The Leslie Nickels Soil Laboratory (NSL) facility is in Arbuckle, CA. This facility is a Trust for research related to soil and/or water issues. All of the 20 current research projects being conducted at Nickels have UC faculty as Principal Investigators. It is a "self-sufficient" operation, which only receives modest support from the University or County. The income from the approximately 70 acres of bearing almonds supports the research occurring there. There are another 20 acres of non-bearing almonds planted, as well as modest acres of walnuts and prunes. UC research was initiated at Nickels in the 1970's and information developed there has been of immense value for increasing the grower returns to Colusa County orchardists. Development of drip irrigation technology, almond variety/rootstock information, hedgerow production systems and non-chemical approaches to important insect pests are acknowledged as originating at Nickels. It is an important asset to the county's tree crops industries.
2001 Nickels Report
2000 Nickels Reports