This project involves installation of soil moisture tension probes and a network of communication towers to transfer data in real time to growers for improved irrigation decision-making. Early adopters are seeing 15-30% water savings with no yield loss. Through a combination of landowner donations, private contributions and grants, the Community Water Dialogue has succeeded at installing communications towers to network nearly all of the Pajaro Valley and make wireless irrigation technology more accessible to growers. This network drastically reduces the investment required by growers. Growers within the network simply rent or purchase Hortau monitoring stations (which include two soil moisture tension probes and a soil temperature probe).

Click below to enlarge map showing Wireless Irrigation Network coverage:

Do you grow in the Pajaro Valley? Are you interested in trying out the Hortau technology, but are not yet ready to commit to purchasing the equipment? The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, with additional support from PVWMA, has a loaner program for you to trial the technology for three months and see how it can benefit your water management.

For more information or to sign up contact Lisa Lurie at

Find out more about the Hortau technology by visiting: http://hortau.com

Watch a video produced by the Ecological Farming Association about WIN here