Irrigation Leader February 2015 by Water Strategies

Volume 6 Issue 2

February 2015

Collaborating to Find Workable Solutions: An Interview With Reclamation Commissioner Estevan Lรณpez

Leaders By Kris Polly

his issue of Irrigation Leader magazine provides a personalized view of some unique individuals in western water leadership positions. Our cover features the Honorable Estevan López, who was confirmed by the United States Senate to be the 22nd commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Being commissioner is a big job; Commissioner López is responsible for a 5,500-person agency that provides water to 10 million acres of irrigated farmland and drinking water to 31 million people in the 17 western states. Reclamation is also the second-largest producer of hydroelectricity in the country, with 53 power plants. Our interview provides a good sense of his quiet, steady leadership and personal integrity—all traits that will make him successful. Mr. Cole Perryman shares with us information about the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan and its vision to move Oklahoma forward on the management of water. Mr. Russell Isaacs discusses the challenges experienced by the member of the Oklahoma Panhandle Agriculture and Irrigation Association and their efforts to maintain and build a viable irrigation-based economy. Lugert-Altus Irrigation District General Manager Tom Buchanan describes his district and his farmers’ efforts to conserve water supplies and modernize their irrigation practices. Mr. Todd Newhouse describes the history of wine growing in Washington State’s Yakima Valley and how the growers have organized for the betterment of their industry. Ms. Melissa Aquino, president of McCrometer,

discusses the company’s 60 years of history, farmbased origins, and unique service and problem-solving philosophy. In my conversation with Ms. Aquino it is clear that she is exceptionally intelligent and has tremendous business acumen (as evidenced by her background in chemical engineering and her résumé); however, her approachability is striking. She is definitely a leader, and I am certain the western water community will become more acquainted with her in the future. “Call Bob Wietharn in Clay Center,” Kenny Nelson, general manager of the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District told me. “He has a pretty good screen that he invented for pumping out of the river.” Speaking with Mr. Wietharn was a real joy. Kenny was right; Mr. Wietharn does have a pretty good screen. Others think so, too, as he has sold them around the globe in 25 countries. A real American story that only required a good idea, hard work, and leadership. We hope you enjoy this issue of Irrigation Leader and reading about the featured individuals. They are all great people and real leaders. Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.

The Water and Power Report www.WaterAndPowerReport.com The Water and Power Report is the one-stop aggregate news site for water and power issues in the 17 western states. Sign up for the free “Daily” service to receive e-mail notice of the top headlines and press releases each business day.

Irrigation Leader

C O N T E N T S

February 2015

2 Leaders Volume 6

Issue 2

Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by Water Strategies LLC P.O. Box 100576 Arlington, VA 22210 Staff: Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief John Crotty, Senior Writer Robin Pursley, Graphic Designer Capital Copyediting LLC, Copyeditor SUBMISSIONS: Irrigation Leader welcomes manuscript, photography, and art submissions. However, the right to edit or deny publishing submissions is reserved. Submissions are returned only upon request. ADVERTISING: Irrigation Leader accepts one-quarter, half-page, and full-page ads. For more information on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly at (703) 517-3962 or Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com. CIRCULATION: Irrigation Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. For address corrections or additions, please contact our office at Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com. Copyright © 2015 Water Strategies LLC. Irrigation Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Irrigation Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Irrigation Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Irrigation Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised.

COVER PHOTO: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López. Irrigation Leader

By Kris Polly

4 Collaborating to Find Workable Solutions:

An Interview With Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López

10 Planning for Oklahoma’s Water Future

By Cole Perryman

14 Oklahoma Panhandle Agriculture and Irrigation Association

By Russell Isaacs

District Focus 16 Lugert-Altus Irrigation District

By Tom Buchanan

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE 22 Todd Newhouse, Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers

BUSINESS LEADER 24 Melissa Aquino, McCrometer THE INNOVATORS 30 The RiverScreenTM 32 Study Reveals Climate Change Effects

on Irrigation Demand and Reservoir Evaporation in the West By the Bureau of Reclamation

38 Classified Listings 3

Commissioner Estevan López addressing stakeholders attending the Washington State Water Resources Association Annual Conference in Spokane, Washington, on December 4, 2014.

Collaborating to Find Workable Solutions: An Interview With Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López

orn and raised in northern New Mexico, Estevan López has been involved with municipal and agricultural water systems most of his life. He now brings that unique experience to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. On December 16, 2014, the United States Senate confirmed Mr. López as the commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. Prior to current position, Commissioner López served as director of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission for 12 years. His professional portfolio includes working as deputy New Mexico state engineer, county manager for Santa Fe County, and land use and utility director for Santa Fe County, and as an employee of the New Mexico Public Utility Commission. Commissioner López is a registered professional engineer in New Mexico and holds bachelor of science degrees in chemistry and petroleum engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke with 4

the commissioner about his history, the Reclamation’s goals for the upcoming year, and the value of working closely with project stakeholders. Kris Polly: Please tell us about your family background and how you got involved in irrigation and water issues. Commissioner López: I am a native of New Mexico. I grew up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. My father’s family has lived in the area for generations. I grew up helping with my father’s cattle ranch and tending our garden. Irrigation and ranching have been instrumental in my life and have really illustrated the importance of water to people’s lives and livelihoods. If you know anything about New Mexico, you probably know about its communal irrigation systems, known as acequias. I worked on them my entire life, including when I became involved with their governance. I also served as Irrigation Leader

president of the local mutual domestic water association. That experience shaped my view of water management from the domestic water perspective. I was a chemist and petroleum engineer by education. After working in the oil production field in Alaska for a few years, I returned to New Mexico to work for the state in the regulation of privately owned public utilities. One of my assignments was to oversee the regulation of small municipal water utilities. That is where I first became interested in water rights and water management. I pursued that interest, becoming director of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and ultimately being nominated as commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. Kris Polly: What are Reclamation’s top priorities? Commissioner López: Mother Nature is setting our immediate priority: drought. Extreme drought continues around the West. The Colorado River basin is experiencing its worst drought in recorded history. The Southern Great Plains and the Upper Rio Grande basins continue to experience very dry conditions. In the Pacific Northwest, snowpack is well below normal. California is experiencing its fourth year of intense drought. Given the huge contributions of agricultural production in the state, the impacts of the drought are huge. Low water supplies in the state over the last four years have focused our need to manage scarce supplies consistent with our legal and contractual obligations in a way that will minimize conflict while striving to meet

at least at a minimal level—the various needs. Trying to balance competing agricultural, power, tribal, and environmental needs of water users in the time of drought is a real challenge. From an historical perspective, Reclamation has a lot of infrastructure that is aging, yet continues to be relied on for water supply and hydropower. A lot of that infrastructure is more than 50 years old; some of it is more than 100 years old; and some of it has reached the end of its design life. One of our priorities is maintaining that infrastructure to ensure a sustainable supply of water and dependable power. We continue to work with our project partners to ensure that we make prudent investments in the upkeep and rehabilitation of the infrastructure so that it can continue to serve us for another 100 years. Increasingly, this administration has made the

