The water butt is a silly name for a powerful tool. It is a simple yet effective solution for storing rainwater while saving you a ton of money. It can be used to water plants, water gardens, store water for drinking, or even store water for bathing. 

As is the case worldwide, people here in Nevada County use and need water for their work, play, and everyday life. Quick and easy access to water is one of the modern world's biggest perks. While we are one community, we all have different water needs. Sometimes it's for play; however, most of the time, it's necessary for daily living. 

What would you do if the state passed a law banning the watering of lawns this spring or summer? You might think this extreme, but since we live in a state of near-constant drought, would it be? While this scenario is not likely to happen soon, cities and counties across the state (and in many places across the country) are encouraging their communities to cut back on the water they use on their…

Wanting to garden but worried about the dry spell and low rainfall? Then you need a drought-resistant garden! You might think it’s a little early to be thinking about spring planting, but with a bit of forethought, you will know exactly what you need when spring arrives to get your garden in shape quickly. Then, while everyone else is still trying to figure out what they’re doing, you’re already…

At some point, we all have found ourselves in the kitchen, attempting to jump between our main dish and a couple of sides to go with it, and have hastily dumped fat or oil or grease down the kitchen sink. It happens. But it really shouldn’t. As hard as it is to juggle multiple tasks while you’re cooking, you need to keep those big three, also known as FOG, out of the sink. Once you know why you’ll…

The mornings and evenings currently have a nice crispness in the air, but soon, that lovely chill will turn bitter cold as winter rolls in. There's a lot to do to prep for the winter months when you live in the mountain foothills. You've got to clean out your gutters, chop firewood, and, maybe most importantly, make preparations to keep your pipes from freezing. This is especially important if you…

 Living in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas can give us a bit better weather and a more extended growing season for gardening and farming than those who live on the mountains or in the Tahoe Basin. So you might think you don't really need a greenhouse. But if you're looking at it from the issue of water sustainability, a greenhouse is essential.

Your leaky faucet is wasting you tons of water. No, seriously. The United States Environmental Protection Agency states that household leaks can waste more than 1 trillion gallons nationwide. Which amounts to over 3 million tons of water wasted annually. Most of us know what a leaky faucet or pipe looks like. However there is an alarming amount of information that homeowners do not know. 

Have you seen tomatoes growing upside down on a vertical farm? Vertical farming is the new and improved way to combat water scarcity challenges. Welcome to the greenhouse revolution, vertical farming! Since the early 2000s, vertical farming has transformed agriculture with people and the planet in mind. This way of farming has numerous benefits, including higher productivity, lower water use, and…

The Caldor Fire. The Dixie Fire. The August Complex Fire. All of these fires took place in Northern California within the past two years and are on  California’s Top 15 Largest Wildfires List. Not to mention, over two million acres have burned between them. With statistics that extreme, how do we avoid future fires like the monsters we have experienced in the past few years? Forest thinning. 

Rotational grazing benefits agriculture, providing required rest periods for the environment to replenish the natural resources needed to encourage biodiversity. Agriculture is the leading cause of pollution to our environment. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, half of the land area in the United States is farmland, with nearly 1.2 billion acres producing food and products.

Maybe you've heard the theory of how the wheel is the most important advancement of all time? Well, in the farming world, it was undoubtedly one of the best. Then came "nitrogen-fixation." It created a new class of fertilizers, and for Fritz Haber, it won him a Nobel Prize. We might be on the brink of the next most significant advancement in farming (some even call it the fourth revolution…

When you hear about water restrictions, do you immediately think about your yard turning brown? Ever wonder what our farmers must envision when they hear about water restrictions? It's worth thinking about since they are the ones who supply us with food. Mainly because if there's less water to grow food, there's bound to be less food to go around, and prices are going to go up. 

It used to be that fall was the time of year Californians worried about wildfire. But as global warming continues to change our environment, the potential threat of wildfire comes earlier and earlier. In addition, due to the state’s continued drought, we now recognize this threat as early as spring.

