In a California almond orchard study, water needs and growth stages were studied over several years. They measured water use using soil and energy balance methods. The young almond trees used more water as they grew older until their fourth year. Farmers should adjust their irrigation plans based on the orchard's age. By the fourth year, they can use standard water calculations for adult almond trees. The study found that one-year-old orchards used a crop coefficient of 0.35, while five-year-old orchards used 0.99 mid-season. This research helps create better watering plans for new almond orchards and sets water use benchmarks.