Regenerative soil amendments

Soil amendments may help to create better crops, use water more efficiently, increase the amount carbon in the soil and increase the availability of nutrients to the plants. This would lead to less chemical application of fertilizer and will eventually a more robust drought resistant root system. The water holding capacity may increase, making more water available to the plants.

WaterStart member is seeking sustainable soil amendment material to be delivered in the Palo Verde Valley, Riverside County and in the California Delta; Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties.

Soil measurement techniques to monitor carbon captured and nutrient availability

Healthy agriculture soils are important to create better crops, use water more efficiently, increase the amount carbon in the soil and the increase availability of nutrients to the plants. This would lead to less chemical application of fertilizer and will eventually a more robust drought resistant root system.

WaterStart member is therefore seeking an economical soil testing method for their 40-acre pilot program in the Palo Verde Valley Riverside County and in the California Delta; Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties.

 

 

Resilient metering for pumped irrigation

WaterStart member is seeking an innovative metering solution able to maintain accuracy under dynamic irrigation conditions, such as variable surface water levels, siphoning caused by elevation changes, tidal influences. The solution should also be equipped with communications and data management able to compensate for intermittent cellular service in remote areas.  Essentially, the member is looking for a metering system that can meter water in a pipe that may or may not be full.  The flow will have variable velocities and have varying pressures.

Earthen levee condition monitoring

WaterStart member is seeking a technology to enable regular, reliable, low-cost monitoring of earthen levees. Examples of condition factors of interest include subsidence, seepage, and lateral displacement.

Rapid testing and analysis of soil

WaterStart member is seeking technology able to reduce the time and cost of soil analysis. Soil biology and chemical properties of interest include salinity, pH and acidity, carbon, and humic acid. The ideal solution would be mobile, durable and easily operated by field personnel.

Centralized software system to optimize gravity irrigation across agricultural operations capable of tracking water delivery efficiencies and water use reporting

A WaterStart member is looking for a centralized, digital operational system able to optimize the planning, control and reporting of gravity fed irrigation water delivery and crop production. The system will need to offer analytics enabling better decision making to improve water efficiency, operation safety and reliability. The ideal system will be infrastructure agnostic and compatible with pressurized control systems as well.