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August 7, 2015 CapitalPress.com 13 7LQ\¿VKDWFHQWHURIKXJH&DOLIRUQLDZDWHUZDU DIXON, Calif. (AP) — California’s historic drought could wipe out a tiny, en- GDQJHUHG ¿VK WKDW¶V SOD\HG an outsized role in the state’s water wars. The delta smelt lives in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the West Coast’s largest estuary that supplies water to Central Valley farms and millions of Southern Cal- ifornia residents. 7KH VLOYHU\ ¿QJHUVL]HG ¿VK KDV EHHQ LQ WURXEOH IRU \HDUV EXW WKH IRXU\HDU drought is helping to push WKH VPHOW WR WKH EULQN RI H[- tinction. And it threatens sev- HUDORWKHUQDWLYH¿VKVSHFLHV LQFOXGLQJ WKH ORQJ¿Q VPHOW green sturgeon and winter-run &KLQRRNVDOPRQ ,Q-XO\DNH\LQGH[RIGHO- WD VPHOW DEXQGDQFH KLW ]HUR IRUWKH¿UVWWLPHVLQFHWKHVXU- YH\EHJDQLQ5HVHDUFK- ers found a handful of smelt, EXWWKHQXPEHUZDVWRRVPDOO to register on the population gauge. ³7KHGHOWDVPHOWLVEDVLFDO- ly on its last legs right now. :H¶OO EH OXFN\ LI LW VXUYLYHV the coming year,” said Peter 0R\OH D ¿VK ELRORJLVW DW WKH University of California-Da- YLVZKRKDVEHHQVWXG\LQJWKH ¿VKIRUIRXUGHFDGHV 2Q D UHFHQW ¿VK VXUYH\ Moyle and three other re- VHDUFKHUV WUDZOHG WKH WXUELG waters of the sprawling estu- ary that once teemed with the delta smelt. They pulled a net out of the water and emptied dozens of ¿VKLQWRDSODVWLFELQRQWKHLU UHVHDUFK ERDW 7KH\ ORJJHG DQG WRVVHG EDFN VSHFLHV including carp, crappie, cat- ¿VKDQGVWULSHGEDVV²EXWQR delta smelt. Delta smelt populations KDYH EHHQ GHFOLQLQJ IRU GH- cades due to invasive pred- DWRUV SROOXWLRQ KDELWDW ORVV DQGLQFUHDVHGZDWHUH[SRUWVWR farms and cities. The drought KDV ZRUVHQHG FRQGLWLRQV E\ UHGXFLQJIUHVKZDWHUÀRZVDQG raising water temperatures. ³7KHGURXJKWKDVEDVLFDOO\ made all the things that were EDG IRU VPHOW ZRUVH´ 0R\OH said. 7KH GHOWD VPHOW KDV EHHQ at the center of vicious water ¿JKWV EHWZHHQ IDUPHUV ¿VK- ermen, cities and environmen- talists ever since it was listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli $FW LQ ,W ZDV OLVWHG DV an endangered under state law In this July 15 photo, a delta smelt is seen at the University of Cali- fornia-Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Lab in Byron, Calif. LQ Soil health company showcases new rotation crops 7RXUKLJKOLJKWVFOHDQ ZDWHUSURMHFWVRQ DJULFXOWXUDOODQGV By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press REARDAN, Wash. — Pa- FL¿F 1RUWKZHVW IDUPHUV FRXOG VRRQEUHDNXSWKHLUZKHDWURWD- tions with warm-weather cano- ODIDYDEHDQVRUVDIÀRZHUFURSV Soil research company Rhi- zoterra Inc., showcased the new FURSV GXULQJ D ¿HOG GD\ RQ LWV research farm in Reardan, Wash. 7KH FRPSDQ\ ZRUNHG ZLWK scientists from the USDA Ag- ricultural Research Service, Washington State University and University of Idaho to raise QHZ YDULHWLHV RI IDYD EHDQV FKLFNSHDVFRYHUFURSVVXQÀRZ- HUVVDIÀRZHUDQGZDUPVHDVRQ canola. 