May 2002
Student: *@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w