Commissioner López talking with Technical Service Center employee Josh Mortensen about Josh’s research on air demand and air vent analysis for gated conduits.

implementation of various Indian water rights settlements as a priority. So we are focused on trying to move those ahead right now. A number of them include drinking water infrastructure as part of the settlement implementation. We have six or seven rural water projects that continue to be a priority for Reclamation. We have a very constrained budget, so these projects are not moving as quickly as we, or the project proponents, would like. We also have to recognize that climate change is reality. [Reclamation] will be at the forefront of dealing with the impacts of climate change on water. The sooner we try to integrate that reality into the way we do business, the sooner we will find better ways of adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. In that regard, our basin studies have been opening up important dialogs among the water users in their respective basins to better position everyone to understand what must On December 5, 2014, Commissioner López toured Grand Coulee Dam, which be done to get to the future we provides water to irrigate approximately 600,000 acres in the Columbia Basin really want. Project. Irrigation Leader

Commissioner López (right) speaking with Technical Service Center employee Westin Joy (left) and Technical Service Center Director Thomas Luebke (center).

Kris Polly: What is your message to Reclamation contractors who are experiencing delivery shortages? Commissioner López: First and foremost, we recognize that water underlies our economy. People’s livelihoods hang in the balance. Our core mission is to supply sustainable water and power in an environmentally and economically responsible manner. We are working hard at doing that, admittedly in a constrained budget environment. Our goal is to make the most of what Mother Nature provides. Kris Polly: What are your goals as commissioner? Commissioner López: My goals as commissioner are aligned with Reclamation’s priorities. If, after my stint here, I am able to look back and know that we provided the best possible service to our partners in terms of maximizing available water and that we invested wisely to have a lasting impact on our ability to provide secure 6

Commissioner López touring Grand Coulee Dam on December 5, 2014. Irrigation Leader

Commissioner López touring Grand Coulee Dam on December 5, 2014.

water, I will see that as a success. We have major infrastructure funding challenges. It would be great to make some headway on those issues, but we have to work within the fiscal reality of the budget climate that we are in. With programs such as title XVI and WaterSMART, our stakeholders can at least compete for funds that can make a difference toward stretching limited supplies. I am incredibly impressed with the quality of people here. I want to focus on their needs as well, in terms of making sure that this organization continues to function well so we can provide good service externally. Kris Polly: Has anything surprised you thus far? Commissioner López: I’ve been pleasantly surprised, again, by the quality of Reclamation employees. It is amazing how much comes at me in this job, and my staff is great at feeding me the right information in the right amounts so that I don’t drown. Kris Polly: What should every Reclamation contractor know about you and how you do business? Irrigation Leader

Commissioner López: I don’t pretend to have all of the answers. I will listen to concerns and make the best possible use of our resources at Reclamation to try to find the best answers to those concerns. I will try to work toward solutions rather than letting the concerns elevate to conflict or litigation. Often times, we have to balance competing and sometimes diametrically opposed objectives. The way we work toward balance is through listening and collaboration. We can spend a huge amount of money on litigation, or we can try to hear one another and find common ground that works for all sides. 7

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Planning for Oklahoma’s Water Future By Cole Perryman

n 2012, Oklahoma completed the most technically sound, publicly vetted comprehensive water plan—the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan (OCWP)—in state history. The subsequent 2012 state legislature session was a landmark for Oklahoma’s water resources management, as elected officials and water planners worked together to implement many of the OCWP’s priority and supporting recommendations. This multifaceted effort included new funding for monitoring and technical studies to better track the quality and quantity of our invaluable water resources. The funding has allowed the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to create Oklahoma’s first comprehensive groundwater quality and quantity monitoring program, as well as to conduct several critical updates to groundwater and surface water hydrologic studies. There was also a state constitutional referendum in 2012, approved by statewide vote, to ensure that the state’s water infrastructure financing programs could keep pace with the next 50 years of need—a projected $82 billion of need, according to the OCWP. The referendum allowed the OWRB, which currently

provides low-interest financing for approximately 70 percent of water and sewer infrastructure in Oklahoma, to increase its leveraging capacity. Yet, perhaps the most far-reaching outcome of the implementation of the OCWP came with passage of the Water for 2060 Act in 2012. Through this legislation, Oklahoma became the first state in the nation to establish a bold, statewide goal of consuming no more fresh water in 2060 than was consumed at that time. The legislation also created the Water for 2060 Advisory Council, a 15-member group chaired by OWRB Executive Director J.D. Strong and comprising members appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House, and the president pro tempore of the Senate. The Water for 2060 initiative emphasizes the use of education and incentives, not mandates, to achieve this ambitious goal without limiting Oklahoma’s future population growth and economic development. The advisory council members are tasked with studying and recommending appropriate water conservation practices, incentives, and educational programs that help reduce dependency on fresh water through better conservation, reuse, and recycling of the water sources already tapped. Quarterly meetings and

Oklahoma Water for 2060 Advisory Council and other partnering organizations tour Oklahoma’s Panhandle region to review water conservation and reuse efforts by irrigators. 10

Irrigation Leader

workshops at the OWRB’s Oklahoma City office, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have provided the council an opportunity to hear from leaders in public water supply, crop irrigation, and a variety of industries. In February 2014, agricultural producers from western Oklahoma provided the council with insights on existing conservation and reuse practices. Speakers stressed the importance of both existing advanced technology and emerging technology, identifying possible roadblocks to additional conservation practices. The council also discussed potential incentives and education programs for enhancing water efficiency in crop irrigation. In August 2014, the advisory council members and other officials joined agricultural producers from Oklahoma’s panhandle region for a tour and review of irrigation-related water conservation practices and technology. Tour attendees learned how irrigators in that region, as well as in the rest of the state, are making significant strides to use water more efficiently. Information gleaned from all of the council’s meetings