5KL]RWHUUDFKDOOHQJHGEUHHG- ers to provide crops that are GURXJKWWROHUDQW HDUO\ DQG WDNH heat later on in the growing sea- son, said Jill Clapperton, princi- pal scientist and co-founder with Reardan farmer Fred Fleming. “The idea here is to develop WKH H[SHUWLVH RI KRZ WR JURZ these crops,” Clapperton said. “If we show that they grow in this area, we have to help the IDUPHUV PDNH WKLV FRPPHUFLDO venture.” Clapperton said she is the only one in the Reardan area JURZLQJFDQRODIDYDEHDQVDQG FKLFNSHDV )DYDEHDQVDUHLQGHPDQGLQ coastal regions and on the East Coast, Clapperton said. She hopes to supply a new protein processing plant in North Da- NRWD ³:H FDQ JHW LQWR RXU ¿HOGV earlier,” Clapperton said. “If ZH FDQ SXW IDYD EHDQV LQ WKH By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press Rhizoterra Inc. soil scientist Jill Clapperton demonstrates a new tracer that would allow farmers to PHDVXUHWKHPDWHULDOVLQWKHLUVRLOGXULQJD¿HOGGD\-XO\QHDU5HDUGDQ:DVK$J(QWHUSULVH6XS- ply Inc. crop advisor Cal Barta looks on at left. ¿HOG LQ 0DUFK DQG OHW WKHP JURZ²WKH\OLNHLWFROGLQWKH spring and hot in the summer. I WKLQNWKH\¶UHUHDOO\VXLWHGWRWKLV area.” Clapperton also showcased new technology, including a pel- OHWL]HGFRPSRVWPDGHE\5R\DO Organics in Royal City, Wash., DQGDSRUWDEOHWUDFHUWKDWZRXOG DOORZ JURZHUV WR FKHFN WKHLU soils. Spangle, Wash., farmer %RE 6LHYHUV ZDV FRQVLGHULQJ SRVVLEOHRSWLRQVWRGLYHUVLI\KLV FURSURWDWLRQV+HVDLGKH¶GEH interested in the new crops if there’s demand for them. ³:HKDYHWRKDYHDPDUNHW ZHKDYHWRPDNHPRQH\JURZ- LQJLW´KHVDLG³,¶PVWLOOSURED- EO\JRLQJWRZDLWDQGVHH:H¶UH MXVWORRNLQJDQGWU\LQJWROHDUQ´ Clapperton demon- strates a new tracer that would allow farmers to measure the materials in their soil. Photos by 0DWWKHZ:HDYHU Capital Press LAVA HOT SPRINGS, Ida- ho — Cameron Williams’ cattle used to congregate along the EDQNVRIWKH%HDU5LYHUWRGULQN WUDPSOLQJYHJHWDWLRQDQGFRQWULE- uting to sediment in the water. 7KDQNVWRKLVLQYROYHPHQWLQD FROODERUDWLYHSURMHFWDLPHGDWLP- proving water quality, the Grace, Idaho, rancher now has three new pastures, each containing a water WURXJK ¿OOHG E\ D VRODUSRZHUHG SXPS7KHWURXJKVHQDEOHKLPWR EHWWHU VSUHDG OLYHVWRFN DQG OLPLW their contact with the river. His ranch was among seven ongoing or recent southeast Ida- KRZDWHUTXDOLW\SURMHFWVLQFOXG- HGLQD-XO\EXVWRXURUJDQL]HG E\ WKH ,GDKR 6RLO DQG :DWHU Conservation Commission. Tour organizers said most of the land- owners are agricultural produc- ers, who typically derive as much EHQH¿WDVWKHHQYLURQPHQW Williams said he’s proud of the return of vegetation along WKH ULYHU EXW KLV UDQFK RSHUD- tions have also improved. “It’s given us more manage- PHQW ÀH[LELOLW\´ :LOOLDPV VDLG “We can isolate herds and not have to go to the river with them.” 6LPLODU