Volume 13 Issue 10 Nov/Dec
With levels in Lakes Powell and Mead continuing to sink, the Colorado basin drought is still top of mind for everyone in the American West.
Volume 13 Issue 9 October
Irrigation districts own and operate major infrastructure and powerful machines, but their greatest assets are their employees. That being the case, it is just as important for
Volume 11 Issue 1 January 2020
The irrigation that makes agriculture in the West so productive could not exist without irrigation districts. And no irrigation district could function without the presence of a manager. Irrigation district managers must understand everything from 100-year-old concrete infrastructure to cutting-edge supervisory control and data acquisition systems. They must manage relationships with boards of […]
Volume 8 Issue 10 November/December 2017
The Central Valley of California is one the nation’s main sources of fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. Over the last couple decades, the Central Valley has struggled with water supplies because of federal management and drought. In light of limited surface water supplies, water managers in the valley have come up with creative solutions […]
Volume 8 Issue 9 October 2017
Bringing century-old irrigation projects into the 21st century requires vision, strategy, and perseverance. In the October issue of Irrigation Leader, we talk to managers and innovators who help tell the story of irrigation district modernization as it works today. In our cover interview, Erling Juel, general manager of Greenfields Irrigation District in central Montana, […]
Volume 8 Issue 8 September 2017
In this issue’s cover interview, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District (YTID) Manager Rick Dieker perfectly summarizes the state of many irrigation districts across the West today: “We are living off the infrastructure investments that were made over a century ago, and it is time to start working on keeping them viable for the future.” Mr. Dieker […]
Volume 8 Issue 7 July/August 2017
Moving water efficiently is as much about people as it is about technology. For decades, Nebraska’s irrigation districts have led the way in adopting the latest technology to store, conserve, and stretch water supplies. Those districts have also taken steps to provide the necessary training and benefits to retain and grow their employees. In […]
Volume 8 Issue 6 June 2017
This issue of Irrigation Leader examines the work and ideas of unique individuals who are intent upon modernizing and making improvements. While they have diverse backgrounds and professions, they are all thinkers and doers, and positive people. Mr. Jesus “Chuy” Reyes has quietly modernized the El Paso County Water Improvement District #1 over his […]
Volume 8 Issue 5 May 2017
The respective histories of hydropower and irrigation are intertwined in the American West. Over the years, many large irrigation projects have included a significant hydropower component to help finance the costs of construction and provide power to the communities that grew from the introduction of water. Today, smaller, low-head hydro projects around found on […]
Volume 8 Issue 4 April 2017
New Zealand is a beautiful country with exceptionally friendly, pragmatic, and resourceful people. This issue of Irrigation Leader is all about our February 18–25, 2017, irrigation tour in New Zealand and what we learned there. Before we begin, I want to say thank you to Alligare and Rubicon Water who, with our magazine, helped […]