Irrigation Leader November/December 2012

Volume 3 Issue 10

November/December 2012

Tom Knutson: Walk Before You Can Run: A Discussion about Water Resources Leadership

Leadership and the Transfer of Knowledge

By Kris Polly

“

W

e’re coming to your meeting,” said Craig Simpson, general manager of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District. “I told my board, this Operations and Management Workshop in January is the meeting we are always trying to have in the hallways of every conference we go to.” Craig is absolutely correct in his description of our upcoming workshop, as each topic represents the contributions of numerous irrigation district managers gathered from countless conversations. However, special credit must be given to Steve Johnson, general manager of the Central Oregon Irrigation District, who came up with the idea of allowing time during the workshop for an open forum, during which managers can offer discussion topics or ask questions of the rest of the attendees. A few open forum topic suggestions are listed on the meeting registration form at the back of this magazine. Also per Steve’s suggestion, the registration form has a place for workshop registrants to propose additional topics. Managers know that borrowing an idea that has already worked for someone else can save a great deal of time and money.

This issue of Irrigation Leader focuses on leadership and some ways districts and others have tried to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Tom Knutson manages three irrigation districts, answers to three separate boards of directors, and is the only manager who has succeeded in a full project title transfer from the Bureau of Reclamation. Always upbeat and cheerful, Tom is the very definition of a “people person.” He is also

credited as one of the early supporters and creators of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy. A great deal can be learned from him.

Additionally, this issue looks at water-focused educational programs. We feature an article on the very successful Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program, of which many of the irrigation district managers in Washington are graduates. We also talk with Dr. George Seperich about a new Water Management and Certificate Program organized with the assistance of the Agri-Business Council of Arizona and the Arizona State University College of Technology Innovation. An interesting aspect of that new program is that the classes are taught by water managers, not academics.

Sadly, this issue also includes a memorial to one of the most beloved and respected managers in the business. The passing of Steve Robbins, general manager of Coachella Valley Water District, underscores the tremendous difference an individual can make. Steve’s accomplishments and contributions were invaluable to his district and to the farmers and other water users he served. He was a true leader and will be missed by all who knew him.

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.

Operations and Management Workshop Location: Coast Phoenix Sky Harbor Hotel

4300 E Washington, Phoenix, Arizona Date:

Wednesday, January 23 and Thursday, January 24, 2013

Purpose:

Irrigation Leader magazine will sponsor an Operations and Management Workshop to provide an opportunity for irrigation district managers and their respective board directors to discuss and exchange information on a variety of district operational and managementrelated issues, build out-of-state working relationships, and learn from their peers. The issues and topics discussed will be selected by general managers and board directors and will pertain directly to the management and improvement of irrigation districts. Discussions will feature case studies with district managers sharing their experiences alongside product or service vendors who were directly involved. Spots are limited, so reserve early.

For more information, please e-mail Kris Polly at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com

Please see registration form on page 39 of this issue.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

C O N T E N T S 2 Leadership and the Transfer of Knowledge

Volume 3

Issue 10

Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for November/December and July/August 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 Š 2012 Water Strategies, LLC. Irrigation Leader relies upon 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 contibutor 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: Tom Knutson, General Manager for the Loup Basin Reclamation District, Farwell Irrigation District, and Sargent Irrigation District.

Photo by Loup Basin Reclamation District.

Irrigation Leader

By Kris Polly

4 Walk Before You Run: A Discussion About Water Resources Leadership With Tom Knutson 8 CVWD General Manager Steve Robbins Passes Away at age 59 12 Nebraska Water Leadership Program

By Lee Orton

14 Washington State Ag Forestry Program

By David R. Roseleip

18 New Water Management Certificate Program Prepares Future Industry Leaders

By George Seperich

22 Nebraska’s NRDs Celebrate 40 Years of Protecting Natural Resources 26 Western Irrigated Agriculture Pumps $128 Billion into the Economy: Contributes to Affordable Food for Americans

By Dan Keppen

District Focus: 30 Willwood Irrigation District: Between the Financial Rock and a Hard Place

By Tom Walker

Manager Profile: 34 Keith Denos

38 Classified Listings 39 Operations and Management Workshop Registration Form

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Walk Before You Run:

A Discussion about Water Resources Leadership with Tom Knutson

F

or 28 years, Tom Knutson has helped to guide the development of water resources in central Nebraska. He is general manager for the Loup Basin Reclamation District, Farwell Irrigation District, and Sargent Irrigation District.

The Loup Basin Reclamation District owns the irrigation works for the two irrigation district units of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. The Farwell and Sargent Districts operate their respective units within the Middle Loup Division of the Missouri Basin Project.

Tom has shepherded innovative administrative, operational, and political projects and ideas over the years, including the conveyance of property through title transfer involving a reservoir and dams, the comprising of the Middle Loup Division of the Missouri River Basin Project assets to his districts, the development of a water conservation program, the burying of laterals in pipe and automation to conserve thousands of acre-feet of water annually, the development of a health insurance program that does not rely completely on 4

an insurance company and that provides thousands of dollars in annual savings to the districts, and the creation of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy to develop future leaders.

Tom’s leadership style combines long-term vision with practical solutions. Irrigation Leader magazine’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, talked to Tom about leading three separate districts, changes in the business, and developing the next generation of leaders.

Kris Polly: How important is leadership in the water business?

Tom Knutson: I feel it is very important. I think people in the water business have to put a lot of thought and consideration into making decisions that impact those they represent. Thinking outside the box is something I have to do many times in order to cut costs, work with rules and regulations, and formulate plans that will generate a longterm positive result.

Irrigation Leader

Kris Polly: In your experience, what does it take to be an effective general manager?

Tom Knutson: Being able to assess different sides of the issues and the concerns of board members, water users, and personnel. It is not always black and white as far as answers to problems. I also feel that being able to keep a sense of humor through it all is an effective way keep a level playing field.

Kris Polly: As general manager for three separate districts, you answer to three separate boards of directors.

Given that unique situation, what have you learned about working effectively with multiple boards?

Tom Knutson: Always respect the opinions of all board members involved. Be creative in your thinking when you need to be, and discuss those ideas with your board members. Always try to stay positive, recognizing that costs to operating projects will never really go down but that ideas for improving operations and eventually saving dollars is a win for everyone involved.

Kris Polly: What have been the biggest changes in your districts?

Tom Knutson: A number of things, but let’s begin with water conservation. At the Sargent District, which has about 40 miles of main canal and 45 miles of laterals, we buried the 45 miles of laterals into pipe. It has saved us thousands of acre-feet of water annually, and it has allowed us to reduce our staff from 8 employees to 4, providing a large savings to our budget as far as total costs. At Farwell, there are 110 miles of main canal and 265 miles of laterals.

We have buried 205 miles of lateral into pipe. It has saved us thousands of acre-feet of water annually and has allowed us to reduce our staff by 10 people, providing a large savings to our budget. In addition, we have reduced our water base from 18 inches per acre to 12 inches at Farwell and 15 inches at Sargent.

Kris Polly: Would you include title transfer as one of the biggest changes? How has it helped your districts?

Tom Knutson: Yes, I definitely would. Many of the rules, regulations, and issues involved with the Bureau of Reclamation are now behind us. Title transfer has allowed us to accomplish a number of projects on our own. We have been able to reach out and find other financing methods for our infrastructure without having some of the cumbersome federal review processes in our way. When we purchased the facilities from the Bureau in 2002, we got a bond that included an additional $4 million for our Irrigation Leader

infrastructure with cheap interest rates.

Kris Polly: Has title transfer accelerated your ability to modernize and improve your infrastructure?

Tom Knutson: Yes. I would say that it provides more freedom to do things you know you can accomplish. The burdensome review processes and studies required by the federal government are no longer in the way. If we were still owned by the federal government, a number of our infrastructure projects would have been held up by studies and environmental reviews, which would have been very costly to our districts.

Kris Polly: Can you describe your creative approach to health insurance and benefits for your workers? How has that approach benefited your districts?

Tom Knutson: A number of years ago, we recognized that if we did not think outside the box, we could end up not being able to afford health insurance for our group.

Today, I ask for a quote from the insurance company with a $10,000 deductible per person and per family. I also find out what a quote with a $500 deductible per person and per family would be. The difference in the two equals in our case about $700 to $800 per month. We take that amount times the number of employees and pay ourselves to create a self-insuring account. Any claim we have, the employee is responsible for his or her $500 deductible and the balance up to $10,000 is taken out of the account.

