(Wines&Vines) - Using irrigation in the vineyard is less about ensuring growth and more about applying the right amount of water at the right time. The same could be said about water conservation in general. At a recent water conservation workshop organized by staff from Napa County Flood Control and the Water Resources Department in the theater of the former Copia center, several experts discussed ways to reduce water use.   

Mark Matthews, a professor with the University of California, Davis, described a wide-ranging project by professors at Davis and other western universities to develop irrigation systems that use sensors and a central control system to apply water exactly when it’s needed. (See "Precision Sensors Monitor Winegrape Water.")