Stormwater Management Partnership
Year Awarded: Fiscal Year 2018
USDA Funding: $1,248,998
Partner-Contributed Funding: $1,250,907
Project Timeline: 2018 - 2023
Conservation Program Funded: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
California Counties: Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties
Lead Partner: The Resource Conservation District (RCD) of Santa Cruz County facilitates stewardship projects to address water quality, biodiversity, ecosystem health, and water quantity on private and public lands through technical assistance, outreach, education and project implementation.
Collaborating Partners:
- University of Santa Cruz
- Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency
Project Summary
Climate change threatens California coastal watersheds, bringing more frequent extreme precipitation events and an associated increase in runoff and a reduction in infiltration, placing even greater stress on limited groundwater resources and surface water quality. This RCPP focuses on stormwater management and collection from hillslopes and agricultural lands to reduce runoff and maximize infiltration to improve water quality and supply in Santa Cruz County and the greater Pajaro Valley basin. This RCPP will maximize growers' ability to collect and manage rainfall, storing it in the soil profile at a depth that it can be utilized by the crop or infiltrated deeper to benefit groundwater supplies. Additionally, implementation of irrigation water management practices will further support growers to reduce pressure on limited groundwater supplies. By leveraging innovative partnerships and incentive programs, this RCPP will serve as a model for agricultural climate change resiliency.
NRCS Contact
Drew Mather, District Conservationist
Capitola Local Partnership Office
Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties
Phone: (831) 227-2901
Email: drew.mather@usda.gov