Present Routine Agricultural Activities. The Enrolled Properties consists of 3100± acres. The Enrolled Property is managed as a cow‐calf operation running about 500 pairs. Together with replacement heifers and bulls, the Enrolled Property carries about 650 to700 head. Calving typically begins in early October and lasts through December. Calves are weaned, beginning at the end of July and shipped in August and September before the next round of calving, with some heifers kept each year for replacements. Cattle are fed primarily by grazing irrigated pastures (720 acres) and dry land range (2360 acres) supplemented by hay. Supplemental feeding begins about the end of November and lasts through the end of March, by which time pasture and range conditions are sufficient to sustain the herd. As mentioned in the introductory section, water is conveyed principally in open, unlined ditches. Currently, a 1.5 mile section of the Pump Diversion distribution ditch is lined with concrete to improve efficiency. Deteriorated segments of that ditch have been repaired with new concrete with a grant through the Shasta Valley Resources Conservation District. There are three rocked vehicle crossings on the Enrolled Property. These are also used as stock crossings. Four additional rocked fords are used for stock and ATVs only. All wet crossings serve as stock watering access as well. There are three crossings over culverts, all of which are used for livestock, ATVs, and vehicles/small equipment (e.g. backhoe). There is one stock watering point on Parks Creek that is not a crossing. The following Routine Agricultural Activities will be implemented in accordance with the relevant AMMs described below in Section D.2.
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. Rice Livestock irrigates approximately 379 acres within the Enrolled Property. Irrigated acreage is flood irrigated for pasture production. The Enrolled Property is irrigated by two diversions, the Xxxxxxx Ditch and Novy, Zenkus, Rice Riparian. Both diversion points are shared with other irrigators. Investigations show that inefficiencies can be attributed to delivery loss as well as poor irrigation distribution. Flood irrigation water is conveyed via approximately 1.1 mile of open ditch prior to reaching the Enrolled Property where water is then distributed via on-farm lateral ditches and turned out on to non-checked and unleveled fields, although the Rice Livestock field(s) are within the floodplain and are generally level. Water is spread and distributed through xxxxxx and irrigation distribution laterals. Novy, Zenkus, Rice Riparian Diversion is generally operated by Novy Ranches and the Permittee, however there is not data available regarding the diversion operation and diversion efficiency. Shasta Valley RCD recently completed a compliant diversion design for the diversion including assessing fish passage, fish protection and water use efficiency. The design is under agency review but leads to improved delivery and application efficiency, potentially reducing the volume of water the Permittee applies to its 108 acres. Tail-water from the Novy, Rice, Xxxxxx Riparian Diversion is prevented by historic berms that were constructed near the Shasta River that catch, redistribute and percolate flood irrigation water rather than allowing tailwater to flow into the Shasta River as surface flow. Shasta River Decree (Diversion #250, Paragraph 124) and has an identified maximum diversion capacity of 11.9 cfs from April 1 through September 30. Xxxxxxx Ditch can divert approximately 4,318-acre feet throughout the irrigation season (4/1-9/30). The identified winter diversion right (10/1 – 3/31) on the Xxxxxxx Ditch is 5.0 cfs or up to 1,805 AF per year although the users typically only divert approximately 200 AF per year, for livestock outside of irrigation season. The Permittee irrigates approximately 271 acres served by the Xxxxxxx Ditch and is identified in the Shasta River Decree as 53% of the right. In 2011, Xxxxxxx Ditch added a point of diversion as part of a large water conservation and protection project. The point of diversion was moved from the Grenada Irrigation District point of diversion (POD) to a selected location on the Enrolled Property, located ...
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. Belcampo-North Annex Property consists of approximately 4,167 acres, with approximately 1,503 acres under irrigation for livestock grass production. All of the 1,503 acres are considered grass pasture and are flood irrigated either by Grenada Irrigation District (GID), Shasta Water User Association, and/or groundwater. Other than property owned by Permittee and within GID service boundary (a separate Permittee), no surface water is diverted from Permittee within SWCG boundary on Belcampo-North Annex property. GID Permittee has approximately 32,000-feet of buried mainline with irrigation risers, 32,000-feet of pipeline for conveyance and irrigation. There is also 10,500-feet of open ditch. There are no bridges or low water crossing on the Enrolled Property. The Enrolled Property utilizes off channel watering in open ditches or troughs and there are no designated water lanes. There are 27,000 feet of ranch road with 80 percent paved or rocked and the remaining native unsurfaced roads have low intensity use.
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. Cattle have been the mainstay of the productivity on the Enrolled Property for more than one hundred and sixty years, with several owners since the parcels were first patented in mid-1800. Every owner has left their xxxx on the Enrolled Property by different pasture utilization practices reflected in the varied configurations of fencing, changes in the amount and types of feed crops grown, and especially in the modifications and improvements in the way water is acquired, conveyed, and utilized to irrigate. Historically, the Enrolled Property was managed by different owners, with or without support from feed on other properties and with different carrying capacities to utilize the irrigated and seasonal pastures available on the land. Just as currently, each ranch operation would have had to plan for winter feeding by selling or moving the cattle, acquiring feed from another source, or growing and storing its own hay. Depending on which of these management options were pursued successfully, the carrying capacity and pasture rotations on the Enrolled Property would have been adjusted accordingly. The Enrolled Property is managed as a portion of a larger cow‐calf outfit. Calving typically begins in early October and lasts through December. Calves are weaned, beginning at the end of July and shipped in August and September before the next round of calving, with some heifers kept each year for replacements. The Enrolled Property consists of 1420± acres. Pastures on the Enrolled Property are managed in rotation with pastures on the Hole in the Ground Ranch. Depending on the season and available feed, 150-175 pairs and, seasonally, a few bulls are trailed cross country to the Seldom Seen to utilize those pastures. Cattle are fed by irrigated pastures (150± acres) and dry land range (1270± acres) supplemented by feeding hay grown on another ranch (Hay Ranch) in the Shasta Valley. Supplemental feeding begins about the end of November and lasts through the end of March, by which time pasture and range conditions are sufficient to sustain the herd. The irrigated pastures are primarily grass species and are sprinkler irrigated with wheel- lines supplied by one well and approximately 5000 feet of pressurized pipe. At the end of each rotation, wheel-lines are drained before returning to the top of the field. There are two rocked fords on the Shasta River for stock crossings and watering, both of which are also used for ATVs on occasion. The rocked fords are used by an A...