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and workshops will shape the council’s final report, which is to be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the House, and the president pro tempore of the Senate by late 2015. As Oklahoma enters its fifth year of crippling drought, it is imperative that we continue our efforts to help agricultural producers, communities, businesses, and industries develop more drought-proof strategies in the near term. Through initiatives like Oklahoma’s Water for 2060, we must also recognize the need for long-term planning solutions to prepare for the inevitable droughts of the future and the water needs of all Oklahomans for many decades to come. For more information on Oklahoma’s Water for 2060 initiative, visit http://www.owrb.ok.gov/supply/ conservation.php. Cole Perryman is the director of communications for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

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Oklahoma Panhandle Agriculture and Irrigation Association By Russell Isaacs

he Oklahoma Panhandle Agriculture and Irrigation Association (OPAIA) was founded in the 1970s to address the proposal of state regulations limiting private property rights. Its members include agricultural producers in Oklahoma’s panhandle counties: Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas. OPAIA’s main mission is to protect its members’ private property rights with a focus on irrigation rights. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board regulates our groundwater production. One of the association’s main challenges is staying up-to-date on bills that could limit pumping in a way that would cripple the local economy. We continue to build relationships with our legislators and partners and remain an important part of the conversation. Our livelihoods are on the line.

Conservation and Education Education is also a key component of our work. We are trying to establish studies and make more conservation education available to our members. The region, by necessity, has learned to be conservative with water. But we always need to try and improve irrigation methods. Annual precipitation in the panhandle is 18 inches, but we have not seen that in five years. In fact, last year my electronic gauge showed 10 or 11 inches for the year. The Ogallala aquifer is the sole supporter of irrigated agriculture in the panhandle. There are areas within the panhandle with a lot of saturation and other areas that are struggling. A few miles in distance can reflect a huge difference in pumping capabilities. Pivot irrigation is the predominant method of irrigation in the panhandle. But, as water conservation becomes an ever-increasing issue, people are starting to adopt underground drip. EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) funds from the Natural Resources Conservation Service spurred initial adoption in our area. It will take some time to see how it will fit into the picture. Farmers are stewards of the land, and as irrigators, we are stewards of the water. Twenty years ago, most of our farmers employed flood irrigation and water would run to a tailwater pit and evaporate. From flood, we moved 14

A typical panhandle cotton field. Photo credit: John LeRoux.

Mission To protect the property rights of members, including the rights to develop and use land, air and water for agricultural purposes. To study proposed and enacted legislation, rules, and regulations of any duty constituted authority, which may affect the agricultural interests of the members. To assist members in obtaining the most satisfactory fuel for irrigation power at reasonable rates. To initiate, sponsor and promote research to determine the more profitable production opportunities for members. To take such action as is deemed necessary or advisable to promote the general welfare of the members’ agricultural interests.

Irrigation Leader

Corn and cotton under a high-efficiency pivot. Photo credit: John LeRoux.

to high-impact nozzles on the top of pivots. Then, we adopted drops 4 feet off the ground; now, we use drops a foot and a half off of the ground. We are taking the right steps to conserve water.

Agriculture and Economic Development Economic development is essential to our work. OPAIA has worked closely with the City of Guymon and its economic development team. We partnered to develop the Panhandle Regional Water Plan in 2012 to help tell our story and to communicate to legislators how we are conserving water.

Panhandle growers produce corn, wheat, sorghum, sunflowers, and soybeans. OPAIA works to protect the rights of irrigators to produce the aquifer because it supports that agricultural production. And that production is the economic engine of the panhandle communities. Russell Isaacs grows corn and sorghum in the panhandle of Oklahoma and is the president of the board of directors of the Oklahoma Panhandle Agriculture and Irrigation Association.

Operations and Crop Total Sales for the Panhandle Counties, 2002–2012 ($ millions) Year

Beaver County

Cimarron County

Texas County

Operations

Sales

Operations

Sales

Operations

Sales

2002

185

$7.71

180

$16.7

289

$53.4

2007

215

$36.2

190

$47.0

346

$115

2012

250

$33.0

209

$65.7

350

$152

Source: Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Irrigation Leader

District Focus

Lugert-Altus Irrigation District By Tom Buchanan

ugert-Altus Irrigation District operates and maintains the W.C. Austin Project in southwestern Oklahoma. The district provides irrigation to 50,000 acres of farmland, flood control, and supplemental municipal water for the city of Altus. When Lugert-Altus has adequate water, it releases 45,000 acre-feet annually to third- and fourth-generation cotton farmers. The district was congressionally authorized in 1938. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation started construction in the early 1940s, impounded water in Lake Altus in 1945, and was delivering water districtwide by 1947. The North Fork of the Red River, which is the source of district supplies, is the largest, though not the most prolific, individual watershed in the state of Oklahoma. The district covers an area 35 miles north to south and 15 miles east to west. Lugert-Altus Irrigation District’s main canal conveys water 30 miles from Lake Altus on the district’s northern boundary south and out through a network of 300 miles of smaller open ditches and laterals. The groundwater below Lugert-Altus is of poor quality—hard, salty water that is difficult to put to irrigated use. There are about 15,000 acres east of Lugert-Altus that has access to better quality groundwater, but it lacks in quantity. Our lake water quality is marginal—it has high salt content. That level of quality will suffice for cotton, especially when there is off-season rainfall to leach the salt down. As such, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District has adopted drainage tile across its 50,000 acres. Our need for it is much different than in the other High Plains states, which drain water off for harvesting. It is an effort to keep the land productive.

By 2010, there were numerous farms making 4-bale cotton on full quarters. But it quit raining in spring 2010. In 2011, the district had just enough water to release 5 inches early in June. We lost that crop. There were no deliveries from 2012 to 2014. We have had some rough times. Reclamation forecasting models have never seen a watershed as dry as ours. The area is setting records, reaching Dust Bowl–era records, for lack of rainfall locally. As a district, we have pulled our horns in to survive. In 2004, the district employed 26 employees; this year we are down to 11—our remaining employees are the knowledge base of the district. They know how to move water.

Voluntary Conservation Activities Most of our producers flood irrigate using siphon tubes. About 20 years ago, our producers started to adopt practices to make their water stretch further. They built a number of tailwater pit reregulation ponds. There are now roughly 80 privately owned ponds located strategically across the district. Strategic means having enough acres drain into the pond to make it pay off. As a result, a producer using a tailwater pit is using about 30 percent less water than it had been prior to the development of the ponds. That is an enormous savings of water.

