Irrigation Leader Washington State Edition February 2022

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 2

february 2022

WASHINGTON STATE EDITION

Anna Franz: Bringing Specialized Water and Municipal Law Expertise to Irrigation District Clients

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Investing in Kennewick's Future: The Capital Improvement Program

BEFORE

AFTER

K

ennewick Irrigation District’s (KID) board of directors has been investing in the district’s future for decades. During the 1960s and 1970s, the district worked with the Bureau of Reclamation to

rebuild the main canal while also completing major pipeline replacements throughout Kennewick. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, as the Tri-Cities began to grow rapidly, KID made the decision to pipe its Highland Feeder 1.8 system and its Lowlift system, to increase public safety throughout the area.

Over the last decade, KID’s Capital Improvement Program evolved with the establishment of the capital improvement surcharge, which charges each account a flat rate that generates approximately $1.6 million annually. These dollars are used as the local match to leverage funds received from our successful grant applications to Reclamation’s WaterSMART program. In 2010, the board of directors set public safety as its number one goal, which KID used to focus on lining its earthen canals for its densely urbanized district. KID received these grant funds for water conservation and savings but chose to line canals to increase safety.

Throughout this process, KID has been making the canals stronger, safer, and less prone to breaches.

KENNEWICK IRRGIATION DISTRICT

Since 2007, KID has spent approximately $12 million and has been awarded $7.5 million in grant funds to line over 20 miles of earthen canals. Over the next 6 years, KID will line the remaining canal sections with high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

In addition to canal lining, the board of directors challenged KID employees to develop and execute a plan to address its aging pipeline network. KID has over 300 miles of buried pipe throughout the cities of Kennewick, south Richland, West Richland, and unincorporated Benton County. KID employees rose to this challenge and have currently replaced several pipelines that had a history of causing serious property damage.

KID has funded this program without drawing on the existing capital program funding or raising rates for its customers.

Looking ahead to the future, KID is committed to improving and replacing the infrastructure that provides irrigation to the Tri-Cities community, including improvements that will provide increased drought resiliency to the farms and families the District serves. One principal project that is currently beginning the environmental review process is a large (12,000 acre foot) storage reservoir. Storage reservoirs reduce the impacts of drought conditions by providing a more consistent water supply. You can follow along with this project as it progresses by visiting kid.org/kidcapital-projects.

Above Recently purchased heavy equipment will help KID build toward the future

Since 2007, KID has spent approximately $12 million and has been awarded $7.5 million in grant funds to line over 20 miles of earthen canals. Over the next 6 years, KID will line the remaining canal sections with highdensity polyethylene.

kid.org Facebook | @KennewickIrrigationDistrict Instagram | kennewick.irrigation.district LinkedIn | linkedin.com/company/kennewick-irrigation-district

KENNEWICK IRRGIATION DISTRICT

CONTENTS

8

FEBRUARY 2022 Volume 13 Issue 2

Anna Franz: Bringing Specialized Water and Municipal Law Expertise to Irrigation District Clients

5 B ringing Experience and Understanding to the Legal Field

By Kris Polly

38 H ow Rob Welke Packages Five Decades of Experience Into One Pumping System Master Class

8 A nna Franz: Bringing Specialized Water and Municipal Law Expertise to Irrigation District Clients

42 T raining New Voices for Agriculture and Forestry in Washington State

16 D ean Edson and Jim Eschliman: Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts Turn 50 22 A groLiquid: Leaders in Innovative Agriculture 28 Innovations

in the Pipeline at Krah USA

48 A nchor Trucking Services: Delivering Heavy Equipment From Coast to Coast 49 N uSTREEM’s Modular Small Hydro Offerings for Washington State Irrigation Districts 50 JOB LISTINGS

34 T esting a Moleaer Nanobubble Generator System at Maricopa Orchards

Copyright © 2020 Water Strategies LLC. Irrigation Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Irrigation Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Irrigation Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Irrigation Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised.

4 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

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STAFF:

Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief Joshua Dill, Managing Editor Elaine Robbins, Copyeditor Tyler Young, Writer Stephanie Biddle, Graphic Designer Eliza Moreno, Web Designer Caroline Polly, Production Assistant and Social Media Coordinator Tom Wacker, Advertising Coordinator Cassandra Leonard, Staff Assistant Eve Giordano, Media Assistant William Polly, Media Assistant Milo Schmitt, Media Assistant Amanda Schultz,Media Assistant

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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 us at admin@waterstrategies.com.

