Strengthening Irrigation for the Long Run

By Kris Polly

Mark Patterson has served as New Zealand’s minister for rural communities and associate minister for agriculture and regional development since 2023. In this month’s cover story, he tells us about the four pillars he upholds for rural communities—access to good health care, good education, a strong police presence, and increasing connectivity—and the ambitious goal of doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports over the next decade.

Next, we speak with Pete Oveson, the president of McCrometer, and Ken Quandt, McCrometer’s regulatory development manager for agriculture, about how the company’s

flow meters and remote monitoring solutions can help irrigators and water managers. We also hear about how the company has ensured that the majority of its products comply with the 2021 Build America, Buy America Act.

With its 100‑year anniversary falling this year, it’s no surprise that North Texas’s Wichita County Water Improvement District No. 2 has some aging infrastructure to address. In our interview with General Manager Kyle Miller, we hear about the recent repair of the Buffalo Creek Flume.

The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program is an important project meant to deliver long-promised surface water supplies to central Washington State farmers. We hear more about recent progress on the project from Craig Simpson, the secretary-manager of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District.

The Upper Waitaki Power Development, which was constructed in the mid-20th century in New Zealand’s South Island, involves numerous hydropower dams and canals. Among its additional benefits, however, are irrigation water supply and excellent facilities for salmon farming. We learn more from Rick Ramsay, who recently retired after 32 years with Mount Cook Alpine Salmon.

Next, we speak with Matija Zulj, who brought together his background in IT and his passion for global food issues to found AGRIVI, a provider of comprehensive farm management solutions that are intended to lower costs, boost yields, increase profitability, and ensure sustainability.

Then, we take a trip to Valencia, Spain, where the Water Court of the Plain of Valencia has been holding regular public meetings for more than 1,000 years. We interview Francisco Almenar Cubells, the president of the water court, about its history and its role in arbitrating irrigation disputes.

The continuous thousand-year history of irrigated agriculture in Spain can serve as an inspiration to irrigators in the United States and around the world. With timely upgrades, advanced technology, and wise water management, there is every reason to believe that our irrigated agriculture industry can continue to go strong for centuries to come.

Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and the president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.