THE EQUIPMENT INTERVIEWS
Number of employees: 165 Size of service area in acres: 1.6 million; about 600,000 irrigated Amount of water diverted per year for irrigation in acre-feet: 220,000 diverted on average with about 50 percent used for irrigation Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, corn Predominant irrigation methods: Flood, pivot [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Jerry Gibbens Director of Operations Northern Water […]
THE EQUIPMENT INTERVIEWS
Number of employees: 51 Size of service area in acres: 70,000 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 125,000 Main crops irrigated: Citrus fruit, corn, cotton, grain, sugarcane, vegetables Predominant irrigation methods: Flood, drip, sprinkler [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Troy Allen General Manager Delta Lake Irrigation District Edcouch, TX Irrigation Leader: How many vehicles […]
Assura Software’s Asset Management Solutions
New Zealand–based tech company Assura has worked with numerous U.S. irrigation district clients to create customized asset-management solutions. Assura can be used to track vehicles, heavy equipment, pumps, and more, recording maintenance and inspections and alerting staff when assets need attention. Assura combines the ease of an off-the-shelf solution with full customizability and robust support […]
Chris Crow of Kennewick Irrigation District: What It’s Like to Drive a D11 Bulldozer
Chris Crow has a family background in construction and has worked as a heavy equipment operator at the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) for 24 years. At KID, he operates some of the biggest heavy equipment on the market, including Caterpillar’s top-of-the-line D11 bulldozer. In this interview, Mr. Crow tells us about his work. [siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] […]
The Aquatic Vegetation Rake: The Green Solution to Canal Waterweeds
Bill Fuchs of Maximized Water Management is the inventor of the Aquatic Vegetation Rake (AVR), an excavator-mounted tool that removes waterweeds from canals without damaging their banks or requiring dewatering. By completely removing waterweeds, the AVR improves downstream water quality and reduces subsequent regrowth. In this interview, Mr. Fuchs tells us about the origins of […]
Bryce Evans of Evans Equipment: Reliable Refurbished Heavy Equipment for Irrigation Districts
We all know that buying a car can be expensive and stressful. Now imagine buying a several-million-dollar bulldozer or excavator! Missouri-based Evans Equipment lowers both the cost and the anxiety level by refurbishing mid-life heavy equipment that it acquires from trusted sources in the United States and around the world. It then rebuilds it, sometimes […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]