Have you heard about the unprecedented water restrictions in effect in Southern California due to the drought? Existential concerns like droughts are precisely why NID needs to consider our local and regionalrisks and embed daily and annual efforts to mitigation against them. During Stage Four of NID's Plan for Water, we cover risk analysis and mitigation. The identified risks are grouped into…

There are many ways to enjoy the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and boating is definitely toward the top of the list. Maybe you finally made that boat purchase you’ve been wanting, or perhaps you’re just planning to rent one a few times this summer? Before you get out on the lake, here are a few boating safety tips to ensure your trip is so enjoyable that you’ll be planning your next outing immediately.

Who is excited for the start of the camping season? We certainly are! Within the Nevada Irrigation District are numerous campgrounds where you and your friends or family can get out into nature, sleep under the stars, and reconnect without the distractions of daily life. 

As the weather warms up, many people are already digging out their fishing poles in anticipation of spending a relaxing day out in nature doing their favorite activity. But keep in mind, not every body of water in the Nevada Irrigation District is open to fishing. And there are licensing requirements that you have to follow. So, before you set your alarm clock for an early wake-up and head out to…

Irrigated pasture is the top crop for NID raw water customers. Last year, 7,043 miner’s inches of water irrigated 19,727 acres of pastureland within District boundaries.

At Nevada Irrigation District, we strive to work alongside our community and stakeholders to conserve water. As our climate changes and California residents face an ongoing drought, we recognize the importance of implementing strategies to sustain this finite resource. One of the ways we aid in water preservation is by mulching the areas where we work. You, too, can save water by mulching the…

Currently, the Nevada Irrigation District has 53 established water rights. We also have one pending application and two pending transfers. Twenty-eight of the water rights were established after 1914, including the Bear River water right. Before 1914, there were 25 Riparian Rights. 

Nearly 90 percent of the raw (untreated) water provided by the Nevada Irrigation District goes for irrigation purposes to more than 5,600 connections. This water irrigates more than 32,000 acres. Through their efforts, the District’s agricultural customers play a vital role in water conservation and helping to preserve our finite water supply.

With the rise in drought occurrences in recent years, vegetation is harder to maintain and properly care for. In 2020, household water use averaged more than 300 gallons of water a day, leaving a significant impact on supply. Not having enough water can bring many issues, but it can also lead to finding creative ways to change your daily usage.

As an agency rooted in the foothills of Northern California, we are fortunate to get our water directly from the source near the Yuba River, Bear River, and Deer Creek. However, we recognize that water is finite; the ever-changing conditions of our environment may impact our ability to provide for our stakeholders long-term. Issues like climate change and droughts present constant challenges for…

If you live in the West, you're probably familiar with the topic of water rights. Here in California, we talk about it quite regularly, especially during a drought, which we often have. That's why the Nevada Irrigation District's Plan for Water is so important. And if you're a stakeholder, this gives you a chance to address your concerns.

NID has been delivering water from the mountain top to your tap for 100 years, and we take this responsibility very seriously. In fact, our water consistently meets and exceeds State and Federally mandated water quality standards. Our water originates as snowmelt in 70,000 acres of high elevation watershed near the Yuba River, Bear River, and Deer Creek headwaters. The water is stored in 29…

Water is vital on so many levels. We need water for drinking, for growing, for cleaning. And, if you're a farmer, you need even more water. Roughly eighty-five to ninety percent of all water NID delivers is for irrigation use. Understanding how the water in our ecosystem travels from the mountains to your faucet or sprinkler system is an essential part of our Plan for Water. Educating the…

Hydropower is an energy source that has been around since ancient times. Because it is fueled by water, hydroelectricity is a clean source and doesn’t pollute the air like power plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. 

Hydropower is recognized as a key contributor to America's clean energy infrastructure. It plays a critical role in advancing our energy future as a renewable energy source. NID is dedicated to protecting and improving the environment, and hydro energy is one of the ways we do it.

You turn on the faucet, and the water flows. Pure water is something we can take for granted, but it’s a fact that water is not an endless resource.

The Nevada Irrigation District is celebrating a milestone in 2021, as we enter our 100th year of operation. It’s our anniversary and we want to celebrate with you all year long!

The Nevada Irrigation District depends on Sierra snowpack for its water supply. On one hand, it’s a simple process. During winter, snow amasses in the higher elevations. The warmer temperatures of spring and early summer melt the snow, and it creates water runoff that flows down to the foothills through the District’s infrastructure and to your tap.