Tule Trust Talks SERIES: #3

TULE TRUST TALKS

A series highlighting the people behind the Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust.

From the staff to volunteers, we’ll hear about their background, and we'll get down-to-earth details on their involvement, and why they're so passionate about Tule Trust.

For this month’s talk, we sat down with Frank Junio, the former Vice President of the Tule Trust Board, a Tipton resident and multi-generational farmer. We’ll learn about Frank’s passion for farming in the Valley, as he passes the torch to his successor, Joey Airoso.

Thanks for talking with us, Frank. Tell us about your background.

Frank Junio: I grew up and was raised in Tipton, California. Right out of high school, I started in a third-generation farming family who had come to America from the Azore Islands in the early 20th century. We’ve since expanded into dairy farming out of Pixley now with the fourth generation.

What’s your connection to the Tule Trust, and what kind of work have you done with its projects?

Frank Junio: As a farmer in the Pixley Irrigation District (PID), and Lower Tule River Irrigation District (LTRID), the idea of a Trust came from the need to identify the depth of well drilling and solutions for over-pumping. In the Tule Basin, that was particularly needed with growers exploring options to manage the water situation prior to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

Since SGMA was enacted, the Trust has begun to offer options like the temporary land fallowing program, provided to growers in the Tule Basin. This allows growers to have choices around how to become SGMA-compliant within the present water crisis—both in the basin and in the state.

Tell us about your own preparations for SGMA as a farmer here.

Frank Junio: Prior to SGMA, our farming operation implemented about 200 acres of recharge projects. The first, an 11-acre recharge basin (PID) where we sank 1,012-acre feet of water total in one year. That led to setting aside two 75-acre parcels and one 40-acre parcel; I used a laser scraper to build up a berm (ranging from 1-3 feet deep) to have the option to either recharge the land or fallow it.

Also since SGMA, I began working on another 80-acre parcel in LTRID (Lower Tule River Irrigation District) preparing it for future opportunities for water overapplication and recharge. We’re working towards getting a pipeline to bring our farming operation a total of almost 300 acres set aside to either farm it or recharge it, allowing us to stack a lot of water.

With multiple parcels of land to sink water, I believe this artificial groundwater recharge approach benefits growers with options to make better decisions around commodities like wheat and corn.

Every year I do things, and then think about it differently after the results—for example, I now set aside more ground to recharge in wet years, which gives me the option to farm more ground in the dry years. I’m more prepared now, even with the unpredictability of climate and precipitation.

Eventually every grower will have to catch up to SGMA regulations and standards to farm—in direct balance to the water we use.

Any words you’d like to leave with us?

Frank Junio: As the Pixley Irrigation District (PID) Board Chair, I would like to see some other growers from Pixley Irrigation District get involved with the work of the Tule Trust and its mission, by taking their knowledge of SGMA-compliant options, including retiring ground, and sharing that with other growers.

Frank Junio is also pleased to introduce the newly elected Tule Trust Vice President, Joey Airoso. Frank believes Joey will be an effective Vice President, thanks to Joey’s organization involvement, deep knowledge of the area, and especially his experience as a grower in the Pixley Irrigation District.

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The Tule Basin Land and Water Conservation Trust is a 501(c)3 dedicated to protecting the southern San Joaquin Valley’s incredible natural resources and preserving a viable farming economy for the future generations.