Volume 13 Issue 4 April
Introducing the Managers Issue By Kris Polly The success and flourishing of an irrigation district depend on many things—weather, funding, upkeep, modernization, and planning, for instance—but perhaps no factor counts as much as does a good manager. A manager must know their district’s distinctive characteristics and challenges, their employees, and their board. And they […]
Join us for the Irrigation Leader Urbanization and Technology Tour
April 27-28, 2022Tri-Cities, Washington State Register Now! Download Final Agenda
Tony Solano: How the Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District Is Facing Up to the Tier 1 Shortage
With the Colorado River continuing to undergo drought, the stipulations of the Drought Contingency Plan mean that this year, the Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District (MSIDD), based outside Phoenix, Arizona, will receive only about one-third of its previous water allocation. To help farmers survive the drought, the district plans to get as much as 90 […]
Our Bill Will Help Arizona Farmers and Communities Manage Drought
[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] By United States Senator Mark Kelly Arizona and the West are facing the worst drought in 1,200 years. Below-average snowpack and dry soil conditions in the Colorado River basin are reducing water availability for farmers, ranchers, businesses, and communities. This issue is a priority for me because Arizona is on the frontlines of […]
Volume 13 Issue 3 March
Responding to the Drought on the Colorado By Kris Polly As Arizona irrigators know, the tier 1 cuts to Colorado River water deliveries are starting to bite. The drought on the Colorado is a deadly serious affair. This month, we are pleased to feature a column by United States Senator Mark Kelly, whose Colorado […]
Dick Schober of Piper Sandler: A Primer on Bond Issuance for Irrigation Districts
As a managing director of public finance investment banking at Piper Sandler, Dick Schober underwrites bond issuance for clients in many sectors, including water, irrigation, and sewer districts. In this interview, he lays out the basic principles of issuing bonds for Irrigation Leader readers. [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background. Dick Schober: […]
Tom Osborn of the Bonneville Power Authority: Working With Irrigators to Increase Energy Efficiency
In the 40 years since Congress directed the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to meet growing energy needs through renewables and efficiency, the agency has saved 2,350 average megawatts (MW) through energy efficiency programs. BPA is a federal power marking agency that markets and transmits power from the Pacific Northwest federal dams and one nuclear power […]
Chris Ford of Southern Irrigation: Promoting Center Pivots in British Columbia
When Southern Irrigation bought Highlands Irrigation in 2020, two established family businesses joined forces to provide agricultural solutions to growers and cattle ranchers across British Columbia and beyond. In this interview, Chris Ford tells us about his family background, which spans from New Zealand to British Columbia, and explains how Southern Irrigation supports a variety […]
In the Loup: The Lower Loup Natural Resources District Uses Science, Partnerships, and Stakeholder Buy-In to Conserve Nebraska’s Precious Natural Resources
In the heart of Nebraska, the Lower Loup Natural Resources District (LLNRD) stretches from the eastern Sandhills north and east past Burwell, Albion, and Petersburg, south to Buffalo County, and east to the Columbus area. The district, headquartered in Ord, stretches 156 miles east to west and 96 miles north to south, making it the […]
Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner of the International Boundary and Water Commission: Sharing Water on the U.S.-Mexico Border
The United States and Mexico share nearly 2,000 miles of border, more than 1,200 miles of which runs along the Rio Grande. Further west, the Colorado River crosses the border and flows into the Sea of Cortez. The border, and water deliveries across and along it, are governed by numerous treaties as well as subsequent […]