Changing the Status Quo
MHV Water is a large-scale irrigation district—a “scheme,” in New Zealand parlance—in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, which delivers water and manages environmental compliance for approximately 140,000 acres of highly productive farmland. MHV operates in the Hinds Plains region of Mid Canterbury, a fertile area that is well suited to open-pasture dairy farming. MHV, […]
Ed Mitchell: Operations Manager of Benton Irrigation District
Benton Irrigation District serves over 4,500 acres of urban and agricultural land around Benton County in southeastern Washington. Over the last decade, BID undertook a $35 million project to convert its open-ditch system into a fully pressurized, completely pipe-based system. This technological leap has resulted in significant advances in water conservation. Kris Polly, editor-in-chief of […]
Volume 9 Issue 8 September Washington Edition 2018
In this issue of Irrigation Leader magazine, we feature Ed Mitchell of Benton Irrigation District (BID), which proves that you don’t need to be a huge district to make huge advances. Between 2009 and 2014, BID changed over completely from open ditches to a state-of-the-art, fully pressurized system. The water savings are so great […]
Reflections on the Tour Experience
from February 17–22, 2018, Irrigation Leader magazine, Rubicon Water, International Water Screens, and Alligare sponsored the 3rd Annual Irrigation Leader Magazine Irrigation Education Tour. This year, the tour returned to Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, to visit Goulburn-Murray Water, Coleambally Irrigation, and Murrumbidgee Irrigation. Stops on the tour included the Great Ocean Road, the […]
From Yuma to Lincoln
From September 8 to 15, 25 New Zealanders toured irrigation districts, natural resources districts, university research centers, and other sites in Colorado and Nebraska to learn more about irrigation and water management in the United States. [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] After flying into Denver, Colorado, the tour participants traveled 21/2 hours to Yuma, Colorado, to visit Agri-Inject […]
Nebraska Tour Generates New Ideas Among Kiwi Farmers and Irrigation Experts
Aparty of 25 New Zealand irrigators, farm and environmental consultants, and irrigation scheme and service industry representatives has returned from a trip to Nebraska with some fresh ideas about how to improve environmental management in New Zealand. The 5-day trip was organized by IrrigationNZ, a member-funded industry group that supports excellence in irrigation. The group, […]
Volume 9 Issue 8 September 2018
This issue of Irrigation Leader magazine follows a group of New Zealanders as they tour Nebraska to learn more about American irrigation methods, groundwater management, and regulatory enforcement. The tour group was composed of 25 irrigating farmers, consultants, and irrigation managers, all highly successful in their respective fields. Organized by Andrew Curtis of IrrigationNZ, […]
Returning Control
For many families, farmers, businesses, and municipalities throughout the country, a connection to sources of groundwater is essential to ensuring a reliable source of drinking water. Traditionally, a tap would be drilled hundreds of feet to the aquifer and lined with pipe installed in increments. Although this method of tapping into groundwater still works well, […]
Assessing Idaho’s Groundwater Settlement
The Eastern Snake Plane aquifer in southern Idaho supports nearly 2 million acres of farmland, dozens of cities, and various industries across the region. In 2015, after years of contentious litigation and a declining water supply, groundwater users and surface water users in the region entered into a settlement to end the conflict over the […]
Improving Water Delivery and Efficiency for Farmers
In summer 2018, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) of Perris, California, received a $210,000 grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to support increased water use efficiencies among its agricultural customers. The grant funding is part of the Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency program, a joint program between Reclamation and the National Resources Conservation Service. EMWD […]