Water shortage will hit wine industry hard

Last weekend’s rains did little to alleviate the massive water shortage in the North Bay. While the lack of rainfall is a problem for everyone, it weighs heavily on grape growers, who depend on water not only for irrigation but also for frost abatement in the spring.
Last week, the Sonoma County Water Agency announced that it will be cutting water supply to cities throughout the county by at least 30 percent, and up to 50 percent if the drought continues. Officials still haven’t outlined exactly how or when they will implement the cut.
“Grape growers throughout the county have been meeting to discuss the best ways to conserve,” said Nick Frey, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. “It’s going to be especially rough on growers who depend almost solely on winter rain for irrigation and frost protection. Because it’s their only water supply, they don’t have other options.”
Brad Sherwood is the public information officer for the Sonoma County Water Agency. He reiterated Frey’s concerns, adding, “Growers are being hit with a double whammy as they’re being forced to decide between frost protection now or irrigation later in the season.”
Early spring frost can burn new young shoots, and frost later in the season can affect vines that are flowering. And while frost damage doesn’t affect the taste of wine it may cut the crop size. One of the best ways to protect a vineyard is to cover it with water, thus insulating it from damage. Lack of rainfall keeps this from happening naturally, which means growers are forced to use irrigation sources for frost protection.
One inch of rain equals approximately 16 gallons per plant for irrigation purposes. During the growing season, most vines need about five gallons per week to maintain healthy growth. Less rainfall means that current groundwater levels are not sufficient to support a large crop of grapes.
To that end, growers are being encouraged to get creative. One way to conserve water is to get rid of the cover crop early by discing – or tilling between the rows using a special plow – mowing or using an herbicide. Keeping mulch on the surface also helps with moisture retention. Checking water sources is critical to make sure sprinkler systems are functioning efficiently and without leaks.
One water-saving measure that is now taken for granted was actually introduced to the state because of the severe drought of 1976 to 1977. Drip irrigation was designed by the Irrigation Institute of Tel Aviv, and the concept was originally employed as an Israeli desert system for farming. Growers tried it out on their vines and found that the spigots localized to individual vines were very effective in conserving water.
Ned Hill, owner of La Prenda Vineyard Management, is worried about the growers who rely solely on rainfall and run-off to fill reservoirs as well as those who use well water. “Vineyards in the southern Carneros region are going to be the hardest hit if we don’t see more rain in the next few weeks,” said Hill. “We’re entering our third dry year in a row and without a ground water recharge, wells may not perform as expected.”
Pete Opatz, a Sonoma County Winegrape Commission member, predicted lighter crops at this year’s harvest. “It’s pretty straightforward, low rainfall equals lighter crops,” said Opatz. “Even with the little rain we’ve gotten, we’re probably going to see fewer grapes and smaller berries come harvest. This is going to come directly out of the growers’ pockets.”
But according to Opatz, the light harvest will go unnoticed by most consumers. “The growth in the wine market that we’ve seen in the past year has been in the under $10 a bottle wines,” said Opatz. “Because buyers are buying down, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to pass any of our costs onto consumers. We can’t raise prices in the one segment that is holding our industry up at the moment.”
Both Frey and Opatz agree that careful planning is critical. “By looking ahead and making informed and thoughtful decisions, we can ride this water shortage out as we’ve done in the past,” said Frey.