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. The HVR consists of approximately 431 acres, with approximately 150 acres under irrigation for livestock grass production which will continue under this Site Plan Agreement, with the potential to also irrigate 97 acres along Big Spring Road with the groundwater well, if used, the irrigation rate would be a maximum of 2 cfs. All of the 150 acres currently under irrigation are considered grass pasture and are flood irrigated. The HVR has approximately 8,408 feet of buried mainline with irrigation risers, 3,347-feet of conveyance pipeline and 6,120-feet of open ditch. The HVR also has three storage ponds, with approximately 20 acre-feet of total storage, that are used to create the head needed to deliver water to certain areas of the Enrolled Property and/or catch tailwater for re-use. All of these irrigation practices will continue under the Agreement subject to Beneficial Management Activities, AMMs, and Baseline Conditions described below. HVR is a cow/calf operation with a small herd of sheep. The herd size averages 130 pair (cow/calf) with approximately 40 pair of sheep (exe/lamb). These numbers are consistent with the industry average of one pair per acre of natural feed. The Enrolled Property operation raises or lowers these numbers based on market conditions and available feed, either natural (grass pasture) or supplemental (hay). There is one bridge and two rocked stream crossings on the HVR. Wet crossings and watering access lanes are defined with either control gates and/or electric fencing tape. Locations of these access points are shown on the map, page 47 with one water access/crossing located midway in Riparian Zone 2 (under tag showing boundaries of riparian zones). The wet crossing at the downstream side of the bridge may also be utilized by heavy equipment. This wet crossing is utilized for equipment at a minimum of once per year up to approximately 20 days annually for activities including harrowing of pastures, ditch cleaning, pipeline maintenance, and fence repairs. Equipment not able to fit on the bridge only crosses at the wet crossing downstream of the bridge. Wet crossings of the stream by cattle are limited to riparian grazing management activities, generally 2-3 times per year in accordance with the riparian grazing plan included in the appendix. The wet crossing/watering access points were established in accordance with CADFW design criteria when constructed 2011 and 2014 as part of approved riparian fencing projects which included...
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. The Enrolled Property consists of approximately 497 acres, with approximately 165 acres under irrigation, and 1,800 feet of paved or rocked ranch roads, primarily the main driveway, at its closest proximity about 900-feet away from Parks Creek overflow. All of the 165 acres are considered grass pasture and are flood irrigated. In order to create the necessary head to deliver water to the place of use on the Enrolled Property, the existing diversion structure is located on property belonging to adjacent property (Hole in the Ground). The diversion consists of an approximately five foot earthen dam with two corrugated metal pipes; a 48-inch round and 5-foot by 3-foot squashed, which are blocked with flashboards during the irrigation season, which creates a 25-acre impoundment on Parks Creek. The existing diversion is for irrigation of the Enrolled Property, but the dam provides a pathway for cattle to cross over Parks Creek.
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. The Enrolled Property consists of approximately 3,970 acres, with an estimated 1,700 +/- acres under irrigation for livestock grass production. All of the 1,480+/- acres are considered grass pasture and are flood irrigated. The Enrolled Property has an estimated approximately 18+ miles of open ditch to distribute irrigation and livestock water. The Enrolled Property also has several small reservoirs that are used to build volume to improve irrigation capabilities when released. Parks Creek flows through the full length of the Enrolled Property, essentially dividing the entirety of the Enrolled Property. Therefore, there are eight distinct rocked stream crossings on the Enrolled Property used as vehicle and livestock crossings. Livestock are rotated through large fields on a grazing plan. Water is diverted from seven current locations on Parks Creek, through DWR approved head gates. All diversion points have functioning measuring weirs with the exception of diversions #4 and #5 where diversion infrastructure has been damaged from high flow events in 2016 and 2017. Spring Creek is a diffuse spring system that is tributary to Parks Creek. The system does not have a defined channel but is a series of small diffuse springs where water is collected and distributed with ditches for irrigation. Spring Creek system has 7 small rights identified on the Shasta River Decree. Three diversion points remain but the primary active diversion point is identified as diversion #202. Flow from Spring Creek system does connect to Parks Creek when not diverted. When flows reduce after spring snowmelt, some diversions on Parks Creek require construction of small impoundments that are typically accomplished with hand tools, while diversions #1 and #2 require use of heavy equipment to annually to construct impoundments to allow for diversion of water rights. Volume of material required to be moved is less than 5 cubic yards at sites #1 and #2. Fish passage is always maintained so long as flow is present. All irrigation water is conveyed through numerous open ditches, canals, and capture ponds using flood irrigation on pasture. The irrigation season begins on March 1 and continues through October 31. As described above, Parks Creek is a snowmelt driven stream with peak sustained flows occurring during the snowmelt period of April and May. Natural flow levels in Parks Creek typically begin to decline as snow fields at higher elevations melt in later May through June. As snowmelt driv...
Present Routine Agricultural Activities. Irrigation Management Irrigation Maintenance
