Data-Driven Irrigation Helps Sonoma Vineyard Conserve Groundwater

vine stress monitoring tool

A Well Aware Case Study

Vineyard Management at Vadasz Family Vineyard

vineyard and pondTyler Klick from Redwood Empire Vineyard Management (REVM) is taking a data-focused approach to analyze vine stress to apply the appropriate amount of water to winegrapes to conserve as much groundwater as possible at the Vadasz Family Vineyard within the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Subbasin.

REVM, a vineyard management company operating in Sonoma, Napa, and Marin Counties, provides services including planning and consulting, site/vineyard development, farming, vineyard evaluations, and harvesting. At the Vadasz Family Vineyard, REVM has been a part of the site operations since 1997, helping to develop the site and plant the initial crop of grapes. Groundwater is the primary water supply for irrigation on the property, where two wells feed a reservoir that is used to pump water out to the vineyard.

Vine Stress Monitoring and ManagementPorometer: A scientific instrument used to measure how open or closed a plant’s stomata are indicating when it needs to be watered. Stomata: Tiny pores found on the surface of plant leaves that control the exchange of gases and water vapor between the plant and the atmosphere. Provides clues to when a plant is showing signs of water stress. Bypass: An irrigation system feature, typically a valve or piping configuration, that allows water to be directed to certain sections of an irrigation system. Allows for more precise application of water.

Klick was an early adopter of a more data-focused approach to irrigation. This approach informs the Water Manager on the appropriate timing to begin irrigating grapes based on the cues from the plants, usually beginning as late as July. Historically, vineyards used a calendar-based approach for irrigation timing which assumes grape vines need water based on the warm season. The data-informed approach to irrigation monitors vine stress based on soil moisture levels, ambient and leaf temperature, 

porometer in box

weather, location, shoot length, growth stage, porosity, and stress index. Some of the tools used to collect precise data include neutron probes to track soil moisture and a porometer to evaluate the size of a plant’s stomata, or tiny holes in the leaf. Both tools give clues on when a plant needs water.

To irrigate only vines that need water, the Vadasz Family Vineyard installed irrigation bypasses supplying water based on soil type and plant need. These irrigation bypasses allow for precise irrigation to vines that need water and skip vines that do not need water. By using the irrigation bypasses, there is an estimated 5% reduction in groundwater demand. 

vineyard rows    soil moisture monitoring tool

The benefits of precisely applying water are two-fold for vineyards:

  1. Meet the exact needs of the plants to help safeguard the sustainability of the groundwater supply, using only what is needed.
  2. Help to improve wine quality, ensuring high quality crops for winemakers.

Advice and Resourcesvine stress monitoring tool

Klick encourages others interested in implementing similar conservation measures to start measuring, collecting, and tracking data by using porometers, or other plant stress monitoring devices. By collecting this data and seeing when the plants are under water stress, you can determine when irrigation is truly needed throughout the year.

The data-focused approach to irrigation reduces groundwater demand by applying irrigation only when necessary. Being highly efficient not only benefits the wine quality but helps to conserve groundwater for all users within the basin and is a sustainable practice. The Sonoma County GSAs offer a directory of resources on the wellawaretoolkit.org website that can help connect agricultural groundwater users with more information on tools, technical assistance, and funding opportunities.

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Groundwater is an important resource to Sonoma County residents, serving as a primary drinking water source for 43,000 residents within the Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and Sonoma Valley groundwater basins. The three Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and Sonoma Valley, were created to help sustainably manage groundwater by supporting groundwater users, seeking to reduce groundwater demand, increase water use efficiency, and improve groundwater recharge. As part of this effort, the Sonoma County GSAs are highlighting sustainable practices across groundwater user sectors to show all the ways that Sonoma County is pitching in to protect groundwater. Funding for this project has been provided in full or in part from The Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022 and through an agreement with the State Department of Water Resources.