After that, the insurance company is responsible. So, the principal is rather than pay the insurance company, we pay ourselves, and today we have saved enough to purchase a fleet of new pickups or a few excavators if we needed them.

The employees have benefited as well, because we have used a part of that savings to create a self-insuring account for dental and vision benefits for our employees.

Kris Polly: How many years have you been general manager?

Tom Knutson: Twenty-eight years.

Kris Polly: What brought you to your current position?

Tom Knutson: My interest in managing a real irrigation project. My first job out of college was as a water resource planner working on a state water plan for South Dakota. My second job was as an assistant manager for a conservancy subdistrict in South Dakota, trying to build an irrigation project. I ended up back in state government, supervising the completion of the state water plan. I then was appointed to be executive director of the South 5

Dakota Water Development Task Force by Governor Bill Janklow to deal with numerous water issues throughout the state.

I later became the last general manager of the conservancy district that was still trying to build an irrigation project. When they later changed the conservancy subdistricts to water development districts, I applied for my current position in Nebraska.

I had some good political experience. That experience provided me an opportunity to come into Nebraska and work with these districts. Early on, I worked with Congresswoman Virginia Smith to get legislation passed to forgive the Farwell District its $5 million owed on drainage contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation. That gave us the opportunity to utilize those dollars that would have been used to pay the Bureau to buy pipe and bury our laterals to conserve water.

Kris Polly: Thinking ahead about the future of the districts and your own future, you have approached your boards of directors about your retirement and the eventual transition to a new general manager. What steps have you and your districts taken to facilitate this transition?

Tom Knutson: Approximately two years ago, I suggested to my boards that whoever replaces me will have to work closely with the boards of directors and get familiar with the staffs, the districts, and water users, and all the local, state, and federal entities. I told them we should try to bring in someone on in 2011, to let them go through the cycle of seasons—water, construction and repair, administrative—and the political seasons (dealing with the legislature and Congress). So we brought a young man, Matt Lukasiewicz, on board in 2011, and he is learning how to deal with all the issues plus the budgets for the districts. He has been through the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, graduating with the first class in January 2012. He’s definitely getting his feet on the ground, and when I leave here sometime next year, he will feel confident in all aspects of working with the districts and hopefully will manage the districts for the next 30 years.

Kris Polly: With the transition of leadership being an issue West-wide, what steps do you think should be taken?

Tom Knutson: I do see it as a West-wide issue. About four years ago, I was president of the Nebraska State Irrigation Association. We were looking for someone else to take that over. We couldn’t find anyone to step up to the plate. Our executive director of the association suggested that we needed a water leader’s academy. Our association took the lead; we created the academy, and I ended up as chairman.

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Things are going well. The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy is now in its third year. My assistant general manager was part of the first class. We’ll have another class of graduates coming up this January. The academy provides the participants a great opportunity to learn about issues throughout the state; not just irrigation districts, but ground water management, water quality, and environmental and domestic needs for municipalities. We have six two-day classes throughout the year.

Our first class was 16 people, and our goal is have at least 15 participants. Our participants include people from state agencies, irrigation districts, natural resource districts, teachers, farmers, well drillers, and other groups.

When I look at irrigation districts throughout the West, I would hope they would look ahead in regard to their management needs and recognize that the experience they have in place is very valuable. The transition of that experience is also very valuable.

Kris Polly: What is the most important thing that every irrigation district manager should know?

Tom Knutson: Patience. Learning how to walk before you run is critical in the business. If you make a quick decision today, you may regret it by next Monday. Ask questions. You need to understand your surroundings or environment in order to be qualified to make those decisions. Be creative and look at alternatives that may save dollars, may save water, and may provide other opportunities. The last thing I would say is stay involved in policy matters. Serve on local, state, and national water policy boards if possible. If you’re not involved, your job will become more difficult over time.

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Cvwd General Manager Steve Robbins Passes Away at Age 59 Steve Robbins, the well-respected general manager whose innovative leadership enabled Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) to weather some of the most daunting challenges in its history, died Thursday, September 27, after a battle with leukemia. He was 59.

Mr. Robbins was surrounded by friends and family when he died at The City of Hope in Duarte. The longtime La Quinta resident had been a patient at the worldrenowned cancer-treatment center and was preparing for a bone-marrow transplant.

“I share with water district employees and others who knew Steve Robbins the deep sorrow that comes from losing a really good friend,” said CVWD Board President Peter Nelson.

“Steve’s leadership locally, regionally, and in the water industry throughout California will be missed. He helped shape CVWD into one of the most widely recognized water agencies in the Southwest, benefitting the Coachella Valley in immeasurable ways.”

Because he was so widely respected and influential within the water industry, Mr. Robbins’s involvement in statewide agencies included productive terms as president of the State Water (Project) Contractors and as a regional board chairman of the Association of California Water Agencies.

Mr. Robbins’s dedicated community involvement included service as a La Quinta planning commissioner, past president and member of the La Quinta chapter of Rotary International, and membership in the Building Industry Association. His contributions in La Quinta were recognized by the city when he was named as a Pillar of the Community.

When his illness was made public, there was an outpouring of compassionate support from friends, coworkers, and others in the community during a wellpublicized drive that registered more than 275 potential bone-marrow donors.

Despite his poor health, Mr. Robbins visited the district’s administrative building in Palm Desert to thank 8

those who were participating in the drive and, in media interviews, he encouraged others to become potential bone-marrow donors.

A match with excellent prospects was found for Mr. Robbins from among existing donors, but the native of Port Hueneme succumbed to his cancer before a transplant could be performed.

Mr. Robbins is survived by Karen, his wife of more than 25 years; daughters Ashley, Kristyn, and Kirklyn; son-inlaw Corry Hunter; grandsons Rhys and Brock; a brother, Craig; and his parents, Bob and Esther.

A graduate of UCLA, Mr. Robbins’s employment with CVWD totaled 25 years in an engineering career that included a break of several years from public service when he ventured into the private sector. He was the general manager–chief engineer for nearly a decade and only the third person since 1956 to serve as CVWD’s chief administrator.

During Mr. Robbins’s tenure as general manager–chief engineer, CVWD • survived a potentially devastating reduction in agricultural irrigation water • finalized an historic “agriculture-to-urban” water transfer that protected the Coachella Valley’s supply of imported water while obtaining additional Colorado River water for ground water replenishment • initiated an elaborate domestic conservation program that encouraged customers to reduce water consumption through rebates, tiered rates, and other incentives • substantially increased the district’s entitlement to State Water Project water, further ensuring that there is a reliable, affordable supply of water now and for generations to come • built projects to maximize the use of recycled water for golf courses and other landscape irrigation, which alleviates aquifer overdraft • endured some of the most austere fiscal circumstances in the district’s history without layoffs, furloughs, or salary cuts, while keeping rate hikes to a minimum Services are pending.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that donations be made to The City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, 1-800-826-4673, www.cityofhope.org.

Irrigation Leader

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Cultivating Water Resources Leaders: The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy

By Lee Orton

B

ack in 2009, the Nebraska State Irrigation Association (NSIA) identified a need to develop water resource leaders who had a keen understanding of the role Nebraska’s rivers, streams, and aquifers have in the state’s economic viability. With the help of founding partner Diamond Plastic, a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, and the support of those in the Nebraska water resources community who believe in leadership development, the NSIA founded the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy.

The Program

The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy is a one-year program that identifies community leaders, educates them about water issues, and teaches leadership skills necessary to actively guide future water policy, management, and development in the state. The program trains participants to take active and cooperative approaches to water resource decisionmaking. Participants learn about water laws, political and administrative structures, and water and natural resource management with respect to domestic,

agriculture, industrial, and recreational uses. We spend a good deal of time in the program working on leadership skills so that when participants leave the program, they do so with the skills required to actively engage in local, regional, state, and national water policy and management.

Our objective is to develop a cross-section of participants, geographically and philosophically, in order to expose them to leadership perspectives of a wide range of people from different walks of life and regions of Nebraska. The academy seeks early to mid-career professionals with interests in water resources, production agriculture, business, law, fisheries and wildlife, recreation, and environmental sciences. We value individuals who exhibit an interest in seeking leadership roles on public boards, commissions, and water policy groups, along with a commitment to their communities.

