Shane Leonard, Roosevelt Water Conservation District
The Roosevelt Water Conservation District (RWCD) has been serving farmers, urban irrigators, and other water users in the Phoenix, Arizona, region for almost a century. The district’s current service area is approximately 40,000 acres. As an essential business, RWCD has had to find new ways to operate during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this interview, RWCD […]
Gary Esslinger, Elephant Butte Irrigation District
Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) has stewarded the surface water of New Mexico’s portion of the Rio Grande Project for over 100 years. EBID services 6,700 farm members within 90,640 acres. As an essential business, EBID has had to find new ways to operate during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this interview, EBID Treasurer- Manager Gary […]
Tom Myrum, Washington State Water Resources Association
The Washington State Water Resources Association (WSWRA), based in Olympia, is the coordinating agency for irrigation districts across Washington State. It represents over 100 irrigation districts and companies, which together deliver water to over 1.1 million acres of irrigated agriculture. The WSWRA is the oldest continuously active organization dedicated to the development and operation of […]
Jasper Fanning, Upper Republican Natural Resources District
The Upper Republican Natural Resources District (NRD), based in Imperial, Nebraska, is one of 23 local NRDs charged with protecting Nebraska’s natural resources. The Upper Republican NRD serves an area that covers Dundy, Chase, and Perkins Counties in the southwestern corner of the state, including approximately 450,000 acres of groundwater-irrigated land. In this interview, Upper […]
Diane Campanile, People-Dynamics
The COVID‑19 pandemic has disrupted the day-to-day functioning of businesses and public agencies in myriad ways, raising safety worries and motivating a large shift to remote work. Amid these changes, employers have obligations to support their sick employees, protect their healthy ones, and figure out how to restart normal operations in a safe and prudent […]
John Winkler, Papio–Missouri River Natural Resources District
The Papio–Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD) in Omaha, Nebraska, is one of the 23 NRDs in Nebraska whose mission is to manage the soil, water, wildlife and forest resources within their boundaries. As an essential business, the Papio–Missouri River NRD has had to find new ways to operate during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this […]
Alan Hansten, North Side Canal Company
The North Side Canal Company supplies irrigation water to about 160,000 acres of farmland in southern Idaho. As an essential business, the company has had to find new ways to operate during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this interview, North Side Manager Alan Hansten tells Irrigation Leader about the challenges the company has had to face […]
Mel Brooks, MHV Water
Mel Brooks is the chief executive of MHV Water, a large-scale irrigation district—a scheme, in New Zealand parlance— in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. MHV Water delivers water and manages environmental compliance for approximately 140,000 acres of highly productive farmland. [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Irrigation Leader: How has the COVID‑19 pandemic affected your operations? Mel […]
Chuck Freeman, Kennewick Irrigation District
Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) provides water to agricultural and residential customers across more than 20,000 acres in the Yakima River basin of Washington State. KID has 62 employees and serves 66,000 customers. In this interview, KID Manager Chuck Freeman tells Irrigation Leader how his district responded to the COVID‑19 pandemic and gives his advice about […]
Elizabeth Soal, Irrigation New Zealand
Elizabeth Soal is the CEO of Irrigation New Zealand, a member-founded industry organization committed to representing the interests of New Zealand’s irrigation sector and promoting best practices across the industry. In this interview, Ms. Soal tells Irrigation Leader how COVID‑19 has affected Irrigation New Zealand and describes the actions it has taken to protect its […]