Mike Wells Scotia, NE
General Manager | Twin Loups Irrigation District and Twin Loups Reclamation District Years working in irrigation: 39 Years as a manager: 7 Number of employees: 13 full time; 2 summer part time Size of service area in acres: 56,199 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 50,000–55,000 in an average rainfall year Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, corn, soybeans Predominant irrigation methods: Center pivot, gravity
Gabriel Varela Cano La Serena, Chile
President | Miraflores Canal and Elqui River Joint Board of Control Years working in irrigation: 20 Years as manager: 14 Number of employees: 21 Size of service area in acres: 29,650, plus the supply of half the drinking water for a municipal system serving 600,000 people Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 105,390–194,570, plus 16,214 acre-feet for municipal use Main crops irrigated: Citrus fruit, grapes, vegetables Predominant irrigation methods: Drip, drip tape
Juan Valero de Palma Valencia, Spain
General Secretary | Royal Canal of the Júcar Years working in irrigation: 34 Years as manager: 33 Number of employees: 161 (including the governing board and local boards) Size of service area in acres: 50,290 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 132,050 Main crops irrigated: Citrus fruit, persimmons, rice, vegetables Predominant irrigation methods: Drip, flood
Marc Thalacker Sisters, OR
Manager |Three Sisters Irrigation District Years working in irrigation: 25 Years as manager: 25 Number of employees: 7 Size of service area in acres: 60,000, 7,600 of which is irrigated Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 20,000–27,000 Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, grass, grains, hemp, seed crops Predominant irrigation methods: Pivot, realign, microsprinklers, drip (for hemp)
Rick Smith Sunset, UT
General Manager |Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company and the Weber River Water Users Association Years working in irrigation: 23 Years as manager: 6 Number of employees: 13 Size of service area in acres: 30,000 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 60,000–80,000 Main crops irrigated: Beans, corn, grains, melons, onions, peppers Predominant irrigation methods: Flood (agriculture), sprinklers (secondary water/lawn and garden)
Amadeu Ros Farré Mollerussa, Catalonia, Spain
President | General Community of Irrigators of the Canals of Urgell Years working in irrigation: 40 Years as manager: 15 Number of employees: 61 Size of service area in acres: 185,330 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 486,430 Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, maize, tree fruit (primarily apples and pears), winter cereals (wheat and barley) Predominant irrigation methods: Flood (88%), spray (6%), drip (6%)
Andrew Rodwell Oamaru, New Zealand
CEO | North Otago Irrigation Company Years working in irrigation: 3 Years as manager: 20 Number of employees: 14 at NOIC; NOIC manages two neighboring irrigation schemes Size of service area in acres: 49,420 (NOIC); 64,250 (all three schemes) Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 48,640 (NOIC); 64,860 (all three schemes) Main crops irrigated: Pasture; winter feed crops for dairy, dairy support, and sheep and beef farmers; wheat; barley; maize; horticultural crops, such as brassicas and grapes Predominant irrigation methods: Center pivot, K-line, hard hose irrigator, fixed-grid sprinkler
Michelle Reimers Turlock, CA
General Manager | Turock Irrigation District Years working in irrigation: 16 Years as manager: 14 Number of employees: 458 (both power and water) Size of service area in acres: 423,680 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 441,314 (average during 2007–2021 irrigation seasons) Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, almonds, corn, oats, walnuts Predominant irrigation methods: Flood, micro/drip
Lance Philben Ainsworth, NE
Manager | Ainsworth Irrigation District Years working in irrigation: 7 Years as manager: 4 Number of employees: 12 Size of service area in acres: 34,518 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 60,000–70,000 Main crops irrigated: Corn, soybeans Predominant irrigation methods: Center pivot
Donovan Neese Buckeye, AZ
Superintendent | Roosevelt Irrigation District Years working in irrigation: 25 Years as manager: 15 Number of employees: 35 Size of service area in acres: 36,000 Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 130,000 Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, cotton, corn, sorghum, wheat Predominant irrigation methods: Flood