UC Blog
National call for water research proposals; Water resources director position deadline extended
National call for water research proposals
The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Institutes for Water Resources are requesting proposals for matching grants to support research on the topic of improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply.
The topic includes, and is not limited to, enhancement of water supply infrastructure, development and evaluation of warning systems for extreme hydrological events, integrated management of ground and surface waters, and the resilience of public water supplies. Proposals are sought in not only the physical dimensions of supply, but also the role of economics and institutions in water supply and in coping with extreme hydrologic conditions.
Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply for a grant through a water research institute or center established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/institutes.html).
Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration and may request up to $250,000 in federal funds. Successful applicants must match each dollar of the federal grant with one dollar from non-federal sources.
Proposals must be filed on the Internet at https://niwr.net by 1 p.m. PST, Feb. 24, and must be approved for submission to the National Competitive Grants Program by the institute or center through which they were submitted.
Funds have not been appropriated for this program by the U.S. Congress as of the date of this announcement. The government's obligation under this program is contingent upon the availability of funds.
California’s institute is located at UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. All submissions to this grant program must be submitted through the California online system. To submit a proposal, please coordinate with Julie Drouyor before the Feb. 24 deadline. Drouyor can be reached at julie.drouyor@ucop.edu, (510) 987-0027.
Water resources director position deadline extended
The closing date for the California Water Resources Research Institute director has been extended to Feb. 25.
CWRRI is a statewide program within ANR, enabled by the federal Water Resources Research Act, with the mission of supporting research and extension activities that contribute to the efficient management of California’s water resources, in water quality, quantity and reliability.
The position description for the California Water Resources Research Institute director is posted at http://ucanr.org/Jobs/Jobs_990/?jobnum=86.
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.
China offers California businesses opportunities and risks
The recent U.S. visit by China's president Hu Jintau has California experts considering opportunities for trade with the world's most populous country, according to an article in the Bakersfield Californian.
The story said China's manipulation of its currency is among the most significant barriers to trade between the two countries. China has resisted currency reform, but a CSU Bakersfield economist told reporter Courtenay Edelhart that the country will have to adapt if it wants to realize its superpower aspirations.
Edelhart spoke to UC Davis agricultural economist Colin Carter about agricultural trade with China. He said California farmers grow many of the same products as China, but Americans are stronger in food processing and technology, and have the advantage of a much more efficient industry structure.
"In China, the farmers still don't own the land they work, and the individual farms are pretty small," Carter was quoted. "To really compete on a global scale, the farms are going to have to get a lot bigger and more mechanized."
Interim director of CSU Bakersfield's Small Business Development Center. John Pryor, said local companies interested in the Chinese market should guard their competitive edge carefully.
"Any U.S. firm needs to be very cautious about their intellectual property risks. The Chinese have a long-standing reputation for stealing patented products or processes," Pryor told the reporter.
Chinese president Hu Jintau visited President Obama at the White House last week.
New ways for using a camera
Back in the day, photography was largely relegated to portraits and vacation memories. But with the advent of digital cameras and camera phones, documenting everyday experiences is commonplace.
UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener MaryBeth Kampman wrote about modern photography conventions for a column that appeared in the Marin Independent Journal over the weekend.
"People are unabashedly taking pictures everywhere — from restaurants to museums, street corners to elevators. Their pictures are of food, shadows, interesting patterns or juxtaposition of unusual objects. They document items they want to purchase in stores or take pictures of their cars in parking lots so they can find them again," Kampman wrote.
She suggests photography can also be a tool for the ardent gardener.
"Don't restrict yourself to beauty shots," Kampman suggested. "Use your pictures to document your garden experiences. I take at least two photos when taking a picture of a plant that has an identifying label — a beauty shot and a photo of the label. It's easy to forget the exact name of the photographed plant."
Also among her digital gardening ideas:
- Take pictures of watering systems, garden designs, hardscape or color combinations you admire
- Go to the garden supply store and take pictures of plants before you buy them
- Take pictures of plant afflictions and pests to send to a Master Gardener who can help diagnose and remedy the problem
Garden photography is not just for artistry anymore. (Photo: K. Garvey)
2010 was an excellent year for almonds
California almonds harvested in 2010 are expected to amount to 1.65 billion pounds or more, according to an article by Associated Press reporter Jeff Nachtigal. The story was picked up by many national publications, including the New York Times and the CBS News website.
The sizable almond crop is being met with strong worldwide demand and relatively high prices.
"The nut crops in general are looking good in California," UC farm advisor emeritus John Edstrom was quoted in the story.
UC Davis Cooperative Extension almond specialist Bruce Lampinen told the reporter that improved agricultural techniques used by California's 6,000 almond growers - such as planting trees closer together, cutting back on pruning and knocking off "mummies" during the winter to control navel orangeworm - have helped boost production.
But, the almond industry is not without its challenges.
- UC Davis entomologist Eric Mussen told the reporter that farmers are still concerned about major honeybee die-offs, which have doubled the cost of renting bees for pollination in the past five years.
- Water shortages are also a concern for some producers, according to Almond Board chair Mike Mason.
California almond growers produce 100 percent of the U.S. crop, supplying 100 percent of the domestic market, and 80 percent of the world market, said an Western Farm Press article about the bumper almond crop.
Improved almond production techniques have helped grow the industry.
Bee hives targeted by thieves
A Chowchilla beekeeper lost more than 400 hives to thieves this month, but with networking and investigation, was able to find the hide-out and get his bees back.
UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Shannon Mueller spoke to KMPH Channel 26 News about the heist.
"They (farmers) are paying about $180 a hive, so those hives are worth a lot of money and because of that, we’ve seen a real increase in the theft of colonies," Mueller said.
In all, the stolen bee colonies were worth about $120,000, according to an article in AgAlert.
"The good news is after some tips from other local beekeepers and some searching, we found the missing bees and called the local sheriff's department," beekeeper Brian Long was quoted in the AgAlert article. "We just got lucky and got enough tips that led us to the bees."
Still, Long estimates he lost between $12,000 and $15,000 after hundreds of bees died in the commotion.
Beekeepers and farmers cannot afford the loss of any bees. Between February and March, California's 750,000 acres of almonds require an estimated 1.2 million bee colonies for pollination. UC Davis entomologist Eric Mussen told AgAlert reporter Christine Souza that strong colonies of bees may be scarce this season.
"Despite these problems, it seems that every year the lure of almond pollination fees entices enough beekeepers to bring their bees to California to meet the needs of the almond growers," Mussen said.
Shannon Mueller appeared on an evening news story about the bee heist.