Participants attend six sessions every two months at locations throughout the state over the course of a year.

Each session focuses on a particular activity area: water law, social and economic interests in water, the administration and management structure governing Nebraska water, and leadership skills. The academy invites experts from federal and state government agencies, local resource Academy students viewing a 30-mile canal.

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Irrigation Leader

organizations, and private nonprofit interest groups to give lectures and conduct workshops. Participants produce a team project about a water-related issue that is discussed in academy sessions.

The original idea of the academy developed because of a concern about the aging demographic of project leaders in Nebraska. Second- or third-generation irrigators working on older projects account for much of the traditional irrigation leadership. In part due to population migration from rural areas, the people who once filled those leadership positions are just not there anymore. The more we looked at it, the more we recognized that the same demographic problem existed in other areas of water policy activity.

Diamond Plastics. A pipe manufacturer headquartered here in Nebraska, Diamond is instrumental to the program.

When NSIA approached Diamond representatives about the academy, they very quickly jumped on the idea as being a sound water resources planning effort.

This year, for the first time, the academy is the recipient of a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, which is funded by proceeds from the Nebraska Lottery and is dedicated to resource management activities. We anticipate that the Environmental Trust grant will continue for the next three years, placing us on solid financial ground.

We rely on our own NSIA members for financial support. Academy participants also contribute a fee. The balance of the fee often comes from sponsors or employers.

We also offer scholarships to help ensure that we have a good cross section of participants.

Sound Support

Laying the Foundations for Future Leaders

Origins

Fundamental to the creation and operations of the academy are the contributions of our founding partner,

Phyllis Schoenholz, Univesity of Nebraksa–Lincoln Extension Educator, discussing group communication.

Irrigation Leader

The Water Leaders Academy is great idea that could be used across the West. To my knowledge, there are only two active programs like this—one in Colorado and one in California. And the development of water leadership skills is complementary to other programs.

We’ve had an agriculture leadership program in Nebraska for 35 years. That program includes waterrelated components, but does not get into great detail. We think the academy can serve as either the starting point for the agriculture program or as a specialization for those who graduate from the agriculture program.

The academy builds a sound foundation for those involved in water policy development in the state of Nebraska. Already, program participants have gained private sector or government positions, advancing them in their careers and providing them with the opportunities to utilize the skills learned in the academy. Several academy participants have run for positions on local decisionmaking bodies, including the boards of state natural resources districts. These individuals are moving forward into the system as we hoped they would. They will bring a broad water resources perspective to those positions.

Lee Orton is the executive director of the Nebraska State Irrigation Association. For more information about the Water Leaders Academy, call Lee at (402) 476-0162 or visit http://nebraskastateirrigationassociation.org.

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Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program

By David R. Roseleip

T

he Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program provides a continuous stream of leaders into the agriculture and forestry industries in Washington State. The program is designed to broaden the perspectives and knowledge base of upcoming and intermediate leaders so they can be more effective for their industry. The program does this through intensive leadership seminars over an 18-month period: 12 3-day statewide seminars, 1 7-day national seminar, and 1 2-week international seminar. The program works on the communication, group dynamic, and collaboration skills of its leaders and provides an understanding of how to work with individuals on public policy to find common solutions for the industry.

The leadership program addresses a variety of topics: social issues impacting communities, environmental and water issues, networks of organizations and interests, and trade and foreign governments. The study of water resource management is an essential part of the program. In our forestry seminars, we talk about water quality and conservation, particularly as they impact fish species. In our agriculture seminars, we study the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project and the use of river water for agriculture. We also provide a Columbia River system seminar, in which we investigate competing interests in the system.

The Investor Model

Washington State universities and businesses facilitate the training of participants by providing facilities and faculty support. Washington State University has been one of our

main partners, and we continue to work with Pacific Lutheran University of Tacoma on a seminar about social issues—the relation between the individual, rural communities, and poverty. Other seminars are sponsored by businesses like Northwest Farm Credit Services and Port of Seattle.

Ours is a membership model. Program graduates give back to the leadership program—they become investors. Today, more than 700 investors, ranging from larger companies to individuals, support the program.

We cultivate financial capital from those who believe in leadership.

Origins

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and others in the agriculture and forestry industry saw that a number of people who had been leaders in the industry for a generation were retiring without an adequate pool of candidates to take their place. Those leaders identified the need to better prepare upcoming leaders. The Kellogg Foundation issued a grant to Michigan State University to establish an 18-month model for leadership training.

Washington State agriculture and forestry leaders looked to begin a leadership program akin to Michigan State’s with financial aid from the Kellogg Foundation. With seed money from Kellogg,

Leadership Class 34 on a farm tour in the Columbia Basin.

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Irrigation Leader

the Washington State Agriculture and Forestry Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, was founded in 1978 to run the leadership program using universities and local businesses to help provide seminars.

Class Makeup

The recruitment and selection of a diverse class is a program cornerstone. Every year, six committees of five volunteers interview candidates for the class, followed by a statewide Selection Committee meeting to make the final selection. The Selection Committee balances geography, occupation, age, and philosophy. In accordance with the policy of our Board of Trustees, we select 24 individuals for a class. Sixty percent of program participants are in the fields of forestry or agriculture production, while the remaining 40 percent consists of individuals in related businesses: irrigation districts, conservation districts, government, and extension programs. Nearly every year, the average age of the class is 38 years, and the gender breakdown is 60 percent male and 40 percent female.

National and Global Viewpoints

The program is dedicated to providing its participants with a full understanding of national and international perspectives on the forestry and agriculture industries.

During the national seminar in Washington DC, we visit the Washington State congressional delegation and staff, the agencies that have a regulatory impact on our industry, and the European community delegation to provide an understanding of trade issues. We spend an afternoon talking to nongovernmental organizations, such as the Heritage Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council, to learn about their missions and how they approach the industries. These efforts help our leaders become more effective at lobbying for their industries.

Since the outset of the program, we have stressed the global nature of forestry and agriculture. The international seminar teaches our participants how to market products abroad. Equally as important is the exposure to other cultures and the understanding of other types of governments, and how these compare to what we have in the United States.

Generally, we choose a developing nation where there is a certain amount of hardship in the travel. It is an essential part of broadening the scope of a good leader. Two years ago, we were in Chile; last year we were in Vietnam and Cambodia. We have also gone to Turkey, China, Romania, and Russia. The international seminar really gels our classes and helps builds relationships and networking within the group. It is a common bond.

Real World Impact

We divide our class up into five groups and each one,

Irrigation Leader

over the 18 months, works on a public policy issue as part of a final project. Often it is related to legislation. The idea is that they are trying to collaborate across diverse geographical areas to find solutions to pressing issues in Washington State. Our projects have real world impacts.

One project led to the founding of the Washington Wine Commission. Another project focused on the Hood Canal area where there was a community concern about septic tanks. A participant group put together a program to convert septic tanks into a sewer system and received a large grant to start the process.

An example of graduates using their training involved the burning of wheat stubble in eastern Washington.

Limitations on burning were an ongoing issue between the Department of Ecology and wheat growers. Led by one of our graduates, Alex McGregor, a coalition of wheat farmers crafted an agreement with Ecology that set forth burning rules and regulations with which all the parties could agree. The project was a prime example of how the agriculture community can work with government to solve an issue instead of letting it go to the court.

Leadership is needed at every level. We aim to prepare our graduates to fill those leadership roles—county commissioners, conservation and irrigation district directors, and commodity association and farm bureau leaders. Mark Schoesler, a large wheat grower and graduate of class number 10, serves in the state senate and is an important leader in agriculture. Another graduate, Dan Newhouse, is a hop and apple farmer and currently Director of Agriculture for the State of Washington.

Our Philosophy

A good leader in agriculture or natural resources is someone who listens. Before he or she goes ahead to solve an issue, a leader needs listen to all sides of an issue. A good leader not only builds relationships with like-minded individuals in his or her industry, but also with those who may have differing viewpoints. A leader is someone who is broad in scope, willing to learn, and willing to work with others. We stress this in our program.

David R. Roseleip is the president of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation. He is a cofounder of the International Association of Programs for Agricultural Leadership, linking rural and natural resource leadership programs across the United States and four foreign countries. To learn more about the program, visit www.agforestry.org.