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COVER PHOTO: Anna Franz, Partner, KenisonFranz.

Photo courtesy of Anna Franz.

irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA FRANZ..

Do you have a story idea for an upcoming issue? Contact our editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.

Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by

Bringing Experience and Understanding to the Legal Field

By Kris Polly

A

nna Franz is a Moses Lake–based attorney with a family-farm background and long experience in water law and municipal law, including significant work with irrigation district clients and work as a young attorney with the great Richard Lemargie. In our cover story, she tells us about her background, her current work, and the trends she expects to affect irrigation districts in the future.

This year, Nebraska’s national resources districts (NRDs) are celebrating a half-century of achievements in soil and water conservation work with open houses, events, and more, as we learn in our cover interview with Dean Edson, the executive director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), and Jim Eschliman, the president of the NARD’s board of directors.

For nearly four decades, the Michigan-based company AgroLiquid has provided liquid fertilizer and agronomic expertise for a wide variety of crops as well as conducting its own research. We learn more about this family company in our interview with cofounder Troy Bancroft.

Krah USA, based in Prineville, Oregon, uses Germandesigned technology to make exceptionally large and durable high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. We speak with coCEOs Midge Graybeal and Mark Theetge and consultant Marc Thalacker, the manager of the Three Sisters Irrigation District in Oregon, about Krah USA’s offerings for the irrigation market.

Tech company Moleaer has created a novel aeration system that injects water with millions of miniscule bubbles thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt. To see how Moleaer’s solution can benefit the irrigation industry, we interview Joe Coelho, the agronomy manager of Maricopa Orchards in Fresno, California, who is testing a Moleaer system.

Rob Welke is an Australian water professional and energy efficiency expert who has launched a Pumping System Master Class designed to help irrigators put precise numbers on the energy use of their pumping systems. Mr. Welke tells us more about the advantages of the class and how U.S. irrigators can sign up.

Vicky Scharlau is serving as the interim executive director of Washington State’s Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, known as AgForestry. She tells us about AgForestry’s work to train natural resources leaders for the state and about its plans for the future.

We also hear from Jim Crain, the president of Anchor Trucking Services Inc., a family company that delivers heavy off-road equipment and machinery from coast to coast and recently transported rehabilitated construction equipment to Kennewick Irrigation District in central Washington State.

Finally, we check in with Juliann Blanford of small modular hydro manufacturer NuSTREEM about the company’s offerings for Washington irrigation districts.

In addition to highlighting the achievements of the NRDs and featuring new technology, I am proud to bring you stories this month of several independent and familyrun businesses. The ingenuity and hard work of individuals has always been a core component of the success and resilience of the irrigated agriculture sector. IL Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and the 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.

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Anna Franz: Bringing Specialized Water and Municipal Law Expertise to Irrigation District Clients

Anna Franz at her family’s farm, with a view of land served by the 47.5 pumping plant.

A

nna Franz is a Moses Lake–based attorney with long experience in water law and municipal law, including significant work with irrigation district clients, including the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID). In this interview, she tells us about the distinctive legal challenges of irrigation districts and municipalities, how she and her colleagues help them, and the trends she sees affecting them in the future.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

Irrigation Leader: What inspired you to study law?

Anna Franz: My grandfather was an architect in Seattle, and his friends were attorneys and judges, so it was always

8 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us about your relationship with Mr. Lemargie and what you learned from him?

Anna Franz: At law school, I learned a lot of theory, but not a lot of practical application. He was my main mentor in learning the practice of law. A lot of the core practices and tips I use in my career are tools I learned from him.

Irrigation Leader: How does working with irrigation districts fit into your broader practice?

Anna Franz: My firm focuses on municipal law as it relates to cities and small special purpose districts, such as the ECBID. Over the years, I’ve focused more on the irrigation side of the practice. It includes working with elected officials, developing programs, and making sure practices and policies are compliant with state and federal law. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER FRANZ.

Anna Franz: I grew up on a farm in the Odessa subarea of the ECBID. Our family has been farming there since 1902.

I went to the University of Washington for undergrad and law school and then came back to eastern Washington, where I was introduced to Richard Lemargie, with whom I worked for quite a few years. He represented the three irrigation districts of the Columbia Basin Project (CBP).

a career path on my horizon. Seeing the challenges and environmental issues facing our agricultural community made me see the need for an advocate who understood that community. I never envisioned myself doing what I’m doing now, but the fun thing about law is that it opens a lot of opportunities we’re not always aware of.