Drought

Lake Altus holds about 135,000 acre-feet in capacity. Today, the lake is sitting at 9 percent. The drought started in 2010 in southwestern Oklahoma. That year, we had a full lake and all the water we needed. It was hot and dry, and that is exactly what cotton likes. Cotton producers had a bumper crop in 2010. Up until that time, district cotton yields were increasing significantly—producing more than 3 bales of high-quality cotton per acre, year in and year out.

Completed in 1945, Altus Dam rises 110 feet above its foundation and extends 1,104 feet in length. Photo credit: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Irrigation Leader

Our producers also adopted subsurface irrigation to conserve water. Approximately 25 percent of irrigated acres in the district have converted to drip. While our oldest drip systems have been in the ground for about 20 years, it is still a learning curve with drip as to how much to put on and when to put it on, as well as the best fertigation methods. A lack of labor, which we are seeing across agriculture, is a driving force for the adoption of these conservation practices. With these types of practices, one person can manage lots of acres.

District Modernization

The district has struggled to tie releases to deliveries and maximize the efficiency of our water management. In the past, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District did not have adequate measurement capabilities. So in 2004, we began installing new SCADA measuring devices and built new long-crested weirs to give us real-time measurement. We also installed some Langemann Gates, the type that accordion down, on our main canal. The gates have helped us to focus on upstream water management and control. It became apparent very quickly that we had been lucky in the past to get the job done. It is difficult to manage if you don’t know what you have. The results of our upgrades speak for themselves. In 2004, we were delivering 55 gallons out of every 100 released. By 2010, which was our last true water run, that amount reached the low 70s. Given more time, and continued upgrades to our infrastructure, we could reach 80 percent.

Currently, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District is constructing a large tailwater pit at the end of our main canal. We are aiming to catch and recycle $80,000 to $100,000 worth of water back into our main canal. We are getting some matching funds from Reclamation.

Looking Ahead

The district will continue its modernization program with more automated flow measurements and controls to provide better deliveries with less manpower. Part of that program requires addressing our aging infrastructure. We will also continue to get a better handle on our watershed. Water in Oklahoma is becoming a hot topic. Discussions that are commonplace in states to the west of Oklahoma are now happening here: instream flows, conjunctive use, groundwater use. We need to look at surface flows into our lake and see how they are affected by current use and new demands and uses upriver of the district. Tom Buchanan has been the general manager of the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District since 2004. He has been farming cotton since 1980, is president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, and serves on the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. You can reach Tom at (580) 482‑4734.

Tom Buchanan leading a group on a tour of the district. Irrigation Leader

IRRIGATIONISTS SYMPOSIUM MARCH 25-26, 2015 Loveland, CO

Division 1 Chapter of the Colorado Water Officials Association About the Symposium

CWOA is proud to host the 2015 Irrigationists Symposium. Join other water professionals on March 25-26, 2015, in Loveland, Colorado for valuable educational sessions, training opportunities, touring facilities, networking opportunities and vendor exhibits. All water professionals are invited, especially ditch riders, irrigation superintendents, water system owners and operators in Northern Colorado.

Registration

March 25, 2015, 9:00am – 2:00pm: Training admission: $20 (includes lunch) March 25, 2015, 12:15pm – 6:00pm: Tour admission: $30 (includes transportation) March 26, 2015, 8:00am – 4:30pm: Conference Admission: $50 person (Includes Continental Breakfast, Lunch and snack)

Please mail completed registration form with payment by March 15, 2015 to: Division 1 Chapter-CWOA Attn: Brent Schantz – 810 9th Street, Suite 200, Greeley, CO 80631 * Make checks payable to: Division 1 CWOA

Exhibit, Sponsor & Advertising Opportunities

Looking to connect with Water Professionals from across Northern Colorado? If so, the 2015 Irrigationists Symposium is the place to be. Check out our exhibit, sponsorship and advertising opportunities! Hurry, only a limited number of exhibit spaces are available. Companies interested in sponsoring the CWOA 2015 Irrigationists Symposium will be recognized online before the conference, onsite throughout the conference center, and in the program booklet. For more information on exhibit, sponsorship and advertising opportunities contact Brent Schantz at (970) 352-8712x1217 or brent.schantz@state.co.us

Lodging

The symposium will be held at the Embassy Suites Loveland – Hotel, Spa and Conference Center. Guestrooms may be reserved at Embassy Suites for the Irrigationists Symposium group rate of $98.00 + tax per night by calling 970-593-6200 and saying you are with the Irrigationists Symposium when making your reservation.

To Learn More visit www.irrigationsymposium.wix.com/cwoa-2015 Questions? Contact Brent Schantz at 970-352-8712x1217

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P R O F I L E:

Todd Newhouse, Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers

or 30 years, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers (WAWGG) has served the needs of the grape and wine industry. WAWGG provides continuing education to the industry through an annual meeting, summer tours, special subject seminars, and workshops. WAWGG also addresses state and federal issues that affect wineries and grape growers. Many of WAWGG’s members have strong ties to the Yakima Valley, including the Newhouse family. The family farms cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, prunes, pears, apples, juice grapes, table grapes, and wine grapes on over 1,300 acres. Some 700 of those acres are accounted for by Upland Vineyards, which is located in the Snipes Mountain American Viticulture Area. Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke with WAWGG Chairman, and Upland Vineyard grower, Todd Newhouse about his family’s history in the region, the future of wine in the state, and the role of irrigation in grape growing.