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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

New Water Management Certificate Program Prepares Future Industry Leaders

By George Seperich

I

n January 2013, the Arizona State University College of Technology Innovation, in collaboration with the Agri-Business Council of Arizona, will inaugurate the first class of its new Water Management Certificate Program (WMCP), a program created to prepare today’s water professionals to become tomorrow’s water industry leaders. The collaboration, which has been conceptually in the works for more than a decade, boasts a comprehensive curriculum to provide the basic knowledge, skills, and context necessary to prepare future leaders to meet the changing technological, environmental, and political demands facing irrigation districts and their managers. This program is taught by seasoned industry leaders for future industry leaders—it is information/knowledge transfer at the highest level.

Program to Focus on Emerging Water District Challenges

A tremendous need exists for this kind of program as a generation of recognized water industry professionals reaches the age of retirement. While the WMCP is not the first postgraduate educational program to focus on agriculture or water resource management, it is unique in its emphasis on addressing the day-to-day needs of water agency personnel. Engineering and law programs offer a necessary technical expertise, but they do little to address the nuts and bolts of running a district. In addition to technical knowledge, today’s water managers need to understand a range of contextual issues, including the political process, community relations, legal strategy, organizational leadership, and public finance.

The WMCP Advisory Council felt strongly that the program needed to be developed independent of the university in order to maintain control over the curriculum and the selection of faculty. While Arizona State University provides some operational support and lends academic credibility, the advisory council believed that the constraints of adhering to the university’s strict degree program requirements, i.e., who is qualified to teach

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a class, how grades are assigned, etc., would ultimately compromise the program’s objectives.

Many of the most respected water industry experts do not have PhDs, but have made significant contributions to their districts and to the development of water management practices over the past four decades.

Developed as an independent program, the advisory council is free to give greater weight to a faculty member’s expertise than to academic background.

An Executive Management Program for Water Industry Professionals

The first cohort will likely comprise 25 professionals from the 17 western states who are either nominated by their districts as up-and-coming leaders or demonstrate interest and competency in a relevant field. Structured similarly to an executive MBA program, the WMCP requires a 12-month commitment with one and a half days scheduled each month for classes. The class time will include a half day of classroom instruction and discussion on Friday, followed by a full day of proctored fieldwork and

WMCP Curriculum • Water Resources • Management Essentials: Theory and Applications • Finance and Budget • Operations/Maintenance • Land Use Issues • Energy Resource Management • Role of Consultant/Attorney • Inter-Governmental Relationships • Communication • Advanced Topics in Water Management • Capstone Project Irrigation Leader

WMCP Advisory Council and Inaugural Faculty • George Fletcher, President, Water Replenishment LLC • Richard Morrison, JD, Salmon, Lewis & Weldon, PLC; ranch owner/operator, northern Arizona • Wade Noble, JD, Noble Law Offices; Past President, NWRA • William “Bill” Plummer, President, Agri-Business Council of Arizona; Past Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources; Former Senior Manager, Bureau of Reclamation • John Sullivan, Associate General Manager and Chief Resources Executive, Salt River Project; Past President, NWRA • Chris Udall, Executive Director, Agri-Business Council of Arizona • Grant Ward, Manager, Maricopa–Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District • Sid Wilson, Former General Manager, Central Arizona Water Conservation District

hands-on activities on Saturday. Students will also have time to develop and complete independent projects as part of the curriculum.

The program will cost $4,800 per person per year, or $400 per month, which includes faculty instruction, course materials, activities, and meals. Providing most or all of the resources necessary in support of the program will allow participants to concentrate on the coursework and networking with their instructors and their colleagues.

Program Success Will Rely on Give and Take between Experts and Class Participants

The program’s value will be driven in large part by the opportunity to network with faculty representing the industry’s leading water professionals. Common experiences and perspectives from other students will also help build a network that will prove invaluable outside the classroom and beyond the program’s life. Classes will

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be videotaped to preserve a record, but students will be expected to attend classes in person. The program’s success relies on spirited discussion, and students should expect to actively participate. The class will comprise industry professionals who have experience and opinions, and the curriculum is designed to capitalize on those assets.

To be effective in today’s water environment, managers need skills that are significantly different than those required 40 years ago. The number of hats a water manager needs to wear has increased 10-fold during this period, and a comprehensive program is needed in which emerging leaders can acquire the tools they need to face these difficult challenges. A WMCP certificate is more than just a resume credential; it will provide the nuts and bolts of what it takes to be an effective water manager. In the future, it may be a significant indicator of readiness for the next level of development and an enhanced probability of success at that level.

If you are interested in nominating an individual or applying for the Water Management Certificate Program, please send a resume and statement of interest to: Water Management Certificate Program c/o George J. Seperich Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management College of Technology and Innovation Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus Mesa, AZ 85212 You may also contact George.Seperich@asu.edu or call (480) 727-1285 to obtain more information about the program. Information may also be obtained from jessi.wilson@asu.edu.

George Seperich is a professor at the Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus and is leading the development of the Water Management Certificate Program.

Dr. Seperich received his MS and PhD degrees from Michigan State University.

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Nebraska’s NRDs Celebrate 40 Years of Protecting Natural Resources

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he year 2012 marks 40 years of protecting lives, property, and the future of natural resources for Nebraska’s 23 natural resources districts (NRDs). NRDs are unique to Nebraska; they are political subdivisions based on river basin boundaries that manage and protect natural resources.

“For the last 40 years, the NRDs across the state have been addressing natural resources issues and concerns with local solutions,” said Joe Anderjaska, president of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. “Since the beginning, NRDs have constructed or maintained approximately 700 flood control structures, planted over 85 million trees, and protected ground water quantity and quality,” said Anderjaska.

Senator Maurice Kremer introduced, and the Nebraska legislature enacted, Legislative Bill (LB) 1357 in 1969 to combine Nebraska’s 154 special-purpose entities into 24 NRDs by July 1972. The original 24 NRD boundaries were organized based on Nebraska’s major river basins, which allows for better management practices to be applied to similar topography. In 1989, the Middle Missouri Tribs NRD and the Papio NRD merged to become the Papio–Missouri NRD, which resulted in the current 23NRD system. Directors are elected at the general election to govern the local district. A handful of board members, managers, and staff have been a part of the system since the NRD creation in 1972.

“While all NRDs share the 12 main responsibilities, each district sets its own priorities and develops its own programs to best serve local needs and to protect Nebraska’s natural resources for the future generations,” said Ron Bishop, who has been the manager at Central Platte NRD since 1972.

NRDs were created to solve flood control, soil erosion, irrigation run-off, and ground water quantity and quality issues. Nebraska’s NRDs are involved in a wide variety of

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projects and programs to conserve and protect the state’s natural resources. NRDs are charged under state law with 12 areas of responsibility, including flood control, soil erosion, and ground water management.

“Natural resources districts have local leadership and are primarily responsible for protecting ground water from overuse and pollution. To accomplish this, each district also has developed and maintains a plan to protect ground water,” said Bishop. Ground water management plans are supported by state law that provides districts with a variety of regulatory tools to deal with contamination, shortages, or user conflicts. Two recent examples of NRD projects highlight ground water management through the use of conjunctive water management. The first project, by the Central Plate NRD in Grand Island, has reached agreements with three canal companies in Dawson County to implement conjunctive water use utilizing the canal systems. All three agreements protect the local agriculture economy by allowing acres to continue to be irrigated while capturing excess flows and retiming the discharges and diversions for other benefits such as recharge, protecting endangered species through the the Platte River Recovery Implementation Plan, and providing increased stream flows in the Platte Basin. All arrangements with the irrigation canals and the Central Plate NRD were voluntary and provided positive benefits for all water users.

The second project example is at the Upper Republican NRD, located in Imperial. In 2011, the Upper Republican NRD purchased property that included 23 wells, and all but 5 will be permanently retired to offset the water that will be pumped to meet the three-state compact compliance between Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas.

Five wells on the northern half of the property will be used to pump water into Rock Creek, which flows into the Republican River a few miles south of the site. Another benefit of this project will be to recharge water that

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supplies the Rock Creek fish hatchery operated by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Annual precipitation in Nebraska varies by almost 20 inches per year from the western side to the southeast corner. During time of excessive rainfall, flooding can be a concern. To protect lives and property, NRDs have constructed or maintain more than 700 flood control structures across Nebraska. By utilizing comprehensive flood plain management techniques, the NRDs design and build dams, levees, dikes, drainage ditches, and other structures to protect lives and property from flood waters.

