Kautz Family Farms, a 147-acre winegrape operation in Lodi, received a 2019 State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) grant award of $84,000. The SWEEP grant, part of California’s effort to promote sustainable farming practices, supports growers in adopting energy-efficient technologies and water conservation practices that reduce their environmental impact.
The Kautz’s SWEEP grant supported the installation of a 50-horsepower surface water pump and variable frequency drive, allowing the farm to use surface water instead of groundwater. This reduces water extraction from the critically over-drafted groundwater basin and requires less energy than their groundwater pump. The farm also installed a flow meter, soil moisture sensors, and a remote telemetry unit on the new pump. These irrigation water management tools help the farm managers remotely measure and monitor water use and make better decisions about the timing and frequency of irrigation.
Recently, local technical assistance organization, Atlas Consulting, reached out to Kautz Family Farm to follow up on the outcomes of their SWEEP project. Atlas Consulting is one of twelve SWEEP technical assistance providers (TAPs) currently funded through OARS’ Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance program. SWEEP TAPs work with producers to develop plans for irrigation projects, help them apply for funding and guide them through the implementation of their grant-funded projects. TAPs also play a very important role supporting communication between OARS and awardees, verifying the completeness of projects, and following up on the outcomes. TAPs are the boots-on-the-ground local resource for producers engaging in SWEEP.
Through their deeper look at the outcomes of Kautz Family Farm SWEEP project, Atlas Consulting estimates that the farm has reduced energy costs by 19% and saved approximately 45% of water compared to pre-project. In addition to providing technical support, Atlas Consulting also created this video spotlight to celebrate the outcomes of Kautz Family Farm’s SWEEP project.