Groundwater management fees are no longer just a future issue for California winegrowers. Basins in Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and the Santa Ynez/CMA area already have fee structures tied to groundwater management. In the Napa Valley Subbasin, Recovered Water Solutions, a Winesecrets company, can help wineries and growers identify opportunities to annually save over $60 per acre on local groundwater sustainability fees.  Planted acreage Potential annual savings 250 acres $15,040 500 acres $30,080 1,000 acres $60,160 On this and related water-cost issues, Recovered Water Solutions works with wineries and processors to better understand water use, identify loss points, and develop practical recovery and reuse strategies that improve cost control, efficiency, and long-term resilience. Call or email Eric@winesecrets.com for more information about our water recovery and resuse services. Or visit recwatersolutions.com. Toll Free: (888)

Declining groundwater levels and increasing pressure under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act are changing how California wine growers think about water. What was once largely an operational concern is now directly tied to long-term viability, regulatory compliance, and sustainability planning. These issues were front and center during a session at the 2025 WIN Expo, where vineyard operators, hydrologists, and county leaders discussed how groundwater management is evolving and what growers can do to stay ahead. Moderated by Val King, Director of Channel Partnerships at Verdi, the session underscored a clear reality. There is no single solution, but there is a shift toward local control, better data, and practical changes in vineyard management. SGMA Was Built to Be Local, Not One-Size-Fits-All Your browser does not support HTML5 video. SGMA is often misunderstood as a rigid, top-down mandate. In reality, it was designed around California’s variability in geology, climate

Smart Solutions, Resilient Vineyards, and the Future of Farming WIN Expo sessions dedicated to Vineyard innovation, sustainability, and the technologies reshaping grape growing. The challenges facing today’s winegrowers are more complex than ever - from rising costs and labor shortages to shifting regulations and climate pressures. At this year’s WIN Expo, the Vineyard & Grower Conference Sessions, sponsored by Verdi,  deliver practical insights and proven solutions to help you adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving environment. Through expert-led presentations, attendees will gain strategies for assessing ag tech investments, managing groundwater security, and turning vineyard identity into a marketing advantage. Whether you’re a vineyard owner, manager, or supplier, these discussions will equip you with the tools to build efficiency, resilience, and long-term success. The AgTech Investment Dilemma: Determining Which Tech Solutions Meet Your Needs Agric

Learn how data-driven approaches can provide accurate, real-time data that supports long-term groundwater sustainability & better decision-making, and improves recharge outcomes. Groundwater recharge is a crucial strategy for managing water resources sustainably, making the ability to monitor and manage recharge efforts in real time more important than ever. Join our free 45-minute Thought Leader webinar to learn how data-driven approaches can provide accurate, real-time data that supports better decision-making, improves recharge outcomes, and supports long-term groundwater sustainability. Presented by Kassy Chauhan, Special Projects Manager at Fresno Irrigation District (FID) and Executive Officer of the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), and Christopher Lundeen, Engineering Technician III at FID. Webinar Topics  An overview of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and the development of GSAs Implementing and leveraging monitoring

Efficient irrigation starts with understanding exactly how much water your crop is using and how much it really needs. That’s where evapotranspiration (ET) comes in: the combined loss of water through evaporation (from soil and surface) and transpiration (used by the crop). By matching irrigation to ET, growers can reduce waste, improve yields, and make smarter use of limited water resources. With SGMA (the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) now in full effect across California, it is more important than ever that growers irrigate with precision and are able to prove it with efficient record keeping.  If you’ve ever asked yourself: “How much of my irrigation is actually reaching the root zone?” You’re not alone. This article breaks down how soil moisture monitoring and real-time irrigation control using HotSpot AG tools can give you clear, actionable answers. Monitoring Soil Moisture and Irrigation While evapotranspiration (ET) tells you how muc

Who (or what) is this eddy you keep talking about? Efficient water management has never been more critical for agriculture and specifically for viticulture. High-end viticulture needs to manage water to not only cut costs, but to keep quality high in a market of oversupply and buyers who hold the upper hand over the grower. High production viticulture may not need the water management finesse for quality that high-end viticulture does, but regulatory demands for groundwater protection as well as limitations on water deliveries push growers into making the most out of every gallon. Here at AV, we’ve made use of impactful technologies to help growers irrigate efficiently and control vine stress to improve wine quality from their vineyards. Our primary tools have been the soil moisture probe and, more recently, the Florapulse microtensiometer. Both tools have been indispensable and even more so now that we have our own data portal to view and analyze these data streams. More recen

HOBO launches industry's first self-contained water level logger with Bluetooth for fast, wireless data offload.  BOURNE, Mass., Nov. 20, 2024- HOBO Data Loggers, a LI-COR® Environmental brand and leading manufacturer known for accurate and reliable data loggers, is excited to announce the launch of the HOBO MX20L data logger, the industry's first self-contained water level logger featuring Bluetooth technology for fast and easy wireless data offload in the field.  Designed for both freshwater and saltwater environments, the HOBO MX20L logger is well-suited for use in groundwater wells, irrigation ponds, streams, lakes, wetlands, and tidal areas. Its durable housing ensures reliable data collection throughout long-term deployments, with minimal maintenance. Using the free HOBOconnect app, data can be offloaded wirelessly to a mobile device or Windows laptop, streamlining data collection. Ideal for environmental science, research, hydrology, and water resource mana

HotSpot AG founder James Nichols lived the daily challenges of farming when he returned home to Hanford after his UC Davis graduation. His family tasked him with implementing a water budget for irrigating their 4,600 acres of almonds and pistachios. After researching and testing automated irrigation systems that didn’t meet his needs, Nichols designed his own and then spent five years perfecting it in the family orchards.  At that point, the family encouraged him to focus on sharing his invention with others, convinced it would help many people. And so, in 2018, HotSpot AG was born.  The HotSpot AG solution streamlines a grower’s workflow by making it easier to manage, track and schedule sensor data and automate irrigation pumps and valves from anywhere. HotSpot can also monitor groundwater levels and automate fertigation and chemigation. Another timely solution for North Coast growers as the frost season approaches is HotSpot’s ability to automate wind mach

When did you last test your wastewater discharge pH? If you have any form of wastewater being discharged, whether from manufacturing & production to cleaning & sanitizing practices – such as the wastewater coming from pressure washing your equipment and vehicles – your business may be subject to both local and State Water Board wastewater discharge regulations. Outside testing is increasing, and violators can be ‘red tagged’, which can result in having to suspend operations and potential fines. There are ways you can avoid the risk of the ‘red tag’. Through the Water Discharge Requirements Program (WDR), California State and local Water Board agencies monitor and limit the levels of industrial wastewater contaminants a facility is allowed to discharge into sewers and waterways. And part of the way they assess this is through pH testing. Acidic or Alkaline? Wastewater discharge management is about keeping untreated pollutants out of