Farmers south of Manteca will employ some of California’s most efficient irrigation methods when the 2012 growing season starts.

That’s when pressurized lines will replace open irrigation canals to serve the South San Joaquin Irrigation District’s customers in District 9.

Construction of the $2.5 million plus project will start in early 2011.

All growers within District 9 have signed to receive district pressurized service. Several opted not to use the pressurized water system initially but have paid for service in anticipation of future needs. That means 78 landowners have signed on for valves to connect with the system representing 87 parcels.

In addition, a district wide grower’s survey indicated there is a high interest in other parts of the SSJID territory from farmers interested in pressurized lines to conserve water.

The pressurized system will reduce water waste through evaporation and will direct water where it is needed to the roots of plants and crops

It also will help resolve an ongoing issue of salinity. The SSJID often has to augment water delivered to the farmers in the area as it is at the extreme end of the delivery system. They do that by pumping ground water and injecting it into irrigation lines. The only problem is the ground water has a growing salinity problem. When it is applied to crops it can be deadly by slowly killing the roots.

Farmers need to be able to flush the soil with enough water to push the salts down and away from the roots. That sends it to the water table from where the SSJID does their supplemental pumping from. That in turns puts salt-laden water directly on the crops or tree roots.

A closed system would eliminate the need for pumping by sending water under pressure to the far reaches of the district.

The district is moving forward at the same time to expand its green power generation capabilities as well as to seek approval to enter the retail power business to reduce electrical rates by at least 15 percent under what PG&E currently charges in Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon.

The district is able to do everything without raising rates thanks to its long-term investment in The Tri-Dam Project - a series of three reservoirs with hydro-electric plants developed along the Stanislaus River 56 years ago in partnership with Oakdale Irrigation District.

The district is now stockpiling $12 million plus a year from its share of Tri-Dam net receipts to pay for the projects.

The SSJID board has made putting the Tri-Dam benefits to work for all within its boundaries - farmers and city dwellers - a top priority since the district was made possible 102 years ago via bonding on all property.