Contract No. 04-126-557-0

CONTRACT SUMMARY

This information will made available to the public on the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) Website.

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Date filled out:Last updated 12/29/2004

A) Project Information Please use complete phrases/ sentences. Fields will expand as necessary as you type.
1. Project Title: Nutrient Control of Agicultural Runoff Water Through the Use of a Barrier Crop
2. Project Purpose – Problem / Goals ("why" the project): To Reduce excess fertilizers in agricultural runoff water
3. Project Abstract (brief description of project): Use of barrier crop plantings to reduce loads of nitrates, phosphates and
sediments in agricultural drain water
5. Which SWRCB program is funding this project? Please put an "X" by the one that applies.
Prop 13 EPA 319h grant
B) Project Contact:
Name: John R. (Dick) Kershaw / Job Title: Project Director
Organization: Imperial Valley Conservation
Research Center Committee / Webpage Address: N/A
Address: 4151 Highway 86, P.O. Box 1375, Brawley, CA 92227
Phone: 760-344-4184 / Fax number: 760-344-7951
Email:
C. Project Time Frame: Refers to the implementation period of project.
From: 10-30-2004 / To: 12-01-2007
D) Participant Information: Name all agencies/groups involved with project. : Imperial Valley Conservation
Research Center Committee, Imperial Irrigation District, Center for Irrigation Technology
E) Location: Lower Colorado River Watershed lat115.529613 W Long 32.979181 N
1. Size of Project (include units): 28 acres / 2. Counties included in project: Imperial County Only
F) Biography of Group: The Imperial Valley Conservation Research Center Committee is a non-profit agricultural 501C entity dedicated to agricultural research. Priority is given to research of water and plant management practices for irrigated areas that are subject to saline conditions. Imperial Valley is uniquely qualified to serve as a testing area for new and specialized agricultural needs. Isolated in a large intensely irrigated area close to San Diego and Palm Springs, it enjoys year round sunshine with an average rainfall of 1 ½ inches. Our Brawley site is designed to serve plots from ½ to 20 acres. Join such companies as T Tape, Conagra, and Holly Sugar who already benefit from our research.
G) Biography of Project: This project proposes to implement a practical and cost-effective management practice of barrier plantings utilizing a perennial, highly nutritious Pennisetum Sp. forage grass to control and abate specific nutrients polluting agricultural runoff water. The grass, denominated Promor A, and commonly referred to as Elephant Grass, is a luxury feeder of nitrogen and phosphorus and absorbs significant amounts of excess nutrients from irrigation tailwater. Preliminary tests at Fresno State University and at a raisin processing facility in Kingsburg California, have demonstrated that Promor A has the potential to alleviate nitrate and phosphate pollution from industrial process wastewater and animal confinement lagoons. The stooling growth habit of this grass could provide a secondary benefit through reduction of water velocity and consequent sedimentation of water-borne particle within the barrier planting
H) Short-term Goals: Implementation of bio-filtration barrier crop.
I)  Long-term Goals:Reductions in Pollutants through perennial forage grass..

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