Many of these projects take advantage of opportunities of the multiple benefits the structures have to offer, including fish and wildlife habitat, hiking and biking trails, ground water recharge, and surface water quality improvement. In April 2012, Lower Platte North NRD in Wahoo officially opened Lake Wanahoo. The Lake Wanahoo/Sand Creek Project began in the early 1990s as an effort to control severe flood problems on Sand and Wahoo creeks. The 1,777-acre recreation area features picnic shelters, a 4-mile walking and biking trail, camping sites, and fishing, while providing much needed flood control for the area.

Key to the success of the NRDs are strong partnerships with other organizations, partnerships that provide opportunities for land owners and protection and conservation of Nebraska’s natural resources. Over the past 40 years, Nebraska NRDs have partnered on the local, state, and national levels. Partners have become friends and

To protect lives and property, NRDs have constructed or maintain more than 700 flood control structures across Nebraska. Utilizing flood plain management measures, the NRDs design and build dams, levees, dikes, drainage ditches and other structures to protect lives and property from flood waters. In April 2012, Lower Platte North NRD based in Wahoo officially opened Lake Wanahoo. The Lake Wanahoo/ Sand Creek Project began in the early 1990s as an effort to control severe flood problems on Sand and Wahoo creeks.

The 1,777-acre recreation area features picnic shelters, a four-mile walking and biking trail, camping sites, and fishing, which provide much needed flood control for the area.

Irrigation Leader

In 2004 the Upper Big Blue NRD at York and the Cornerstone Bank entered into a collaborative partnership, sharing a small section of irrigated land that the bank manages. The land has since been used for an agricultural test and education project, which has been well received by both producers and the public. Many producers in the NRD are now using these best practices in their own operations.

are strong supporters of natural resources management.

Working with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, and the Natural Resources Commission, as well as citizen/ environmental groups and landowners, NRDs combine projects and programs to protect Nebraska natural resources. These projects and programs provide flood control to protect lives and property, manage ground water, prevent soil erosion, plant conservation trees, and create fish and wildlife habitat.

An example of a unique partnership started in 2004 when the Upper Big Blue NRD at York and the Cornerstone Bank signed an agreement and entered into a collaborative partnership sharing a small section of irrigated land that the bank manages to be designated as an agricultural test and education project. This project has generated a great deal of publicity, and many producers in the NRD are now using this research to improve the profitability of their own operations.

Historically, Nebraskans have been independent and forward thinking regarding government structures. NRDs are part of that proud tradition and continue to protect life, property, and the future of Nebraska’s natural resources.

“The NRDs have only been around for 40 years and have accomplished a great deal in that time,” said Dean Edson, executive director for the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. “While many projects and actions have been undertaken, the districts understand that challenges with water remain as the need for food, fuel, and fiber grows. Nebraska’s leaders have created an efficient and effective management system that will sustain the resources for all uses into the future.”

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Over the last 40 years NRDs have provided more than 85 million tree/shrub seedlings to Nebraska landowners. Most of these seedlings were planted for landowners by local NRD employees, either by hand or by machine. Known today as the Conservation Trees for Nebraska Program, each NRD independently manages its own conservation tree and shrub program to best benefit its local district.

A look at the events that took place in Nebraska and nationwide that led to the creation of Nebraska’s NRDs.

1870s to 1910s • Land agents knew that stores of ground water lay below the ground in central Nebraska and used it to attract settlers.

• Nebraskan J. Sterling Morton creates Arbor Day, the first holiday devoted to natural resources conservation.

1920s to 1930s • Much of Nebraska and the Great Plains are devastated by the twin catastrophes of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.

• The U.S. Soil Conservation Service was established in 1935.

1940s to 1950s • Soil and water conservation districts were formed across the state of Nebraska, county by county.

•Devastating floods during the 1950s caused massive property damage and spurred major flood control projects across Nebraska. The need to manage the resources in the entire river basin became apparent.

1960s to 1970s • The 1960s and ’70s, ground water irrigation became economically feasible. The legislature recognized that some local regulatory oversight needed to be put in place.

• Senator Maurice Kremer introduced, and the Nebraska legislature enacted, Legislative Bill (LB) 1357 in 1969 to combine Nebraska’s 154 special-purpose entities into 24 natural resources districts by July 1972.

1980s to 1990s • NRDs create ground water management plans to protect the quantity and quality of Nebraska’s ground water.

• Because of its value to farmers and urban centers, ground water is commonly recognized as Nebraska’s most precious natural resource.

• In 1989, the Middle Missouri NRD and the Papio NRD were merged into one, becoming the Papio–Missouri NRD, which resulted in the current 23-NRD system.

2000 and Beyond • Water, and effective policies to manage and protect it, is a major focus for the NRDs. • Nebraska’s NRDs continue to play the vital role for local control in natural resources policy.

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Western Irrigated Agriculture Pumps $128 Billion into the Economy, Contributes to Affordable Food for Americans

By Dan Keppen

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t a time when the worst drought in five decades will begin to affect consumer pocketbooks, and with doom-and-gloom surrounding our national economy, a new report shows the critical importance of one often-overlooked aspect of the American economy: western irrigated agriculture.

The worst drought in the United States in nearly 50 years is expected to drive up the price of milk, beef, pork, and any of the dozens of products containing corn next year. And, even when much of the economy is faltering right now, irrigated agriculture remains one of the largest economic engines in the western United States, according to a recent Family Farm Alliance report titled The Economic Importance of Irrigated Agriculture. For a region that spans the 17 western states, the total household income impacts derived from the irrigated agriculture industry—which is made up of direct irrigated crop production, agricultural services, and the food processing and packaging sectors—is estimated to be about $128 billion annually.

Real household income is the contribution to actual dollars in the pocket. It takes the form of wages, salaries, and products sold, both directly and indirectly. Onehundred twenty-eight billion dollars is a very large number, and the time may never be better to reference this number to help push for new water policies that protect irrigated agriculture and encourage collaborative partnerships that maximize production and protect the environment.

The number one issue for federal and state agricultural policy decisionmakers should be to maintain America’s low-cost, 24-hours-a-day/7-days-a week access to safe, high-quality food and fiber, made available in large part by western irrigated agriculture. To that end, we need policies that encourage agricultural producers to work together in a strategic, coordinated fashion.

We need to modernize and rebuild parts of the institutional structure now in place so that water resources can be managed specifically, not generically. We must get a handle on changing weather patterns and assess how the agricultural landscape and water security will be impacted due to a changing climate. And we must develop a clear understanding of how the resulting limitations on our ability to feed the world is impacted when we take domestic agricultural lands out of production as water tied to those lands is moved elsewhere.

Unfortunately, meaningful solutions are becoming tougher and tougher to achieve. As the West has grown, water issues have become increasingly important—and polarized. Growing urbanization, increasing energy needs, and rising public demand for available supplies to provide 26

recreational and environmental benefits continue to place heavy demands on western water supplies historically developed and relied upon for the production of agricultural products.

There is no doubt that agricultural water has become the default water supply for meeting other demands in the modern West. Unfortunately, the only large potential for moving water from agriculture to other uses will come from fallowing large swaths of farmland, which has grave implications for our country’s ability to produce food for a growing world population. This factor alone could also significantly threaten the luxury Americans currently enjoy— spending a very low amount of their disposable income on food.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the new Alliance report is a discussion describing how important inexpensive food has been in the last 70 years when it comes to the average American’s disposable income. During the Great Depression, roughly 25 percent of an American family’s disposable income was spent on food. By 2011, that percentage had dropped to 6.7 percent, the lowest of any country in the world.

Can you imagine spending 31 percent of your disposable income on food, like the Russians currently do? That’s over four times what you spend right now, on things you would not likely be able to afford if your food were not so inexpensive.

Clearly, the declining cost of U.S. household food purchases as a percent of discretionary income has contributed substantially over time to the national economy by allowing more household income to be devoted to consumer goods and services.

The food security issue can be directly linked to general U.S. economic health because of its implications to the consumer spending economy. However, this isn’t just a matter of domestic security; it’s also a global concern. Last year, the Global Harvest Initiative released its Global Agricultural Productivity Report, which quantified the difference between the current rate of agricultural productivity growth and the pace required to meet future world food needs. The report predicts that doubling agricultural output by 2050 requires increasing the rate of productivity growth by 25 percent . . . every year.

