Re-imaging water conservation

Working with its conservation partners, Husch has taken water conservation to a whole new level by re-casting its summer water rights as a legal shield to protect 20 million gallons of river flow to support endangered salmon.

The "store and forbear" project is the result of a 10-year collaboration between Husch, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District. By shifting water collection to the winter when flows are abundant, Husch is able to re-allocate 100% of its summer water right for the benefit of the fish.

Key Project Highlights:

•  Innovation: Husch upgraded pond storage and irrigation techniques to eliminate the need for summer water extraction.

•  Legal Precedent: Husch’s updated water right now allows Husch to “use” 20 million gallons of summer flow by leaving it in the Navarro River for the benefit of the fish.

•  Scalability: This partnership serves as a statewide template for "win-win" solutions between agriculture and the environment.

While the vineyard still requires water for irrigation and frost protection, upgraded pond storage and innovative conservation techniques allow Husch to reserve the summer water for the fish. The legal nuance is small but important - Husch is technically “using” all of that summer water for the benefit of the fish. In 2025, Husch used 5 million gallons for its vines while protecting an additional 22 million gallons for the river’s ecosystem.

Learn more about Husch’s other sustainable practices: No-till farming * The Light Touch * Valuing Old Vines * Social Equity

Husch Vineyards
Tasting Room: 4400 Hwy 128, Philo, CA 95466
Mail Address: PO Box 189, Talmage, CA 95481
Open Daily 10am to 5pm
1-800-554-8724
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