Water Quality Water quality plays an important role in determining irrigation practices used for satisfying crop water demand. For growers within RCWD's service area, water quality parameters such as total dissolved solids (TDS) and chlorides are of particular importance for avocado growers. TDS refer to any minerals, salts, metals, cations, or anions dissolved in water, and excessive TDS levels can require additional water to be applied in order to maximize crop production. Likewise, excessive levels of chlorides in irrigation water can reduces yield and leaching is required for mitigating yield reductions due to chloride toxicity.