Northstate rice farmers struggle to grow crops as drought persists

NORTHSTATE AREA, Calif. — Dry, cracked rice fields can be seen driving along Interstate 5 in Glenn and Colusa counties. This year has been more than challenging for farmers as California continues its third consecutive year of extreme drought conditions.

KRCR spoke to fourth generation farmer Chris Johnson on Monday about not being able to plant crop due to lower water allocation from the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID).

Chris Johnson's farms would only receive an allotment of 7% from the GCID with an agreement that the water might not even be enough to finish the year.

For this farmer, the risk was not great enough and his farm decided to return the allocate water limit for other local farmers, like tree growers who need the water no matter what.

“Our irrigation district only allocated us 7%. That’s nothing and it was very restricted on the types of fields that we could use it on. And, they couldn’t guarantee that they would even have enough water for us to finish the year—the crop cycle of rice—they may have to turn off the water early” shares Chris Johnson.

Luckily,crop insurance has been a lifesaver for a portion of farmers in the Glenn-Colusa area with hopes that next year water allotment will be enough to finish the year crops.

Chris Johnson Farms' great-grandfather read about the construction of the Glenn-Colusa canal and learned there was reliable water available for farmers. Around 1922 is when Chris Johnson's family farm started; growing into 700 acres today. For the Johnson farm, and a lot of other farmers, their farms are their source of livelihood.

“Most people, I would say about 90% or more of the farmers in our district, didn’t want to take that risk and return that 7% allocation [of water]. And that water was reallocated within Glenn and Colusa counties to the tree crop people, so that they would have enough water,” Johnson stated.

Not being able to grow any rice this year is troubling, especially since Glenn-Colusa is the number one hub for rice in the Sacramento Valley.

“More than 90% of California's rice acreage is located in the Sacramento Valley. The leading rice producing counties are Colusa, Butte, Sutter and Glenn,” according too the California’s Rice Production: Economic and Environmental Partnerships report from 2001.

The California Rice Commission (Calrice) recent study reveals how the drought is impacting farmers and wildlife on a substantial level. Nearly 230 wildlife species depend on the Sacramento Valley rice fields for survival, about 10 million birds rely on flooded fields for food and a resting place during travels.

Most of the excessive water or tailwater being used for rice fields will actually flow back into the rivers and wetlands for further water use.According to Calrice officials roughly, "40% of the water used to grow rice gets recycled, flowing to other neighboring farms to help irrigate different crops, traveling to wildlife refuges for further reuse or continuing downstream [eventually] returning to the environment. " The cost of accruing and restoring 250,000 acres of wetland habitat space can be as much as $ 3 billion dollars especially if the food that is provided by rice has to be replaced with wetland based foods.

About 57% of wetlands managed in the Sacramento use tailwater from the Valley’s rice fields for other environmental uses as reported by Calrice environmental sustainability study.

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