Toni Meacham: Wrangling Water Law in Washington
Toni Meacham grew up understanding the importance of water for agriculture and from an early age wanted to advocate for those who depend on it. Working in her own law practice as well as with the Washington Agricultural Legal Foundation (WALF) has allowed her to do precisely that. Ms. Meacham’s experiences as both an attorney […]
Dee Waldron: Leveling Out for Irrigation in Utah’s Weber Basin
The narrative of a small family farmer prospering after many years of hard work and sacrifice is an iconic version of the American dream. Achieving this dream requires a farmer to overcome many obstacles, both natural and manmade. Dee Waldron is someone who has lived that dream, growing up on a family farm, striving to […]
The Keith–Lincoln County Irrigation District: A Historic Small District in Western Nebraska
The Keith–Lincoln County Irrigation District (KLCID), located in western Nebraska, has been operating since the late 19th century. Aside from a headgate system installed during the 1970s, the canal system used by the KLCID today also dates back to that time. In this interview, we speak with KLCID Board President Mark McConnell about the district’s […]
Yuma Irrigation District: Enabling All-Year-Round Ag in the Arid Southwest
Agricultural producers in the Yuma, Arizona, area produce around 90 percent of North America’s winter produce. In the summer, they produce significant amounts of field crops as well. Yuma Irrigation District (YID), irrigating 10,600 acres, is one of the smaller local irrigation districts that make this possible. In this interview, YID General Manager Rex Green […]
Supplying Agricultural Water in Hidalgo County, Texas
The Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District #19 (HCWCID19) is a small water supplier located near the Rio Grande. In this interview, General Manager Oscar Gonzalez tells Irrigation Leader about its operations, the challenges of dealing with encroaching development, and the complications caused by the construction of the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. [siteorigin_widget […]
Menard County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1: Revitalizing a 280‑Year-Old Canal
Menard County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 (MCWCID), located in Menard County, Texas, manages an irrigation canal that was built by the Spanish in 1756. After being temporarily dewatered in 2013, the canal has experienced major seepage issues and now requires repairs. In this interview, Meredith Allen and Caroline Runge, the current and […]
Chairwoman Amelia Flores: Advancing Irrigation and Infrastructure for the Colorado River Indian Tribes
Amelia Flores is the newly elected chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), whose reservation stretches along the border of Arizona and California. In this interview, Chairwoman Flores tells us about her responsibilities as chairwoman, CRIT’s irrigation infrastructure, and its recent proposal for federal legislation to allow it to lease its Colorado River water […]
Volume 12 Issue 5 May Arizona Edition
Introducing Chairwoman Amelia Flores By Kris Polly Amelia Flores is a longtime councilmember and public servant of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), and in 2020, she became the first woman to be elected chair of CRIT’s Tribal Council. In our cover story, Chairwoman Flores tells us about her responsibilities as chairwoman, CRIT’s irrigation […]
Volume 12 Issue 5 May
The Valuable Work of Small Irrigation Districts By Kris Polly The beauty of American agriculture lies not just in its epic magnitude and immense productivity, but in the fact that it so often has a local and small-scale character. Small and family farms are integral to U.S. agriculture; so too are small local irrigation […]
Volume 12 Issue 5 May Washington State Edition
Toni Meacham: Wrangling Water Law in Washington By Kris Polly Toni Meacham is a highly respected ag and water attorney in central Washington State. She is also an active, fifth-generation rancher. Her personal and family background as well as her legal training gives her and insider’s knowledge of ag and water law, making her […]