| Title | Almonds: Guidance for Protecting Crop Health During On Farm Recharge |
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| Year of Publication | 2026 |
| Link to Report/Website | suscon.org |
| Document Upload (Optional) | Almonds-Guidance-Crop-HealthRecharge-TO6.pdf |
| Full Description | *Almonds: Guidance for Protecting Crop Health During On-Farm Recharge* is a two-page resource that helps almond growers evaluate how much recharge water to apply and for how long while protecting orchard health. Released in August 2026 by the Flood-MAR Network’s Recharge & Crop Health Action Team, with Sustainable Conservation and the California Department of Water Resources as key partners, the sheet combines practical considerations, modeled guidance, and field observations. It is part of a seven-crop guidance series covering alfalfa, almonds, annual crops, pasture, pistachios, vineyards, and walnuts. The document explains how crop dormancy, root-zone oxygen, temperature, soil texture, and infiltration and percolation rates influence recharge suitability and crop health risks. A comparison table highlights lower- and higher-risk conditions, emphasizing the importance of cooler temperatures, dormant crops, and soils that allow water to drain readily. It also describes how compacted soils and hardpans can restrict water movement and how cover crops can improve infiltration. An almond-specific planning table presents modeled maximum daily water application rates for five-day winter flooding events, organized by soil type, Soil Agricultural Groundwater Banking Index (SAGBI) rating, and water delivery turnout size. It pairs modeled minimum dry-down periods with shorter periods observed in the field, illustrating how drainage conditions and recharge management can vary. The guidance emphasizes using model results alongside site-specific assessments and monitoring of crop and field conditions before, during, and after recharge. It also notes that growers may need additional time between recharge events to complete orchard management activities. A QR code connects readers to further resources, including a recharge efficiency calculator, recharge methods manual, and relevant research. Intended primarily for almond growers and orchard managers, the sheet is also useful to agronomists, crop advisors, and technical assistance providers supporting on-farm recharge. |
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