Madera Irrigation District Upgrades Its System By Jan Boling
The Madera Irrigation District (MID) is one of many districts that have recognized the need to update their metering sites by replacing old turnout meters with new technology. The MID, which encompasses an area of approximately 139,665 acres in the Central Valley of California, operates a primarily gravity irrigation distribution system with approximately 300 miles of open-flow canal systems and 150 miles of large-diameter pipelines. It is a public agency whose mission is to obtain and manage affordable surface water and groundwater supplies and ensure the long-term viability of irrigated agriculture in its service area. The MID’s water is sourced from surrounding lakes and mountain diversion contracts. The water is…
Reclamation’s Role in the Drop 5 Reconstruction
After the recent catastrophic failure of one of the Milk River Project’s drop structures, the Bureau of Reclamation worked intensively with the Milk River Joint Board of Control (MRJBOC), the State of Montana, the Blackfeet Tribe, and other stakeholders to plan for a permanent repair to the structure. In this interview, Steve Davies, the manager of Reclamation’s Montana area office, tells Irrigation Leader about the close collaboration that went into a successful, timely repair and shares the wisdom he has gained over 35 years at Reclamation.
How the Montana Congressional Delegation Worked to Support the Drop 5 Reconstruction
When drop 5 on the St. Mary Unit of the Milk River Project failed in May 2020, a large group of stakeholders, including the Milk River Joint Board of Control (MRJBOC), the Bureau of Reclamation, and the State of Montana came together to address the problem and repair the structure. Montana’s delegation to Congress— Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Congressman Greg Gianforte—also played a key role in coordinating efforts and pushing forward legislation to address the situation. In this interview, we speak with Senators Daines and Tester and Congressman Gianforte, who was recently elected governor of Montana, about their involvement in the drop 5 reconstruction and their legislative…
Jennifer Patrick and Marko Manoukian: Successful Emergency Repairs on the Milk River Project
On May 17, 2020, a drop structure on the Milk River Project, which conveys water to the Milk River in Montana’s Hi-Line Region, failed catastrophically, eliminating or significantly reducing irrigation water flows across the Milk River basin. The Milk River Joint Board of Control (MRJBOC), the State of Montana, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other stakeholders immediately sprang into action, assessing the site, modifying existing plans, and beginning construction in August. By early October, water was flowing through the project’s infrastructure once again. In this interview, MRJBOC Program Manager Jennifer Patrick and Marko Manoukian, the Montana State University extension agent in Phillips County and the local chairperson for the St.…
Volume 12 Issue 1 January Washington State Edition Larry Martin: The Skills of a Top Water Lawyer
Water resources agencies operate at the intersection of many legal fields, from water rights to environmental regulations to the everyday operating concerns of municipal entities. That means that being a water lawyer requires experience in and thorough knowledge of many areas of the law. In our cover story this month, water lawyer Larry Martin of Halverson Northwest walks us through the intricacies of his trade. We also feature several stories on the reconstruction of the drop 5 structure in the St. Mary Unit of Montana’s Milk River Project. On October 15, 2020, 5 months after its May failure, Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman and Montana’s congressional delegation, among many other stakeholders…
Volume 12 Issue 1 January Successful Emergency Repairs on the Milk River Project
The May 2020 failure of the drop 5 structure in the St. Mary Unit of Montana’s Milk River Project was a catastrophic event. “To me, it looked like a bomb had been placed under the middle section of the drop structure,” said Milk River Joint Board of Control (MRJBOC) Program Manager Jennifer Patrick. But less than 5 months later, on October 15, Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman and Montana’s congressional delegation, among many other stakeholders and supporters, were attending a ribbon cutting celebrating the reconstruction of the drop structure, which is once again helping deliver water to the Milk River to benefit to the farmers, tribal users, and municipalities of Montana’s…
How Assura Software Can Increase Data Security, Reduce Risk, and Help Maintain Social Distancing
Assura Software, based in Christchurch, New Zealand, aims to help businesses automate their everyday manual processes. Its software platform combines the configurability of a bespoke solution with the ease and assurance of an off-the-shelf product. In this interview, Hamish Howard, Assura’s CEO and managing director, speaks with Irrigation Leader about how the company’s solution can increase data security, reduce injuries, and help maintain social distance in the workplace.
Know CPR’s Informative and Inexpensive CPR Training
Don Sussman founded the company Know CPR after participating in a CPR course he found to be overly expensive and ineffective in imparting the knowledge and skills that can be essential to saving the life of a family member, friend, colleague, or even a stranger. Some 20 years later, Know CPR is successfully providing CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED), and first aid skills to people around the nation in an informative and affordable manner. In this interview, Mr. Sussman tells Irrigation Leader about his company’s services and how it is successfully adapting to remote classes in the COVID19 era.
How Irrigation Districts Can Improve Security Practices in Every Field
Phil Ball is a longtime police officer and the founder and lead instructor of the Situational Awareness Institute (SAI), a security training company. In this interview, Mr. Ball covers the many facets of security preparation that irrigation districts should carry out, including crisis communication training, the installation of security cameras and panic buttons, the preparation of emergency plans, and the establishment of relationships with local fire and law enforcement agencies.
Special Issue: Security
Safety and security are important concerns for any irrigation district manager. A manager must make sure that employees are safe on the job; ensure that operations are carried out in a way that keeps the public safe; and protect facilities from damage, vandalism, or theft. This requires responsible and forward-thinking management and the ability to respond flexibly when unexpected events occur. This year has brought with it two major safety and security concerns: the COVID‑19 pandemic and the wave of rioting, arson, and looting that accompanied the nationwide protest movement that followed the death of George Floyd in May. In this special issue on security, our cover story is an…
