John Stuhlmiller of the Washington State Water Resources Association: A Voice for Irrigation Districts
The Washington State Water Resources Association (WSWRA) advocates for water districts, including those of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Columbia Basin and Yakima Projects, to ensure that they can continue to deliver water to their customers. In this interview, Irrigation Leader speaks with the association’s new executive director, John Stuhlmiller, a former lobbyist for the Farm […]
Volume 13 Issue 8 September
The Equipment Issue By Kris Polly To build and maintain large networks of canals, laterals, and pipelines spanning many miles of territory, irrigation districts rely on fleets of vehicles and heavy equipment, which they must successfully and cost-effectively acquire, maintain, keep track of, and retire. This month, we focus on those assets. First, we bring […]
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 […]
Volume 13 Issue 7 July/August
The Finance Issue By Kris Polly Irrigation districts are not usually awash in cash, yet they face high capital expenses for the construction and maintenance of major infrastructure projects. In this issue, we take a look at the different budgeting methods and funding mechanisms that can help them fulfill their missions. In this month’s cover […]
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 […]
Volume 13 Issue 6 June
Seeing Irrigated Ag From the Family Farm Point of View By Kris Polly When we discuss irrigation, we often think of reservoirs, canals, siphons, and other large-scale infrastructure. But of course, all that is in place to serve producers. This month, we talk to the Sheehan family of central Washington, who run their dairy and […]
The Sheehan Family of Washington State: On Dairy Farming, Irrigated Agriculture, and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan
On their dairy farm in Yakima County, Washington, Karen, and Jason Sheehan raise their children in the same farming way of life in which they were raised. But they conduct their day-to-day operations with an eye toward the future. Irrigation Leader spoke with Karen and Jason Sheehan about using water wisely and collaborating with other […]
Norman Semanko: Practicing Water Law in the Pacific Northwest
Norman Semanko brings more than 30 years of experience with water resources and regulatory issues to his work as the water law practice group leader in the Pacific Northwest Region for Parsons Behle & Latimer. Irrigation Leader spoke with him about his work representing irrigation districts and canal companies in the complex practice of modern […]
Volume 13 Issue 5 May
Putting Legal Experience to Work for Washington Farmers By Kris Polly For this month’s cover story, we speak with Norman Semanko, who brings more than 30 years of experience with water resources and regulatory issues to his work as the water law practice group leader in the Pacific Northwest Region for Parsons Behle & Latimer. […]
Volume 13 Issue 4 April
Bringing Experience and Understanding to the Legal Field By Kris Polly The success and flourishing of an irrigation district depend on many things—weather, funding, upkeep, modernization, and planning, for instance—but perhaps no factor counts as much as does a good manager. A manager must know their district’s distinctive characteristics and challenges, their employees, and their […]