Projects
Our Vision: A Tule Basin brought into water balance through the creation of strategic partnerships that integrates habitat enhancement with sustainable farming to one healthy ecosystem.
Current Projects
Lower Deer Creek
Watershed Plan
Collaborative project between the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Pixley Irrigation District, The Nature Conservancy, and The National Audubon Society.
Capinero Creek
Restoration Project
The primary objective of this project is to protect and restore alkali scrub habitat for threatened and endangered species in the Southern San Joaquin Valley.
Multi-Benefit Land
Repurposing Program
The earmarked grant funding to bolster current and future land repurposing projects is focused on providing habitat and stabilizing water sources for disadvantaged communities.
Sustainable Agricultural
Lands Conservation
Preparing the Trust for acquisition and management of regional ag conservation easements as a balanced approach to landscape planning and resource conservation.
Land Fallowing &
Cover Crop Program
Preserving farming, establishing wildlife habitat, and groundwater. while benefiting disadvantaged communities and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Basin Overview
The Tulare Basin is a significant part of the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural footprint. The aquifers of the Basin are also critically over-drafted and need to significantly reduce pumping to achieve sustainability.
Annual fallowing will be a key component of meeting near-term goals to achieve groundwater sustainability, while also being a tool in meeting long-term goals in response to changes in annual water availability –a natural feature of California agriculture. In addition, targeted cover crops can reduce dust and pollution particulates from fallowed fields, improve soil health, and also provide temporary habitat for migratory birds.
Background & Benefits
Groundwater Sustainability
To achieve groundwater sustainability, per SGMA requirements, GSAs are developing and implementing regenerative projects that are necessary for balance within the boundaries of the ecological limits. Tule Trust, in partnership with local GSAs, conservation experts, and funders are striving to achieve proper balance of groundwater supply that not only ensures water for future generations, but also helps maintain groundwater storage capacity, reduce seawater intrusion, improve water quality, reduce subsidence, and reduce surface water depletions that have significant and unreasonable adverse impacts on beneficial uses.
Land Repurposing & Restoration
Preservation of natural lands and wildlife plays a significant role in our ecosystem and biodiversity. Over the past century, more than 95% of the Central Valley’s wetlands, riparian, and floodplain habitat used by migrating birds and numerous species has declined as they have come under private ownership, creating a need for effective conservation compatible with working lands. The implementation of volunteer land fallowing, conservation easements, and cover corps provides open space for migrating birds, reduces the need for groundwater pumping, brings balance to our increasingly delicate ecosystem, maintains vital food supplies, and creates jobs.