Kris Polly: How did your family get started in the wine industry? Todd Newhouse: My family began homesteading in 1911 in the Yakima Valley, raising cattle and growing alfalfa. In the 1920s, they started the first dairy in the valley. Over the next 40 years, they incorporated tree fruit into the mix. A man by the name of D.W. Bridgman—a Midwestern transplant with a law degree—came to the Yakima Valley and specialized in irrigation law. He had an affinity for European wines that no one in California or Washington was growing. At the time, American wines were characterized by their sweetness and high alcohol content. During Prohibition, Mr. Bridgman grew wine grapes for the German and Dutch immigrants in the valley. By 1934, once Prohibition ended, he was ready to go with a winery. He found a German winemaker with a lot of experience. At the time, our family was located about one-half mile away in the basin. The Bridgman winery expanded. But around 1950, 22

the region endured a couple of Washington’s worst freeze events. As a result [of the losses incurred during the freezes], over the next decade, the winery struggled with finances. At that point, Mr. Bridgman was too old to run the day-to-day operations and handed over the reigns to his nephew. The nephew sold the winery in the late 1960s. In 1968, my grandfather planted his first grapes under contract with a juice company. By the time those grapes were ready, the juice company didn’t want them, so he found a buyer up in Canada. When the Bridgman property came up for sale in 1972, my grandfather bought it. In 1973, my grandfather and my father planted some Rieslings and Cabs (Cabernet Sauvignon) and ripped out some of the older varieties no one wanted. In 1979, we leveled some land on the steep south side to do some plantings. We did the same thing in 1988. On the north side, we did big plantings in 1995, 1996, and 1997. We’ve done plantings every year since 2007. Kris Polly: What is purpose of WAWGG? Todd Newhouse: The purpose is to educate the industry on the latest issues and happenings and to keep the industry as a Irrigation Leader

whole unified. Our biggest event is an annual convention and trade show. We had 2,500 people attend last year—it is the only time that winemakers, educators, growers, and industry professionals come together in the same place to network and attend seminars. Education is a part of every facet of our work. We do a lot of advocacy at the state and federal level. Our state has the Washington Wine Institute, which deals with the [Washington] Liquor Control Board and the politics of Olympia. At the state level, we tend to be more grower focused. At the national level, we address winery issues, in addition to grower issues, through WineAmerica based in Washington, DC, and Winegrape Growers of America based in California. We are industrywide in our focus and our goals. WAWGG really functions like the glue of the industry. Kris Polly: What are WAWGG’s top issues for 2015? Todd Newhouse: Our top issue right now is research. This past year, the industry has gone through many meetings to discuss how to go about raising research dollars to meet immediate and long-term needs. Our industry is growing at an amazing rate. People continue to come to Washington and start vineyards and wineries. Supply has not caught up with demand yet. Immigration is also a big issue. We need a guest-worker program here in the United States, in which we can legally and affordably bring workers from other countries to do the work that we cannot get people from the United States to do. Kris Polly: What is the impact of irrigation on wine grape growing? Todd Newhouse: Here in eastern Washington, we get anywhere from 4 to 7 inches of precipitation annually. Wine grape growers rely 100 percent on irrigation to grow our grapes. To be able to turn that water on and off increases the quality of our grapes. When you get a cool period, you don’t want to be watering much. When it is hot, you can’t

keep the water on enough. We couldn’t do that if we had to rely on Mother Nature. Irrigation is everything to us—it is what makes our grapes as good as they are. Kris Polly: What is the prevailing method for irrigating grapes in the state of Washington? Todd Newhouse: Drip. It saves water such that you can expand your acreage without needing more water rights. We installed our first system in 1996 and have been using the same system ever since. We converted over from sprinkler. Kris Polly: Where do you see the grape production industry in the next 5 to 10 years? Todd Newhouse: I can see it doubling over the next 10 years. Washington State University is developing a Wine Science Center in Richland. We do a lot of research in conjunction with WSU–Prosser, but now we will have the ability to utilize a full-on technology school and teaching vineyard. It is going to do great things for a great industry. Kris Polly: What should every member of Congress know about your association? Todd Newhouse: According to a 2012 economic impact study by Stonebridge Research, Washington State wine generates $8.6 billion for the state of Washington and $14.9 billion for the United States. So, whenever we reach out to our congressional delegation or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it is only so that we can better help ourselves and the economic health of our industry. Kris Polly: What is the most important thing you have learned as board chairman? Todd Newhouse: I have learned what can happen when an entire industry works together. For example, after years of developing white papers and seeking research funding, last year we were able to put all the pieces together to support the development of the Wine Science Center.

A typical Upland Vineyard landscape. Irrigation Leader

Business Leader

Melissa Aquino, McCrometer

roducing flow measurement tools for agricultural and municipal water use, as well as for industrial process and oil and gas, the Riverside County, California– based McCrometer has been a family-oriented business for 60 years. Last year, the company’s long-time president, Kerry McCall, handed over the reins to Melissa Aquino, who has held a variety of leadership positions within the company. With a background in chemical engineering and business, Ms. Aquino brings know-how and experience to the position. She spent several years at Proctor and Gamble in product development and market research. From Procter and Gamble, she moved to the Hach Company and focused her attention on product development, including the management of a business unit in Germany. She also understands rural issues—her mother and father grew up in small farming communities in Nebraska and Kansas, respectively. Ms. Aquino has been with McCrometer for seven years, during which she has managed all facets of company operations—R&D, project management, marketing, customer service, and human resources. Ms. Aquino has served as president of McCrometer since October 1, 2014. Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke with Ms. Aquino about her management philosophy and McCrometer’s history and future. Kris Polly: This year McCrometer is celebrating its 60th anniversary. How did the company get started?

Melissa Aquino: Founded by twin brothers with strong entrepreneurial spirit, the company began in rural California. The McCall brothers started off developing different types of farm implements. Then they engaged local water districts. At the time, the water in that part of California was very salty and tearing up all the meters. [The brothers] recognized the benefit in measuring water even though they were on the receiving end of it. They connected with a local irrigation district, began designing meters, and developed a meter that was durable and affordably priced. Kris Polly: What does the company mean for the community? Melissa Aquino: We have never moved manufacturing jobs outside the United States. If you walk around our plant, it is awesome. We are one of the biggest employers in our town. We are proud that our growth means more U.S. manufacturing jobs. This is not just a career stop for me. I view myself as a steward of McCrometer. We have over 200 people working here. My dad worked the night shift for 15 years and would come home complaining about “management” and “corporate.” I see many of my employees as my dad. So I walk around the plant every day and try to talk to as many employees as I can. I am responsible for these

An aerial view of the McCrometer plant in Hemet, California.