These issues and other growing domestic and global food security and scarcity concerns must be considered as federal water policies are developed and implemented. We cannot continue to downplay or ignore the negative implications of reallocating more agricultural water supplies to meet new urban, energy, and environmental water demands.

At what point will too much agricultural land be taken out of production? Do we want to rely on imported food for Irrigation Leader

safety and security? The Europeans, who have starved within memory, understand the importance of preserving their food production capability. They recognize it for the national security issue that it is.

Unfortunately, uncertainty and increased costs driven by federal water and natural resource regulations and related litigation are having a very real impact on the ability of western farmers and ranchers to continue to produce safe and affordable food. Legislative gridlock and lack of political will are also partly to blame for the West’s inability to cope with water conflicts. Doing nothing until now has pitted various interests against each other, with farmers taking the brunt of the damage, as evidenced by the disastrous consequences felt by San Joaquin Valley farmers in 2009 and Klamath Basin farmers in 2001 and 2010.

The West can find solutions to water conflicts that protect our ability to feed ourselves, export food to others, and continue to lead the world in agricultural production, all while finding ways to accommodate the water supply needs of continued urban growth, energy needs, recreational demands, and environmental requirements. Fair, balanced, and long-lasting solutions will not come easily. They will require visionary leadership and a firm commitment to a

sensible, workable policy.

As a first step, the United States must adopt an overriding national goal of remaining self-sufficient in affordable food production. Food security is economic security is homeland security. Policy decisions on a wide range of issues should then be evaluated to be sure they are consistent with that goal—especially water policy decisions where irrigation water supplies are key to agricultural production.

Our nation needs a stable, affordable secure domestic food supply, just as it needs a stable, affordable, secure energy supply. Now is the time for a consistent and thoughtful federal water policy that looks to meet all of the needs of the West and the nation.

Dan Keppen is the executive director of the Family Farm Alliance in Klamath Falls, Oregon. For more information on the Family Farm Alliance, visit its website at www.familyfarmalliance.org.

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District Focus

Willwood Irrigation District: Between

the Financial Rock and a Hard Place

By Tom Walker

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s part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Shoshone Project in northwestern Wyoming, Willwood Irrigation District (WID) serves 175 water users on 11,464 adjudicated acres and 600 contract acres. Water for WID is diverted from the Shoshone River into the Willwood Canal at Willwood Diversion Dam. The main canal is 27 miles long with a rated capacity of 320 cubic feet per second at the head. In addition, we have about 55 miles of laterals. Our district is very long and narrow, which means we have a lot of main canal to maintain relative to our size.

Although a few of our landowners pump water from our system for lawns and pasture, the district system itself is entirely gravity fed. This is true for the other districts in the Shoshone Project as well. It’s an amazing system when you consider the amount of acreage served, the number of miles some of the water travels from the source without pumping, and the vision and perseverance it took to make it happen a hundred years ago. With an average rainfall of around 6 inches, irrigation is the lifeblood of our region.

Without it, we would be nothing but sagebrush, cactus, and coyotes.

Our system was formed back in the early 1900s.

The diversion dam was completed in 1924, and WID formed in 1943. The district took over management

of the system in 1950. Our primary cash crop is sugar beets. Our farmers also grow dry beans, barley, feed corn, and alfalfa. In the last two or three years, farmers here have introduced confectionary sunflowers to their rotations.

Flood irrigation is still the primary method of getting water to our crops, with about 60 percent of that by way of gated pipe. There are a few linear and circular pivots in the district, but they are not yet as common as in other districts. Most of the pivots employed in the district pump water from drainages rather than the canal or laterals.

Most of our landowners remain steadfastly opposed to subdividing their property. While subdivisions do exist here, we remain mostly larger farms. The original homesteaders are all gone now, but many of their families continue to rely on farming as a way of life.

Improving Efficiency and Water Conservation on a Limited Budget We are doing our best to address desperately needed infrastructure improvements in the face of rising construction and operating costs. We work closely with Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) and Reclamation, both of whom have provided grant funding for recent projects.

Since 2010, we’ve received over $1.5 million from these agencies to replace 3.5 miles of open laterals with buried PVC pipeline and an aging manually

Willwood Diversion Dam on the Shoshone River.

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operated radial gate and stop log spillway with automated Rubicon FlumeGates. WWDC is also funding around 70 percent of the cost of a major rehabilitation of our diversion dam, now in the design phase. These projects are part of a master plan that outlines a long-range schedule for improving the district’s efficiency and water conservation.

Our struggle with maintaining our master plan schedule is lack of revenue. Like many irrigation districts, we rely solely on taxes assessed to our water users for revenue. That revenue determines our annual operations and maintenance budget, with few if any dollars left over for infrastructure rehabilitation projects. Assessments are on a per-acre basis. Due to our small size and relatively few water users, our assessments are already among the highest in Wyoming at $30 per acre.

While larger projects such as those previously mentioned are eligible for grant funding, grants alone do not cover the entire cost. For example, WWDC provides only the material cost of a pipeline project. WID must pay the rest of the project cost, including engineering, labor, and equipment, out of reserve accounts. Low-cost loans are generally available through WWDC for the balance, but there is a limit to the amount of debt we can assume.

Although Reclamation funding breaks down differently, the problem is the same. In the end, although grant funding help is out there for irrigation districts like ours, we are limited in our ability to pay our share.

Even in a region like ours where irrigation water is the vital ingredient to our way of life, there is a limit to the cost water users are able to absorb. We can’t expect to simply continue raising assessments indefinitely. For WID to continue any sort of reasonable and responsible schedule of infrastructure improvement, we must find additional revenue streams. As we’ve contemplated and researched this challenge over the years, the only stream that makes sense to us is hydropower.

The Challenges of Hydropower as an Additional Revenue Stream Since 1980, WID has commissioned three major studies on the potential for hydropower development in the district. The first two were focused primarily on our diversion dam, which was designed with a penstock to incorporate a low-head hydropower plant. The latest major study, completed in 2003, included feasibility evaluations of additional drop sites along our main canal. One of those drops was reevaluated earlier this year in a feasibility study WID paid for out of reserve funds.

Although we have had the capacity to install a plant at the diversion dam for over 85 years, it has never been cost effective. In fact, none of the sites reviewed in the 2003 study proved feasible. That finding was due to an avoided cost of around 1.5 cents per kilowatt at the time, which Irrigation Leader

Automated Rubicon FlumeGates at Roan Wash.

was far lower than it is today. Avoided costs, or the rate a power company is willing to pay for electricity produced by an outside source, are currently in the neighborhood of 6 to 7 cents per kilowatt. Even with increased construction costs, hydropower can now be considered a viable option, that is, if we don’t have to pay for the entire project out of pocket.

The diversion dam site would have a generating capacity of 1.5 megawatts. That would represent major revenue potential for our district if we could afford the cost of construction. A feasibility review for this site completed in 2009 estimated total cost of construction and implementation at $7.5 million. Even if grant funds were available for half that cost, we simply don’t have the ability to make the payments on the balance. As the farmers around here would say, “That just don’t pencil out.”

With the diversion dam option off the table, we decided to update the feasibility findings of one of our canal drops for hydropower. Aside from lower construction costs, a hydropower plant at a canal drop presents minimal environmental impact and is eligible for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Conduit Exemption, making it far easier and less expensive to navigate through FERC and other stakeholder agencies.

The drop we chose to look at is called Deer Creek. It’s a pipe drop located about 5 miles below the diversion dam.

Deer Creek provides approximately 40 feet of potential head. The 2003 study did some preliminary feasibility design on the drop and found that it would support a 780-kilowatt plant. Last year, we hired a local consulting firm to do a comprehensive feasibility study on Deer Creek, and the results were positive. To make it financially possible though, we need to find half the cost of the plant through some kind of grant funding. The total cost of the plant is around $3.2 million in today’s dollars. That includes 3.5 miles of a three-phase transmission line to tie into the power grid.

In spite of growing interest and public awareness of low-head hydropower’s potential, obtaining grant funding 31

for this type of project remains elusive. For example, earlier this year, at the urging of Reclamation and with the Deer Creek feasibility study in hand, we applied for a Reclamation WaterSMART grant. The program provides a maximum of $1.5 million per project. With that amount, the Deer Creek Hydro Project would be feasible. Unfortunately, we were not successful in our bid for funding.