ZDWHUTXDOLW\ SURM- ect tours were scheduled for the Magic and Treasure valleys as part of an Idaho Conservation Summit. Tour invitations were H[WHQGHGWRSROLWLFLDQVVRLODQG water conservation districts, the Idaho Department of Environ- mental Quality, the Environ- mental Protection Agency, land- RZQHUVDQGSURMHFWSDUWQHUV The state invests $2.8 million annually in the conservation com- PLVVLRQ LQFOXGLQJ PLOOLRQ GLUHFWO\ WR ,GDKR¶V ORFDO FRQ- servation districts. Funding for SURMHFWV KLJKOLJKWHG GXULQJ WKH tour came from a host of sources, including USDA grant programs and EPA grants authorized under 6HFWLRQ RI WKH &OHDQ :D- ter Act, as well as a host of local agencies, non-governmental orga- nizations and companies. &KULV %DQNV D &KHVWHU¿HOG rancher who started a consulting EXVLQHVVWRKHOSODQGRZQHUVDQG DJHQFLHV ¿QG JUDQWV DQG RYHU- come hurdles to complete their ZDWHUTXDOLW\ SURMHFWV IDFLOLWDW- HGPDQ\RIWKHWRXUSURMHFWV ³7\SLFDOO\SURMHFWVLPSURYH ODQGRZQHUV¶ DELOLW\ WR ZDWHU WKHLUOLYHVWRFNDQGPDQDJHWKHLU grazing, and it improves their wa- WHUTXDOLW\´%DQNVVDLG³:H¶YH DOVRLPSURYHGWKHORVVRIODQGE\ GRLQJ VWUHDP EDQN UHVWRUDWLRQ and we’ve done a lot of weed and EUXVK PDQDJHPHQW KHOSLQJ WR FUHDWHDEHWWHUPRVDLFIRUJUD]LQJ and even sage grouse.” :KHDW0DUNHWLQJ&HQWHU VHHNVQHZH[HFXWLYHGLUHFWRU H[SORUDWLRQZLWKRXUFXVWRPHUV Board chairman: DQG WKH SURGXFWV WKHLU PDUNHWV he said. Center is ‘crossroads’ require,” The center aligns with U.S. Wheat Associates’ mission as of industry WKHH[SRUWPDUNHWGHYHORSPHQW Capital Press The search is underway for a new director at the Wheat Mar- NHWLQJ&HQWHULQ3RUWODQG2UH “We’ve already had a num- EHU RI SHRSOH H[SUHVV LQWHUHVW LQWKHSRVLWLRQ´VDLG%LOO)ORU\ a Culdesac, Idaho, farmer and FHQWHUERDUGFKDLUPDQ ([HFXWLYH GLUHFWRU 'DYLG Shelton resigned in early July DIWHU\HDUV)ORU\VDLGQRUHD- son was given. “We wish him well,” he said. The position requires a man- agement perspective and under- standing of the industry, Flory said. ³7KHZKHDWPDUNHWLQJFHQWHU is the crossroads of the world DV IDU DV WHFKQLFDO H[SHUWLVH SUREOHPVROYLQJ RSSRUWXQLW\ arm of the industry, Flory said. )ORU\ H[SHFWV WKH VHDUFK WR ODVWWRGD\V ³:LWK WKH FDOLEHU RI DSSOL- cations we’re getting already, I GRQ¶WWKLQNZH¶UHJRLQJWRKDYH to leave it open for a long period of time,” he said. )ORU\VDLGLW¶VDQH[FLWLQJWLPH for the center, pointing to product development with overseas cus- tomers. Flory and center techni- cal director Gary Hou will meet ZLWK ZKHDW EX\HUV LQ &HQWUDO $PHULFD QH[W PRQWK WR GLVFXVV PLOOLQJDQGEDNLQJFKDOOHQJHV “There’s always challenges, EXW D QXPEHU RI XV VHH WKRVH as opportunities,” he said. “The world is highly competitive and we’ve got to have the resources to continue to sell wheat and provide our customers with the technological tools they need.” 32-2/#4 By MATTHEW WEAVER 32-2/#4N