Melissa Aquino and Kerry McCall. 24

Irrigation Leader

people—if we can’t grow, that is on me. Kris Polly: How does McCrometer interact with farmers when doing research for new products? Melissa Aquino: We like to get on the ground and spend time with farmers. We try to understand their needs through conversation. We have researched irrigation management practices—both needs and frustrations. I encourage all of my product managers to empathize with farmers. It is important that they watch and learn without any preconceived notions. I believe that if you solve a problem Ms. Aquino consulting with staff in the McCrometer flow lab. in a way that is meaningful to people, the revenue will come later. You can’t force it. You have to really solve a problem. Melissa Aquino: I used to believe that it is very difficult to have a life outside of work and win in business. Kris Polly: Where do you see irrigation as an industry The neat thing about McCrometer—and I give great in the next 5 to 10 years? credit to Kerry [McCall], who built this company—is that there is a culture here that honors the whole person. Melissa Aquino: Historically, there has been a tension I can identify as a wife and mother [Ms. Aquino has five between what growers are trying to do and the regulation children ranging in age from 2 to 21] and still successfully of those activities. But I think that there is an opportunity run a company. The most important thing I have learned for a win-win amidst that tension. For growers, if they is that winning in business and having a rich and better manage their water, not only will they save costs gratifying life are not mutually exclusive. I hope that is the but also produce better yields. For regulators, better future of business in America. management sustains water supplies. There is common ground where everyone has a chance Kris Polly: Those with a background in farming to solve their problem, but it does mean sharing data and experience that. There was never a division between family information. Technology can help everybody win. We and work life. see some of that in the working relationships between agricultural extensions and farmers. Melissa Aquino: Exactly. And that is the place from which Kerry and his dad approached running this Kris Polly: What areas will McCrometer focus on in company. Kerry calls it “work-life integration.” That is the near future? what I do. It is not balance, but integration. I work hard, but if I can go to my daughter’s school to see her get an Melissa Aquino: We are really trying to understand award and then work from 9 to 12 at night, then that is how a flow meter fits into the entire work flow and how I can integrate the two. solve problems around that. That may sound general and holistic, but it is the truth. We try to figure out how the Kris Polly: What should every farmer who irrigates flow meter helps irrigators make better decisions. We and every irrigation district manager know about are carefully selecting technologies and materials that McCrometer? complement our core products. Melissa Aquino: We genuinely care about solving their Kris Polly: What is the most important thing that you problems. We want to be part of their irrigation solutions, have learned? so that they continue to view McCrometer as a help to their operations. We are here to help. Irrigation Leader

dpcpipe.com I 800.PVC.PIPE

The Innovators

The Riverscreen™ A gravity flow Riverscreen.

ike many farmers, Bob Wietharn irrigates his crops in northeastern Kansas with water from a river that runs very shallow for much of the year. His pivot pumps would suck debris through the system and plug up the sprinkler nozzles. He spent hours cleaning that debris out of his pivot nozzles and filters. Traditional solutions proved ineffective. Screening the pump inlet prevented larger objects, such as sticks, from entering the system, but was susceptible to clogging from cottonwood fuzz. On the other end of the spectrum, larger screens enabled cottonwood fuzz to pass, but they also failed to prevent larger debris from entering the system. Mr. Wietharn decided to try his own solution. His solution was the Riverscreen™, a rotating, selfcleaning screen that delivers water to river-reliant pivot systems. Back in 1998, Mr. Weitharn built himself what was to be the first Riverscreen™ in his farm shop. The screen worked so well that his neighbors started asking him to build screens for them. Mr. Wietharn incorporated as Riverscreen Inc. in 2001. Now his screens are used across a variety of industries, including oil and gas, produce processing, logging, and livestock.

Riverscreen™ Basics • Screen drum measuring 16” x 24” up to 32” x 48” • Sturdy aluminum frame • Aluminum pontoons • 4”, 6”, 8”, 10”, or 12” models available 30

Irrigation Leader

Riverscreen Inc. is a family operation. Mr. Wietharn’s wife and daughter run the sales and office operations; his son is returning from college this year and may pick up some of the workload. For Mr. Wietharn, “having the operation continue on to the next generation is very important to me.” Mr. Wietharn is continually balancing farming and screen production. “Some days we farm, and some days we all work in the shop.” To do that, he oversees part-time help and a small, loyal crew of six full-time employees— five of whom started working for the company as parttime help in when they were in high school. Business is growing. Since incorporation, Mr. Wietharn added another farm shop and is currently adding on to that. “It is a little shop, but we turn a lot of product out every year.” The company sells screens to almost every state in the union and to 25 different countries, including New Zealand and Russia. Mr. Wietharn even sent a Riverscreen™ to a little village in Papua New Guinea for use with nonpotable water.

A Business Philosophy Born on the Farm Mr. Wietharn’s philosophy is simple: Be challenged and have fun. He touts recent employee reviews, each one expressing satisfaction with the company’s positive working environment. When Mr. Wietharn started Riverscreen Inc., he often put in 18 to 20 hours of work a day. And while he has recently scaled back to 12 hours a day, Mr. Wietharn will still take calls any time of the day to help out a customer. “My company is farmer owned—I have seen everything and can talk the language. I know why a screen works or doesn’t work.” That knowledge and dedication is reflected in each screen, so much so that Mr. Wietharn guarantees each screen. And of the thousands he has sold, only three have been returned.

The standard RiverscreenTM can pump in shallow and deep water.

Irrigation Leader

Study Reveals Climate Change Effects on Irrigation Demand and Reservoir Evaporation in the West Behind Friant Dam. Photo credit Bureau of Reclamation.

By the Bureau of Reclamation

eflecting current climate projections for the western United States, a new report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reveals a projected shift in demand for crop irrigation across eight major river basins. The study evaluated irrigation water requirements for the second half of the 20th century and, as compared to projected demand for the second half of the 21st century, found that net irrigation water requirements in the West may be 6 percent higher. Another area of study revealed in the report—based on a projected temperature increase of approximately 5 degrees Fahrenheit in the region— estimates that annual evaporation at most of the 12 reservoirs modeled by the study could increase 2 to 6 inches by 2080.

