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| Native, Brown-headed Rush grass begins its comeback at a Harkin’s Slough grasslands restoration project. |
Introduction
The Agricultural Water Quality Program currently is focused on the Pajaro Watershed. The Pajaro River Watershed encompasses an area of over 1,200 square miles that drain into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The mouth of the Pajaro River forms the Pajaro River Lagoon, which is connected to one of the most important wetland habitats in California, the Watsonville Slough Complex.
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which receives waters from the Pajaro Watershed and other coastal streams, is the largest marine protected area in the United States, including an area of more than 5,000 square miles along the Central Coast of California. The Sanctuary is one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the temperate regions of the world. The diversity of its unique plants and animals, the presence of threatened and endangered species, and a variety of commercial fisheries, make it a national treasure. The Sanctuary is linked to another Central Coast treasure, the agricultural lands in its fertile coastal watersheds. Over 15% of the total commercial agriculture acres in Santa Cruz County are organic. In an effort to protect both these culturally rich and economically valuable resources, the RCD works with multiple stakeholders to facilitate several agricultural water quality protection programs in Santa Cruz County.
For 2005, the total gross production value of Santa Cruz County agricultural commodities was $418,114,000. This includes the following:
- Strawberries, raspberries and other berries ($252,936,000)
- Apples, wine grapes and other tree and vine fruits ($11,039,000)
- Vegetables ($69,631,000)
- Nursery crops ($73,780,000)
- Livestock and animal products ($4,470,000)
- Timber and field crops ($6,258,000)
Over 15% of the total commercial agriculture acres in Santa Cruz County are organic. In an effort to protect both these culturally rich and economically valuable resources, the RCD works with multiple stakeholders to facilitate several agricultural water quality protection programs in Santa Cruz County.