While Reclamation had the vision in 2011 to add a hydropower component to the WaterSMART program, its focus has always been and remains water conservation. If we had included a significant water conservation element to our project, we might have succeeded in acquiring a grant, but that would have taken money away from the hydropower plant, virtually eliminating its feasibility.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also has a funding program that includes hydropower in its scope, but irrigation districts are not eligible to apply.

At this time, the state of Wyoming does not have a grant program for funding hydropower. There is ample loan funding available through the Wyoming State Investment Board at reasonable rates, but as previously stated, the Deer Creek project is not feasible with borrowed money alone.

As you can see, WID is between the proverbial rock and hard place when it comes to finding additional revenue.

We believe low-head hydropower is the solution to our revenue problem, but the solution requires more revenue.

Family Farm

LLIANCE The Family

Recent legislation before Congress addressing the need to revise FERC licensing requirements for low-head hydropower is encouraging. If nothing else, it’s a sign that hydropower is finally getting the attention it deserves as an alternative energy source. In our judgment, however, revising FERC requirements alone will not translate into low-head hydropower projects for most irrigation districts.

Any hydro project large enough to increase revenue is likely to be a multi-million-dollar proposal. With a FERC Conduit Exemption, it’s possible even now to navigate, through the process in about six months at a cost of around $50,000. That’s not insignificant, but it’s certainly not a deal breaker. The larger problem is the current lack of grant funding opportunities.

It’s my hope that with growing interest in this tremendous resource we have at our disposal, we will see substantial movement toward creative funding options for low-head hydropower projects at both federal and state levels.

For WID, that can’t come soon enough.

Tom Walker has been the general manager of the Willwood Irrigation District since 2006.

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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

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Manager’s Profile

G. Keith Denos

F

or 17 years, Keith Denos has successfully brought people together to find water resources solutions big and small as general manager of the Provo River Water Users Association (PRWUA). PRWUA operates and maintains the Deer Creek Division of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Provo River Project. The Deer Creek Division supplies approximately 100,000 acre-feet per year of water to agricultural, municipal, and industrial users in Utah County, Utah. Although PRWUA delivers 85 percent of its water to municipal and industrial users, it still provides water to an agricultural territory of 37,000 acres. Over the last several years, Keith has rallied organizations, local governments, community members, and businesses around the Provo

Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project (PRCEP). The $150 million PRCEP will provide numerous safety, water conservation, and environmental benefits for PRWUA’s shareholders and Utah County. Irrigation Leader magazine’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke to Keith about his work, his major challenges and accomplishments, and the value of cultivating lasting working relationships.

Kris Polly: Please describe your work on the Provo River Project.

Keith Denos: My title is general manager. I’m basically responsible to my board of directors and shareholders for everything. I have a small yet competent staff of 16 that assists in operations, maintenance, and administration. In addition, we make use of a myriad of outside expertise in various fields—from engineering to law to accounting to biology.

Kris Polly: How did you get involved in irrigation?

Keith Denos: When I came out of engineering school, I started working for a local engineering firm on water-related projects. I really enjoyed working with people in the field. I gained experience in water resources and water rights issues. . . . I worked with farmers, irrigation companies, and water districts. When a position opened up with the association, it seemed like a natural fit for me. I started as the assistant superintendent, and after working here for about 10 months, I was promoted to superintendent, as the general manager position was called at the time.

I grew up in Salt Lake City, so I didn’t really have a background in agriculture. I have always loved to garden, and I’ve grown corn and tomatoes and other vegetables and given them away to friends, neighbors, and employees. I wondered where that interest came from. . . . I talked to my mother about it and she said that my grandfather was a well-known farmer. I knew he had a beautiful garden, but I was unaware that farming was his vocation because he passed away when I was 10.

Kris Polly: What would you say are your biggest issues as a general manager?

Keith standing in front of the spillway for the Provo River Project’s Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir.

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Keith Denos: The biggest issue that has taken up a lot of our energy over the last number of years is the piping of our large canal. It was enlarged in the 1940s to a 560 cfs [cubic-feet per second] canal. Over the last three years, we have been putting it into a 21-mile long, 126-inch diameter welded steel pipeline. It has been quite an effort.

Prior to that, it was quite a large effort in negotiation with other water districts and interested parties. We negotiated in a way that would not only benefit the association and its shareholders but also the other stakeholders.

Keith Denos: That was a definite challenge. You know, the neat thing about this project is that we finally got everybody to realize that all the stakeholders benefit. The water infrastructure community benefits from placing the canal in a pipeline, making the water and water delivery more secure; the environment and its advocates benefit by ensuring in-stream flows for endangered fish; and communities benefit from a safer corridor and the accompanying amenity of a recreation trail [which will be built by Utah County and the local communities atop the

Kris Polly: What was the motivation for enclosing the canal?

Keith Denos: There were a number of things that were important. . . . Safety was a huge issue. It was an open canal that historically ran through pastures and orchards. Over the years, these open spaces became suburbs full of people.

Unfortunately, there have been some drownings over the years. Water saving is another huge reason for putting a canal into a pipeline. We will save about 8,000 acre-feet of water annually.

The total cost has been $150 million to put the canal into the pipeline. One of the opportunities we had to help fund this very extensive project was a grant through the Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA), Section 207 Water Conservation Fund. We were able to access CUPCA funds because of the environmental benefits of the project. The project will help conserve in-stream flows and benefit the endangered June sucker.

Environmentalists really love this project. In fact, when I testified at the Utah state legislature and at a hearing in the U.S. Congress, I talked with many environmental folks who expressed support for our project. You do not see that very often.

I would say that for the last six or seven years, that this has been our main challenge. In conjunction with this enclosure project, in the early 2000s we had pursued title transfer of the canal and the associated corridor lands from Reclamation to PRWUA. We were fortunate to have a great team working together and a supportive delegation in Congress. I understand that our title transfer legislation passed through Congress in record time.

Kris Polly: So you’ve had to thread the needle on a variety of things?

Keith Denos: It has been fun. . . . A challenge, but fun.

Kris Polly: Can you talk about how you were able to bring together all of the stakeholders on the canal enclosure project?

Irrigation Leader

Keith in front of the 5 MW power plant at the base of Deer Creek Dam. 35

buried line]. When everyone could finally see the vision of what this project could be, they came on board and really supported it. That’s why we were able to accomplish this—everyone eventually was able to see the positives from all different perspectives.

Kris Polly: How close is the project from completion?

Keith Denos: I was just out in the field today and watched the crew put in the very last piece of pipe. We’re still testing some of the fiber optics. We’re very, very close. The contractor is set to be substantially complete this December. And if they are, they will receive an early completion bonus. Basically, it is a wrap-up after that. I suspect we will be done in early 2013.

We’ve actually run water through and made deliveries along the entire length of pipeline. It really went well, and we’ve heard compliments from those we’ve served.

Kris Polly: To what extent was the Bureau of Reclamation involved in the pipeline enclosure project and how would you characterize working with them?

Keith Denos: The title transfer act passed by Congress in 2004 provided that we would receive title for the canal lands and then proceed with the enclosure project.

It became very apparent about five or six years ago that for various funding and tax reasons, we would have to undertake these actions in reverse order. So right now, the enclosure project is moving forward with the title to the lands housing the canal and pipeline in Reclamation’s name. Essentially, this is a Reclamation project, but we are the ones obligated to see it through.

We didn’t always see eye to eye during negotiations, but I will say that Reclamation inspectors helped to ensure that we have a very good product—which is what we expected.

I’ve dealt with Reclamation inspectors in the past, and they are very good at what they do. Overall, it has been good. . . .

We get along well with Reclamation.

the lands and the pipeline we operate and maintain will streamline corridor use decisions and the resolution of boundary disputes among the hundreds of landowners in our project. Title transfer will also benefit Reclamation as well since it will no longer be a part of its budget and require funding.

In the end, we will still deliver the water to our shareholders—everyone still receives the great service and delivery that they always had.

Kris Polly: As a manager, what lessons did you take away from the pipeline enclosure project?

Keith Denos: Some of the learning was painful, but you gain a wider perspective working with people in different organizations. It is a challenge to achieve shared goals. At times, different stakeholders will face opposite directions, but it is extremely important to keep people talking and to not draw lines in the sand during the negotiation process.

