Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) in Yolo County Phil Hogan, District Conservationist USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 221 W. Court, Suite 1 Woodland, CA

YOLO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA LOCATION – Lower part of Sacramento Valley – Land Area: 661,760 acres, or 1,034 square miles – Just northwest of Sacramento from I-5 or I-80 Yolo County LESA di daerah Yolo, California

YOLO COUNTY AGRICULTURE – 1,060 Farms – Average Size: 519 Acres – $333 million market value – Processing tomatoes biggest cash crop, then wine grapes – Ranks ~20th in California – 6% total county employment – Prime Farmland = 48% of the County ag land – Leader in direct marketing – Organic sector growing LESA di daerah Yolo, California

YOLO COUNTY MAJOR LAND USES LESA di daerah Yolo, California

REGIONAL GROWTH TRENDS – Yolo County is between rapidly growing Sacramento and Bay Areas – Until recently, major growth has bypassed Yolo County – Growth is rapidly increasing now: ample supply of relatively inexpensive developable land relatively inexpensive housing good supply of water for industrial use relatively low utility rates perceived high quality of life I-80, I-5, I-505 and SP Railroad all induce growth LESA di daerah Yolo, California

YOLO COUNTY POPULATION TREND – 2002 Population: 172,500 – 2020 Projected Population: 262,400 – This represents a 52% increase LESA di daerah Yolo, California

FARMLAND PROTECTION MEASURES IN YOLO COUNTY – Williamson Act and Farmland Security Zones: YES – California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): YES – General Plan Amendments: YES – Habitat Conservation Plan: YES – Right-to-Farm Ordinances: YES – Sphere of Influence: YES – Yolo Land Trust (Easements): YES – Local Land Evaluation and Site Assessment System (LESA): YES Farmland Protection Measures LESA di daerah Yolo, California

BACKGROUND ON YOLO COUNTY LESA – LESA not widely used in California – Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) policies – NRCS approached LAFCO to show how LESA can help – LAFCO directed that LESA subcommittee be formed – Several meetings and field tested – Finalized by LAFCO board in 2000 – State LESA model developed by Department of Conservation – Contact Dr. Charles Tyson (916) LESA di daerah Yolo, California

LESA in Yolo County, California YOLO COUNTY LESA SUBCOMMITTEE – Yolo County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) – Yolo County Resource Conservation District – Yolo County Community Development Agency – SWCS University of California, Davis Student Club – California Department of Conservation (Chuck Tyson) – City of Davis – Yolo County Board of Supervisors – Cooperative Extension Service – Yolo Land Trust – Planning Consultants – Realtors, Farmers, Yolo County Farm Bureau, USDA NRCS LESA FACTORING

INTRODUCTION TO YOLO COUNTY LESA – Lesa is a tool to identify the most important agricultural lands – Maximum score is 100 – Land Evaluation Factors: 50 points – Site Assessment Factors: 50 points – Land Evaluation uses USDA LCC, UC Storie Index, and an irrigation component – Site Assessment is based on parcel size, urban conflict, zoning + LE Factors 50 pts. SA Factors 50 pts. + = 100 pts total LESA score LESA di daerah Yolo, California

FACTOR WEIGHTING – Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Weight LE and SA are weighted 50% each off the total LESA score Maximum LE score is 50 Maximum SA score is 50 Maximum LESA score is 100 – Individual Factor Weight LE Land Capability Class (LCC): 20% LE Storie Index Rating (SIR): 20% LE Water: 10% SA Size: 20% SA Urban Separation: 15% SA Zoning: 15% LESA di daerah Yolo, California

University of California, Davis Relative Degree suitability of a soil for intensive agriculture Soil characteristics only In itself, cannot be considered an index for land valuation Storie Index

Four factors considered: – Profile Characteristics Suitability of a soil profile for plant root growth – Surface Layer Texture Affects ease of tillage and water holding capacity – Slope Affects water runoff – Other Conditions: high water table, salts, etc. Storie Index

Each factor is rated separately in terms of percentage of the ideal, or 100% Storie Index of a soil is obtained by multiplying the four factors – Profile rating 100% X Texture rating 100% X Slope rating 100% X Other condition (saline-alkali soil) 20% = Storie Index = 20 Storie Index

Soils placed in grades according to agricultural suitability: – Grade 1:80 to 100 Index Rating – Grade 2:60 to 80 Index Rating – Grade 3:40 to 60 Index Rating – Grade 4:20 to 40 Index Rating – Grade 5:10 to 20 Index Rating – Grade 6:Less than 10 Index Rating

Storie Index Grade 1: few or no limitations for use for crops Grade 2: Suitable for most crops, minor limitations Grade 3: Suitable for few crops or special crops that require special management Grade 4: Severely limited for crops; careful management Grade 5: Not suitable for cultivated crops, used for pasture and range Grade 6: Not suited to farming.

Storie Index

Storie Index: AD-1006 Name of Land Evaluation System Used Storie Index

LESA di daerah Yolo, California PROBLEMS, PERCEPTIONS, LIMITATIONS OF LESA – Various levels of political will to protect farmland – Lack of consensus on prime farmland criteria – Range and forest land uses – NRCS Field Offices lack training

PROBLEMS, PERCEPTIONS, LIMITATIONS OF LESA – Irrigated lands – LESA will not protect farmland by itself – Consistency of results – LESA is not LISA – Manipulation of LESA to meet political needs – Landowner fears of numbers attached to t heir land – First thing: agree on the objective of local LESA system! LESA di daerah Yolo, California

LE WATER SCORE LESA di daerah Yolo, California

LESSONS AND ADVICE – Local initiative – Receptive local government – LESA Committee Diversity – Patience! – Quality – Set deadlines – Technical credibility – Supervisor’s support LESA di daerah Yolo, California