Number of employees: 63
Size of service area in acres: 55,105
Total amount of water diverted per year for irrigation in acre-feet: Billed—105,393; available—133,768
Main irrigated crops: Almonds, corn, grapes, pasture, rice
Predominant irrigation methods: Drip tape, flood, pivot
José Nuncio
President
Sorraia Valley Irrigators and Water Users Association
Coruche, Portugal
Irrigation Leader: How many vehicles and pieces of equipment does your district own?
José Nuncio: One truck to transport heavy equipment, 1 crane truck, 1 3.5‑ton truck, 11 pickup trucks, 2 cars, 4 Cat 320 excavators; 2 Cat 428 backhoes, 1 Fendt 130 cv tractor, and 1 Bobcat.
Irrigation Leader: What kind of maintenance is required for your vehicles and equipment?
José Nuncio: Preventive maintenance, including periodic inspections and oil changes, and corrective maintenance carried out by two mechanics from the association and, in special cases, third parties.
Irrigation Leader: What kinds of records do you keep of that maintenance?
José Nuncio: None.
Irrigation Leader: How do you buy or bid for equipment?
José Nuncio: We invite three entities to submit proposals.
Irrigation Leader: How long do you use your vehicles and pieces of equipment before replacing them?
José Nuncio: It depends on the condition of each piece of equipment and on the cost of maintenance and can vary from 5 to 20 years.
José Nuncio is the president of the Sorraia Valley Irrigators and Water Users Association. He can be contacted at secretariado@fenareg.pt.