Another important item, and not just for the enclosure project but for management in general, is making sure you have good people on your team. I have really sharp people with diverse backgrounds who work with me and have made the success of this project possible.

Kris Polly: What are you most proud of as a manager?

Keith Denos: I look at where this organization was when I first came on board in 1995, where we are now, and where we are headed. I am most proud of the fact that working conditions and the working environment for all of the association’s employees have improved. We’ve been able to move the organization into the 21st century and take advantage of new technologies. I think we are much more efficient and capable of doing what is required of us in a way that would not have been possible years ago. I have been blessed to work with highly competent people and a supportive board of directors to realize our vision and better serve our shareholders.

Kris Polly: What are your general thoughts on title transfer?

Kris Polly: What is the one piece of advice you would pass along to other managers?

Keith Denos: We are proponents of title transfer. We look forward to the day when we hold title to our new pipeline and the associated lands. We will be more in charge of our own destiny with regard to our project. It will give us more flexibility with what we do.

Reclamation is a great ally and very helpful in a lot of areas, but there are some things that the federal government is obligated to do. After the transfer, we will not have to undertake some of the procedures that Reclamation is required to do. Sole control of title to

Keith Denos: It is always important to make sure that you continue to facilitate relationships and don’t burn bridges. I think there is a higher reason why you do not take actions to only benefit yourself. I think people working together can always accomplish more than people working alone. That goes for organizations as well. We always try to help out other organizations, state agencies, and federal agencies. I believe others look out for us as well. It is a better approach. It is always beneficial to have good relationships.

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CLASSIFIED LISTINGS IRRIGATION DISTRICT MANAGER The Midvale Irrigation District in Pavillion, Wyoming, is seeking a Manager. Reporting to a five-member board, the manager implements the board’s directives and policies and manages the administrative and operational functions of the District. A qualified individual will have extensive knowledge of and experience in the fields of engineering and irrigation systems and water resources operations. The candidate must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be capable of developing productive working relationships with the Midvale Board, staff, constituents of the District, and relevant government agencies.

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Salary range: 60-70k To apply please submit a resume and references to: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Attention Burl Gies 422 E. Fremont Ave., Riverton, WY 82501 307-856-3468 (fax) burl.gies@wyo.gov (email) For more information, call 307-856-9231.

General Manager Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) Board of Directors is currently accepting applications for the position of General Manager in Grand Island, NE. The full-time position involves carrying out natural resources programs and projects identified by the 21 elected members of the Board as priorities including water & soil conservation, water quality, water supply, flood control, tree planting, fish & wildlife habitat and recreation. Responsible for $20 million annual budget, 20 full-time employees, and some travel is required. Excellent benefits program and wage commensurate with experience. Full job description available on request to cpnrd@ cpnrd.org. Details about CPNRD available at: www.cpnrd.org.

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Project Delivery Engineer - Mechanical Fort Collins, CO

This flexible, hands-on role will primarily be responsible for supporting the Engineering Director in project execution throughout the Americas. The successful candidate will be responsible for product selection/sizing and review of civil installation works required for all projects. They will also serve as a Project Manager, working with client’s engineers to oversee implementation of Rubicon’s hardware, software, and SCADA solutions. As needed the role will generate CAD drawings and support the field technicians in installation, commissioning, diagnostics, warehouse logistics support, product installation, and product manufacturing and assembly.

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Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District Staff Engineer Individual sought to perform civil engineering work related to designing, planning, reviewing, and inspecting District facilities and private facilities; performs technical and feasibility studies and makes recommendations based on the results. Individual must have working knowledge of Microsoft Office, AutoCAD and ArcInfo GIS software, ability to utilize survey equipment, generate plans, charts, and graphs; possess the knowledge and ability to create, interpret and communicate engineering plans and specifications of hydraulic principles and practices, particularly with regard to open channel, pipe flow and pumping systems; working knowledge of public works construction; basic knowledge of mechanical and electrical fundamentals related to pumps, motors and valves; ability to read and write legal descriptions; ability to present written/oral reports that can be understood and utilized by technical and non-technical recipients. Position requires Bachelor's Degree in civil engineering or related engineering field from an Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) college or university, and Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate. Professional Engineer license preferred. Must live in, or be willing to relocate within District boundaries. Wage range: $24.5332.40/hr plus benefit package. A required application and complete job description are available at QCBID headquarters, 1720 S Central Avenue, Quincy, WA between the hours of 7:30am and 4:30pm or by calling (509) 787-3591 and must be received on or before 4:30pm, Friday, October 26, 2012.

Mail application materials to: QCBID Attn: Human Resources PO Box 188, Quincy, WA 98848 Irrigation Leader

OPERATIONS and MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Sponsored by Irrigation Leader Magazine

REGISTRATION FORM

NAME ________________________________________________________________________________ AFFILIATION __________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS______________________________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP________________________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE _________________________

E-MAIL _______________________________________

IRRIGATION LEADER magazine is sponsoring an Operations and Management Workshop to provide an opportunity for irrigation district managers and their respective board directors to discuss and exchange information on a variety of district operational and management-related issues, build out-of-state working relationships, and learn from their peers.

The issues and topics have been selected by general managers and board directors and will pertain directly to the management and improvement of irrigation districts. Discussions will feature case studies with district managers sharing their experiences alongside product or service vendors who were directly involved.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, January 23 8:00 am 9:00 am 10:15 am 10:30 am 11:15 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 5:00 pm

THURSDAY, January 24

Catastrophe Management 8:00 am Finding and Preventing Canal Breaches Break 9:00 am Insurance, Reducing Risk, Controlling Costs Piping Canals: When Does It Make Sense?

Lunch provided Paying for Automation through Conservation 10:15 am Nonfederal Funding Sources 10:30 am Break 12:00 pm Understanding the Reclamation Contracting Process 1:00 pm Hosted reception 3:00 pm

Low-head Hydropower: Focus on Revenue Generation and Protections Open Forum—Topics to include: Personnel Management Effective Manager/Board Relationship Aquatic Weed Control Programs Break Open Forum continues Lunch provided Transfer of Knowledge: Training the Next Generation of Managers Adjourn

Your suggestion for additional Open Forum topics: ___________________________________________ REGISTRATION FEE: $200.00 METHOD OF PAYMENT (Please check applicable payment method.)

Enclosed is a check made payable to Water Strategies, LLC. Please charge my credit card.

VISA AMEX MASTERCARD Name on Card __________________________________________ Expiration Date _________________ Account Number ________________________________________ Signature ______________________ Fax completed form to 1-770-424-9468 or mail to: Irrigation Leader c/o Travel Worldwide Network, 1810 Wynthrop Manor Drive, Marietta, GA 30064 or e-mail to travwwnet@gmail.com.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS: We have reserved a block of rooms at the Coast Phoenix Sky Harbor Hotel located at 4300 East Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034, at the rate of $119 per night plus tax of 13.27%. This includes full buffet breakfast, complimentary airport shuttle service, complimentary Internet service, and free parking. To make your reservations, please call (800) 663-1144 no later than Monday, Irrigation Leader

39

2012-2013

CALENDAR

Nov. 27–30

Oregon Water Resources Congress, Annual Conference, Hood River, OR

Nov. 29–30

Idaho Water Users Assn., Winter Water Law Seminar, Boise, ID

Dec. 4–7

Assn. of California Water Agencies, Fall Conference, San Diego, CA

Dec. 5–7

Washington State Water Resources Assn., Annual Conference, Spokane, WA

Dec. 12–14

Colorado River Water Users Assn., Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV

Jan. 9–11

Groundwater Management District Assn., Annual Conference, Austin, TX

Jan. 22–24

Idaho Water Users Assn., Annual Convention, Boise, ID

Jan. 23–24

Irrigation Leader Operations and Management Workshop, Phoenix, AZ

Jan. 24–25

Texas Water Conservation Assn./Texas Rural Water Assn., Water Laws Conference, Austin, TX

Jan. 28–31

Nevada Water Resources Assn., Annual Conference, Reno, NV

Jan. 30–Feb. 1

Colorado Water Congress, Annual Convention, Denver, CO

Feb. 4–5

California Irrigation Institute, Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA

Feb. 26–28

Assn. of California Water Agencies, DC Conference, Washington, DC

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.

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