Irrigation Leader

The report on irrigation demand and reservoir evaporation projections is the latest in a series of WestWide Climate Risk Assessments—analyses of overall climate change effects on water resources in the West supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Program. In announcing the report, Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López said that the study was an important piece of information about climate change imposing stresses on water resources and will ultimately help inform water planners and stakeholders in confronting future climaterelated supply and demand challenges. “Reclamation and its partners are engaged in critical work to confront a future with increasing disparity between water supply and demand in basins throughout the West,” Commissioner López said. “Understanding how climate change will impact crop irrigation demand

and reservoir evaporation provides vital information for the development of alternatives and solutions to meet those challenges and support the nation’s economy.” Projected future irrigation demands are only estimates and provide a starting point for further analyses and discussions with customers and stakeholders. The results do not account for changing crop patterns and other socioeconomic considerations that are best addressed with stakeholder input within a basin study or other process. Using climate projections for temperature and precipitation, scientists considered projected irrigation demand in eight major river basins: Colorado, Rio Grande, Sacramento-San Joaquin, Truckee, Columbia, Missouri, and Klamath. The water evaporation model was applied to 12 reservoirs in many of those major Reclamation river basins: Lake Powell, Lake Mead, American Falls Reservoir, Lake Roosevelt, Upper Klamath Lake, Canyon

Net irrigation water demand (% change 2080 vs. 1950–1999)

Net reservoir evaporation (% change 2080 vs. 1950–1999)

22.86

-----

Lake Powell

-----

7.1 (4.1 inches)

Lower Colorado

8.31

-----

Lake Mead

-----

10.1 (6.1 inches)

Imperial Valley

1.39

---------

Colorado River Basin (AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, UT, WY) Upper Colorado

Columbia River Basin (ID, MT, OR, WA)

6.34

American Falls Reservoir Lake Roosevelt

---------

6.0 (2.0 inches)

-----

8.2 (2.4 inches)

13.55

-----

4.3 (1.3 inches)

3.61 -----

-----

Klamath River Basin (OR, CA) Upper Klamath Lake

5.4 (1.3 inches)

Missouri River Basin (CO, IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, SD, WY)

Western Missouri Boysen Reservoir Northern Missouri Canyon Ferry Reservoir

-0.98

6.9 (1.7 inches) -----

Rio Grande River Basin (CO, NM, TX)

18.66

-----

Elephant Butte Reservoir

-----

9.5 (4.2 inches)

6.81 ---------

-----

Southeastern Missouri

Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins (CA) Lake Shasta Millerton Lake Truckee and Carson River Basins (CA, NV) Lake Tahoe Lahontan Reservoir Irrigation Leader

14.59 ---------

14.7 (2.5 inches) 12.3 (5.0 inches) ----14.4 (1.9 inches) 7.1 (3.2 inches) 33

Ferry Reservoir, Boysen Reservoir, Elephant Butte Reservoir, Lake Shasta, Millerton Lake, Lake Tahoe, and Lahontan Reservoir. This table provides one set of projections of irrigation demand by basin and potential changes in evaporation for the 12 reservoirs when compared to actual figures from 1950 to 1999: Scientists used climate change data to project alterations in precipitation and temperature and to assess evaporation for 12 reservoirs within those river basins, when considering observed and projected climate change impacts. Precipitation projections are highly variable and basin dependent, and they can vary significantly within individual basins as well. “Through these studies, Reclamation is highlighting climate change impacts and encouraging a collaborative dialogue on the effective management of our water and power resources,” López said. “Facing the challenge in meeting future irrigation demands is one way we are working to underscore our commitment to a strong agricultural economy and national food security.” In 2011, Reclamation released the SECURE Water Report, which assesses climate change risks and how these risks could impact water operations, hydropower, flood control, and fish and wildlife in the western United States. The report notes that projected changes in temperature and precipitation are likely to impact the timing and quantity of stream flows in all western basins, which could impact the amount of water available to farms and cities and for hydropower generation, fish and wildlife, and other uses like recreation. In addition, Reclamation completed impact assessments of the Upper Rio Grande Basin and Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers Basin. The Upper Rio Grande Impact Assessment found that increasing temperatures and

changes in the timing of snowmelt runoff could impact the amount of water available on the upper Rio Grande in the future. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers Basin Impact Assessment found that projected changes in temperature and precipitation, combined with a growing population, will have significant effects on water supplies, water quality, fish and wildlife habitats, ecosystems, hydropower, recreation, and flood control in California’s Central Valley this century. Impact assessments are reconnaissance-level investigations of the potential hydrologic impacts of climate change in the major river basins of the western United States and are part of WaterSMART’s West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation is also able to conduct more in-depth basin studies in conjunction with state and local partners that would develop options and strategies to address supply and demand imbalances. All the reports and more information on the West-Wide Climate Risk Assessment may be found at http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/wcra.

Elephant Butte Reservoir. Photo credit Bureau of Reclamation.

Lake Roosevelt and the penstocks going up to Banks Lake. Photo credit Bureau of Reclamation.

Irrigation Leader

Be A Voice For Water Users! • Attend the NWRA Federal Water Issues Conference • Meet with your Representatives in the U.S. Congress • Hear from key agency officials and Congressional Leaders • Learn about priority regulatory and legislative issues for water users

ProductS & Services Guide Since our debut issue of Irrigation Leader magazine in October 2010, we have followed a simple rule with regard to advertising: We only advertise those projects and service that are already being used by an irrigation district or water-providing entity. Our readers appreciate this standard, and our advertisers have greatly benefited. We have learned that it is important for irrigation districts and water-providing entities to know that others are using a product or service they are considering purchasing. The Irrigation Leader Products & Services Guide provides an easily accessible, visual listing of those products and services that are used by irrigation districts and water-providing entities today.

Steven L. Hernandez attorney at law Specializing in

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Contracts and Western Water Law 21OO North Main Street Suite 1A P.O. Box 13108 Las Cruces, NM 88013

(575) 526-2101 Fax (575) 526-2506 Email:

slh@lclaw-nm.com

Family Farm

LLIANCE The Family

Farm Alliance is a powerful advocate for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation

districts, and allied industries in seventeen Western states. The Alliance is focused on one mission To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to Western farmers and ranchers. As a 501(c)(6) tax exempt organization, our support comes exclusively from those who believe our mission is important enough to contribute. We believe the cause is important enough to ask for your support - Please join us by completing the web form at http://www.familyfarmalliance.org/ProspectiveContact.cfm.

For more information contact Dan Keppen by phone at (541) 892-6244, or by e-mail at dankeppen@charter.net

The landowners and stakeholders of the Columbia Basin Development League Thank these companies for their support!

THANK YOU Connell 76 LLC key Bank McGregor Company Wells Fargo Insurance Services USa Inc Bank of america Merrill Lynch Washington Trust Bank Inland Power & Light Co ag World Support Systems Twin City Foods Inc nelson Irrigation Corp Quincy Foods LLC

Since 1964, the League has supported Washington stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Columbia Basin Project and its future development. The League is the only group representing stakeholders to protect Project water rights and educate the public on the renewable resource and multiple-purpose benefits of the Project.

