This large pipeline and reservoir project started out as a solution to a problem the ranch had been dealing with for several years. Located outside Fresno, CA, the farming operation includes 2,000+ acres of almonds. The almonds are all drip-irrigated with a total of 10 individual well and filter stations feeding into the irrigation system.
Unfortunately, the wells on the north end of the ranch started to develop and produce a lot of iron bacterial slime. This issue was plugging the sand media filter underdrains and even in some cases breaking the underdrains. When the underdrains broke, it completely filled the irrigation system pipelines with sand from the filters, which obviously was a major problem for the grower.
The innovative solution was to re-route the wells into a common centralized reservoir and treat the well water prior to introducing it into the irrigation system. Cal-West Rain installed pipelines connecting the nine (9) existing wells and added turnouts for an additional three (3) proposed well sites yet to be developed. Cal-West rain also added four 200 HP short-coupled turbine lift pumps and a new 64 tank sand media filter station. The new pumping station has a total output capacity of 18,000 gallons per minute and will allow the grower to monitor chemigation needs from a single source versus 10 sources with the old system.
Since 1989, Cal-West Rain has been providing unique irrigation and pump solutions for farming operations across Central California. To learn more about Cal-West Rain or discuss your project, contact one of our offices in Kerman, Paso Robles, and Hanford, or visit our website at www.calwestrain.com.
