Frost Protection Registration Event at Grape Day ~ February 23rd, Wednesday, 2011

What:             Information Booth for Registering Frost Water Protection Systems

The Agricultural Commissioner staff, in collaboration with winegrape growers and UC Cooperative Extension, will be available to assist growers with general questions pertaining to registration and mapping frost protection water systems

 
When:            Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011, 7:00 a.m. – Noon

Where:           Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

For Directions: http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/directions.html

·         Find out if your system falls within the Russian River Watershed by referring to this map: http://www.sonomawinegrape.org/images/rr-watershed-boundaries.jpg

·         Vineyard and orchard growers have until June 1st  to register with the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office

·         Registration forms and instructions will be available at the event

·         Maps required for registration can be printed by Agricultural Commissioner staff for $5 per page

Registration fee is $64 per site (site is defined as: a parcel or contiguous parcels under single ownership or control, considered a unit for the purposes of a vineyard or orchard frost protection system)

·         We will be sending letters and registration information to growers later this month

·         For future updates on Frost Protection sign up for eSubscribe at http://www.sonoma-county.org/agcomm/whats_new.htm  to receive website alerts when information is posted on our website

 The Frost Protection Ordinance was adopted by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on February 15, 2011.

The use of water for frost protection is one of the most effective methods of protecting crops from the damage caused by freezing temperatures. However, in the Russian River stream system the use of water can present a potential conflict with salmonids, in particular with Coho salmon, which are listed as "endangered" under the federal Endangered Species Act and under the California Endangered Species Act, and with Chinook salmon, which are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. In an effort to proactively address and manage this conflict, the ordinance requires all vineyard and orchard frost water protection users in the Russian River Watershed to register with the Agricultural Commissioner.  This annual registration will collect survey information on the nature of each frost system infrastructure and water diversions.