You can help. Join today: www.cbdl.org/join Columbia Basin Development League PO Box 745, Cashmere, WA 98815 PhOne: 509-782-9442 FAx: 509-782-1203

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS SITES PROJECT JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY Sites JPA General Manager to be competitive for public benefits funding of the project. The bond also requires that private funds be secured in order to obtain funding from the Water Bond.

The Sites Project Joint Powers Authority (Sites JPA) is seeking proposals for a General Manager on a time and materials basis, for a one-year probationary period with the option to renew. Sites JPA is located in the Sacramento Valley, primarily in Glenn and Colusa Counties. Sites JPA consists of seven member agencies, which include Reclamation District 108, Tehama Colusa Canal Authority, Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Maxwell Irrigation District, Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, County of Colusa and County of Glenn. With the passage of the California Water Bond, $2.7 billion will be available for new storage and the Sites Reservoir Project is configured so as

The General Manager should be self-motivated and is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the Sites JPA according to the plans and directions set by the Board of Directors. The General Manager is expected to work and travel within the Sacramento Valley; however, travel in other parts of the state and to Washington DC may be required in order for the General Manager to serve as an advocate for the Sites Reservoir Project.

Primary roles and responsibilities of the General Manager are leadership, operational planning and management, human resources planning and management, financial planning and management, and community relations/advocacy. A detailed Request for Qualifications and Proposal (RFP) is available at www.sitesjpa.net. Sites JPA is an equal opportunity employer. Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to Thaddeus Bettner at (530) 934-8881. Proposals must be postmarked by April 3, 2015, and sent to the attention of Kim Vann, Secretary/ Treasurer at Post Office Box 1266, Willows, California 95988.

Assistant General Manager of Operations and Maintenance The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) is accepting applications for Assistant Manager of Operations and Maintenance. Working with a staff of approximately 100 employees, the opportunity to contribute to our operations presents itself in planning, implementation, supervision and advisory activities. The Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crews utilize a large fleet of vehicles and heavy construction equipment for maintenance, upgrade and development of large water conveyance facilities and associated appurtenances. ECBID is located in the heart of the Columbia Basin Project, in Othello, WA. Our mission is delivering water in support of commercial agriculture. We serve over 154,000 acres of land and are currently developing facilities to deliver to another 87,000 acres. We operate, maintain, and construct many 38

types of water conveyance facilities. With hundreds of miles of canals, drains, and pipelines, dozens of pump plants, and innumerable water delivery and control structures, each day brings a fresh set of challenges for operation and maintenance professionals. Do you enjoy a rural or small-town lifestyle? Like working on a wide variety of projects in support of agriculture? We need a talented Assistant Manager of

Operations and maintenance to help guide our crews and accomplish our water delivery objectives. Submission of a resume and ECBID application is required; applications may be obtained at the HR Dept, ECBID, 55 N 8th Ave, PO Box E, Othello, WA 99344. The application deadline is April 8, 2015. Call (509) 488-9671 for the job description.

For information on posting to the Classified Listings, please e-mail

Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com Irrigation Leader

● 1985 Country Club Road, Hood River, OR 97031

Phone (541)-386-3115

Fax (541)-386-9103

www.fidhr.org ●

Hydro-Electric Equipment for Sale $200,000 OBO

(shipping not included)

Generating power from local water systems is a big part of FID daily operations. Kept in good working condition, FID has two Francis style turbine generator sets: a 1-MW and a 2-MW unit for sale. All controls, electrical equipment, and spares are a part of this package for sale. These circa 1986 turbine and generator sets are currently in production and produce an average of over 15,000 megawatt hours of energy per year. Sold at $0.06 per kWh, such electricity would yield gross income of ~$900,000 per year. FID has made several upgrades to the machines over the years. Spare runners for both machines, as well as all other existing spares and machine specific tools are included in the price.

Control Panels

Francis Turbines

Hydraulic System

Revenues from FID’s hydroelectric facilities have been leveraged to make nearly $40 million in capital improvements over the years. These projects have led to substantial water conservation and energy efficiency improvements in the Hood River area. Having met its primary goals, FID is now in a position to begin experimenting with different hydroelectric technologies that may be more appropriately sited for our environmental conditions. We encourage interested buyers to come to Hood River to see the machines in operation. These Francis units will be taken out of production in June of 2015 (and replaced with different equipment that we have already purchased), so now is your final chance to see them in working order prior to your purchase. All equipment for sale will be labeled, packaged and stored in a properly protected and appropriate environment for safe keeping until you tell us where to ship them. The equipment comes complete with full sets of plans and schematics. Plug and play! Quick Specs: Unit 1 - Kato Engineering Model A233640000 2,000 kW Rated Output Unit 2 - Kato Engineering Model A234000000 1,000 kW Rated Output Both Units are Synchronous, 3-Phase, 4160 Voltage. Typical station service load is ~47kW. Dual controlled machines are in production in the 12 - 110 cfs flow range. Water is currently supplied through 48” penstock with ~398' net head.

Serious Inquiries Only Directed To: Jeremiah Camarata (541)-806-3922 or jer@fidhr.org

2015 CALENDAR

February 3–5

Texas Water Conservation Assn., Texas Water Day, Washington, DC

February 4–5

Irrigation Leader, Annual Operations Management Workshop, Phoenix, AZ

February 19–20 Multi-State Salinity Coalition, Annual Salinity Summit, Las Vegas, NV February 19–20 Family Farm Alliance, Annual Meeting & Conference, Las Vegas, NV February 25–26 Assn. of California Water Agencies, Washington Conference, Washington, DC March 4–6

Texas Water Conservation Assn., Annual Convention, Austin, TX

March 16–18

Utah Water Users Assn., Water Users Workshop, St. George, UT

March 21–25

Nebraska Natural Resources Districts, DC Conference, Washington, DC

April 13–15

National Water Resources Assn., Federal Water Issues Conference, Washington, DC

May 5–8

Assn. of California Water Agencies, Spring Conference and Exhibition, Sacramento, CA

May 15

Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona, Annual Meeting and Water Conference, Tempe, AZ

June 3–4

North Dakota Missouri River Stakeholders, Spring Conference, Bismarck, ND

June 22–23

Idaho Water Users Association, Summer Water Law & Resource Issues Seminar, Sun Valley, ID For more information on advertising in Irrigation Leader magazine, or if you would like a water event listed here, please phone (703) 517-3962 or e-mail Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com. Submissions are due the first of each month preceding the next issue.

Past issues of Irrigation Leader are archived at