A Southwest Florida Water Management District project will help a Manatee County citrus grove and sod farm reduce groundwater pumping.
The project involves the use of an integrated irrigation system at W.F.A. Land Company, Inc., located on the north fork of the Manatee River. Manatee County is part of a designated water use caution area because it is experiencing environmental impacts due to decades of groundwater over pumping. This project borders the eastern boundary of the most impacted area within the water use caution area.
The integrated irrigation system will include two weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and automated pump controls for its five wells to reduce the number and duration of irrigation events.
Weather stations help farmers irrigate more precisely, based on weather conditions. For example, during frost-freeze events the farmer has exact data for the area and can turn on the pumps at the appropriate time instead of pumping all night. The addition of hydraulic irrigation valves will also help the farm irrigate more efficiently.
Soil moisture sensors increase irrigation efficiency by only irrigating when water is needed.
According to the farm’s District-issued water use permit, the 1,460-acre citrus grove and sod farm is permitted to use an average of 1,807,000 gallons per day (gpd) for irrigation. As of April 28, the farm has been using about 110 percent of its permitted quantities, which is still below their permitted drought quantity of 2,189,193 gpd. This project is expected to reduce pumping by about 10 percent, or approximately 180,700 gpd.
This project is part of the District’s Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program, which is a cost-share reimbursement program that conserves water and protects water quality.
The FARMS program is jointly funded by state appropriations, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the District’s Governing Board and Basin Boards and is expected to reduce groundwater pumping by 40 million gallons per day by 2025.
Because the project involves water quality best management practices, it qualifies for a 50 percent cost-share reimbursement under the FARMS Program.
The project is expected to cost $270,000, of which up to $135,000 will be funded by the District. The remaining will be paid by the farm. The District’s funding will be shared by the Governing Board, $33,750; the Manasota Basin Board, $33,750; and state appropriations, $67,500.