Glenn Grette: Permitting and Fish-Friendly Design in the Pacific Northwest
In central Washington, state and federal regulations protect several species of endangered salmon and steelhead. Grette Associates helps clients solve permitting issues related to fisheries ecology, habitat restoration and mitigation, impact assessment, study design, and environmental documentation. Irrigation Leader spoke with company principal and senior fisheries biologist Glenn Grette on his company’s work, including its recent collaboration with the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) on the Yakima River.
How the Middle Republic Natural Resources District Is Mapping the Ogallala Aquifer From the Air
When the Middle Republican Natural Resources District (MRNRD) in Nebraska wanted to get a better picture of its groundwater supplies, it hired Aqua Geo Frameworks to do an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey. The district will use that information to better manage groundwater extraction and irrigated farming on the surface. In this interview, MRNRD Manager Jack Russell and Engineering Hydrologist Alex Boyce tell Irrigation Leader about their experience with the new technology and how it will help them help irrigated farmers in their service area.
Mike Mills: At Reinke Manufacturing, Sustainability Is a Global Goal
Reinke’s irrigation systems can help growers save water while increasing yield. That, says Mike Mills, Reinke’s director of sustainability solutions, is a winning formula at a time when ending global hunger as well as conserving water are top worldwide sustainability goals. In this interview, Mr. Mills speaks with Irrigation Leader about Reinke’s approach to sustainability, from manufacturing and recycling to deploying technology to help growers achieve maximum water application efficiency.
How the Colorado Water Trust Uses Market-Based Agreements to Benefit Rivers and Irrigators
The Colorado Water Trust makes agreements with water rights holders to buy or lease water to keep in the state’s rivers and streams. It negotiates deals with water rights holders—usually farmers and ranchers, who own 85 percent of the water in Colorado—to obtain rights for instream flow. The approach benefits farmers, fish, and everyone who depends on healthy rivers. Andy Schultheiss, the executive director of the Colorado Water Trust, tells us more.
Tapping Opportunities at the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program Reduce Workload and Raise Funds
The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program includes a wide variety of funding opportunities for water efficiency, drought resilience, watershed management, and water reuse. Over the next 5 years, WaterSMART will disburse an additional $1.9 billion thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In this interview, Josh German, the coordinator of WaterSMART Grants, and Dean Marrone, the manager of Reclamation’s Water Resources and Planning Office, give us the inside scoop on the different WaterSMART programs and provide advice to irrigation districts on how to put together a successful application.
How Kennewick Irrigation District’s Administrative Fees Reduce Workload and Raise Funds
Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) is located in the rapidly growing Tri-Cities area of Central Washington. In response to the ballooning of administrative tasks related to urbanization and property transfers, KID instituted several administrative fees and set up a web portal to supply relevant information to title companies. In this interview, KID Secretary and District Manager Chuck Freeman explains how a judicious introduction of service fees can improve service levels, reduce workload, and raise money.
Raising Infrastructure Funds by Issuing a Bond: A Conversation With Matt Lukasiewicz
When a nonprofit group of three Reclamation and irrigation districts in central Nebraska needed project financing, it turned to bonds. In this interview, Irrigation Leader speaks with general manager Matt Lukasiewicz about the process of issuing a bond.
How Irrigation Districts Should Develop Budgets and Raise Capital
Kipp Drummond has worked in finance in both the private and public sectors, including 6 years as the senior financial manager and comptroller for the Kennewick Irrigation District. In this interview, he brings his years of experience to bear to walk us through all the steps irrigation districts should go through to develop budgets and identify the best ways to raise capital.
Rick Reinders: Watertronics’ High-Quality Pump Systems and Controls for the Irrigation Market
Wisconsin-based Watertronics provides a wide variety of pump stations, control panels, and telemetry products for the agricultural, industrial/ municipal, landscape irrigation, and golf irrigation markets. In this interview, Watertronics Co-CEO Rick Reinders tells us about the company’s commitment to quality and service and its offerings for the irrigation market.
Congressman Dan Newhouse: Supporting Irrigated Ag in Central Washington State
The Yakima River basin is one of the most productive and intensively irrigated agricultural areas of the United States. Farmers there raise cattle and grow apples, cherries, grapes, pears, and hay. In this interview, Dan Newhouse, who represents Washington’s Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, discusses the importance of irrigated ag to the region and talks about his recent legislation simplifying the title transfer process and putting local districts in the driver’s seat.
