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The Capinero Creek Story: Drivers and Benefits of Prioritizing Ag Land Sales in the Tulare Basin

 

Many growers and landowners in the San Joaquin Valley are assessing their options in the face of increased groundwater pumping limits set by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). As water restrictions become the norm, many farmers and landowners are exploring ways to dramatically reduce water use. Programs such as the Tule MLRP can be a tool for growers seeking to convert irrigated land to less water-intensive use and to improve water supply through projects like habitat restoration and recharge basins. In some cases, however, landowners are faced with the choice of having to sell part or all of their land. As land changes hands, a new view of the future of the Valley is taking shape, where land acquisition and repurposing, water conservation, and ecological restoration will play a crucial role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of natural resources and farming as a way of life in the region.

The Bosman Dairy Properties: (Re-)Prioritizing Uses for Ag Land

Among the stories of farmers adjusting to this shifting landscape is that of the Bosman family, whose land used to cover roughly 10,000 acres on three different properties in the Tipton area spanning several different Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) in Tulare County. The Bosman family established their farm in 1959 and ran three dairy operations for several decades, acquiring more land over the years. Eventually, the elder Bosman decided that continuing the family business was no longer a viable option, given his age and diminishing water resources, and settled on putting up their land for sale. Renewable Resources Group Capital Management (RRG), an investment firm that owns, manages, and develops sustainable water, agriculture, habitat conservation, and renewable energy assets globally, purchased the entire property. They retained and developed the northern property, converting it from a dairy to pistachios. They sold off the southernmost as a low-value property and eventually sold the central property to the Pixley Irrigation District with the intent to repurpose it and reduce water demand in the district.

This transaction is indicative of land-use prioritization trends happening across the region regarding irrigated agricultural lands, as it reflects the efforts to identify and invest in the most productive agricultural lands to continue cultivating while considering alternative uses for the less viable ag lands with limited and reduced water resources, such as conversion or ‘repurposing’ to uses like dryland crops or habitat restoration.

The Capinero Creek Project: Restoring Water Resources and Habitat

The Pixley Irrigation District, which purchased this 800-acre property, designated 160 acres as an aquifer recharge basin and sold a 467-acre section of it to the new Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust in 2021 with funding from the US Bureau of Land Reclamation. The Trust, established in 2019 by local landowners, conservationists, farmers, and water specialists, helps landowners manage their land and water to achieve groundwater sustainability through habitat enhancement, restoration, and sustainable farming (https://www.tuletrust.org/about).

It is on these 467 acres that the Tule Trust launched the Capinero Creek Restoration Project, a program to protect and restore alkali scrub habitat for threatened and endangered species in the South San Joaquin Valley, with the support of The Nature Conservancy, the Pixley Irrigation District, and Six-33 Solutions, a consulting firm with expertise in ag, water, and natural resource management. Some of these species include the Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard, the San Joaquin Kit Fox, and the Tipton Kangaroo Rat. Although the Capinero Creek Project may seem at first solely an environmental effort to improve native wildlife habitats, these acres being repurposed are a demonstration of how land restoration can support long-term groundwater water sustainability in the Tule Subbasin. By retiring less productive farmland, the associated groundwater can be saved for residents, the ecosystem, and the rest of the farming community. Projects like this one, developed early in the life of the Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Program, are a great learning lab for GSAs, land trusts, and other groups involved in land restoration.

After the acquisition of the parcels, those involved in the project began planting cover crops to control weeds and dust, as well as to reduce nitrogen levels in the soil, an essential step to ensure native plants can thrive. This upcoming winter, about 160 acres will be designated for seeding and transplanting native plant species to attract wildlife. Abby Hart, Project Director at The Nature Conservancy, explains how, with the introduction of cover crops, they have seen an increase in wildlife species around the project area, such as the Tricolored Blackbird and a range of hawks. The project will consist of several phases, including the implementation of various restoration techniques to determine which are most successful in restoring degraded alkali desert scrub lands. The restoration team also hopes to collaborate with local Tribal groups, like the Tachi Yokut Tribe, to identify culturally significant resources, such as ancestral remains, given that many Yokuts have lived in this area for centuries. Tribal groups also bring experience in caring for native plant species that can play a vital role in long-term land restoration and stewardship.

Some Lessons in Land Use and Restoration from the Capinero Creek Project

The insights gained through this project could lay the groundwork for similar projects in the Valley. “There are a lot of lessons to be learned around how to do large restoration projects,” explains Abby, including best practices for native seed purchase (the seed was hard to procure with very limited supply and higher than expected costs) and propagation, as well as strategies for scaling up restoration efforts. The restoration team is learning how to do the work more cost-effectively. Perhaps not surprisingly, local farmers who know how to work the land very practically have been great allies and problem solvers in restoration work. What is becoming clear already is that there may be a wide spectrum of options for restoration projects, many of which do not require the significant investments seen in projects like Capinero Creek; more basic approaches could have the potential to stretch restoration dollars further.

Similar to lower-cost restoration options, land owners who want to keep farming and who can’t or don’t want to sell off some of their land will likely need low-cost fallowing and repurposing practices for their less productive land. Dan Vink, found of the consulting firm Six-33 Solutions, with extensive water management experience in the Basin, believes that if owners can cover their basic costs of ownership and repurposing – cover cropping, perhaps regenerative grazing – they may be able to consolidate their water allocation to their best acres and, as he says, “live to fight another day.”

Through more intentional and strategic repurposing of agricultural lands, there is hope that groundwater sustainability in the Valley can create pathways forward and support the long-term sustainability of remaining farmlands, fostering resilience for farms, communities, and biodiversity.

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