Irrigation Leader: Does that fall under the broader category of water law, or is water law only one aspect of what you do?

terms and is working to development additional hydropower resources within the CBP.

Anna Franz: That’s really just one aspect of what I do.

Representing the ECBID and Columbia Basin Hydropower involves water law, irrigation district law, some power issues, and broader municipal law. A substantial portion of my practice is also devoted to municipal representation, which involves reviewing contracts, drafting ordinances, doing code enforcement, working with our law enforcement agencies on compliance, and meeting other standards that government agencies must comply with.

Irrigation Leader: Do you work to ensure that the irrigation district’s water rights are respected? Where are the potential disputes you’re trying to resolve?

Irrigation Leader: What would you say is distinctive about municipal law?

Anna Franz: One benefit of municipal practice is witnessing the change your contributions make in the community.

The ECBID’s new 47.5 pumping plant delivery system is near my family’s farm. When I drive by, I can see the physical representation of the good I’m contributing to the community. I see the streets and other public works projects that have been built and the neighborhoods that have been cleaned up through code enforcement activities.

Irrigation Leader: How did you build your specialization?

Anna Franz: Originally, I was interested in water law and municipal practice. In law school, I took courses related to water law and small government entities. Then, I had the opportunity to join the firm Richard Lemargie had established with his partner, Jim Whittaker, in Grant County. Starting in the early 1980s, they accumulated a core group of municipal clients. I gained experience in representing those clients under Richard and with my partner, Katherine Kenison.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA FRANZ.

Irrigation Leader: What are the main types of cases you take on for irrigation clients?

Anna Franz: With the ECBID, a lot of the work I’m involved in relates to the development of the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP). The ECBID’s 47.5 pumping plant project included developing the rate structures to support the municipal bond that financed the installation. That involves a lot of legal compliance, including making sure the whole program conforms to the irrigation district statutes of Washington law, which is a distinctive challenge since some of those statutes go back to the inception of our state and involve some archaic language. Trying to figure out how those older statutes work with modern issues has been a challenge, and we sometimes work with legislators to clarify the language in those statutes. Columbia Basin Hydropower is working to negotiate new power contracts for the existing plants whose current contracts are reaching the ends of their 40‑year irrigationleadermagazine.com

Anna Franz at the John W. Keys III Pump Generating Plant at Grand Coulee Dam during a reserve works tour.

Anna Franz: The ECBID doesn’t own its water rights. They’re held by the United States for the benefit of the three CBP districts. One recent challenge for the ECBID was securing the water rights for OGWRP. This required negotiations with the Bureau of Reclamation to amend the master water service contract and establish the authority to deliver the water to those acres. Developing these water rights requires working not only with Reclamation but with the State of Washington to determine how those water rights work and how they can be applied, which includes legal interpretation and the clarification of statutory and permit language. Now that the water for OGWRP is secured, the current step is to build the systems for delivery. That requires establishing the program for constructing delivery systems and pumping plants on the East Low Canal and establishing rate structures and rules and regulations for landowners. Having developed the foundation for OGWRP implementation, we are now moving forward to the design, construction, and funding phases on the different delivery systems. We’re working with the bond council to secure financing. We’ve been working with the Washington Department of Ecology and other state departments that administer grants funded by the state legislature to make sure our programs are compliant with those grant requirements.

We have also been looking into federal grant funding opportunities. We are also working on the public works contracts for the construction of those delivery systems.

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

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Irrigation Leader: When you work with irrigation districts and municipal agencies, how much of your work is litigation and how much relates more to helping them comply with various regulations?

Anna Franz: Our city clients are generally more involved in litigation, especially in the area of code enforcement.

For the irrigation districts, we largely provide transactional services and advice, but there are times when litigation is required. Some of the issues that have required litigation include defending the rates, tolls, and charges imposed by the district; assessment foreclosures; and the encroachment by landowners on project easements. Public works contract issues involve litigation aspects as well, especially considering that these are major contracts in the multimillion-dollar range. That said, it always benefits the client to make reasonable attempts to resolve issues without resorting to litigation, and that is often successful.

Irrigation Leader: What issues is urbanization posing for the irrigation entities you work with?

Anna Franz: We don’t have the types of urbanization problems you see with the Tri-Cities’ irrigation districts, but there are some as the local cities have started to grow into the agricultural areas. One of the emerging issues relates to when and how land is included or excluded from the irrigation districts. The exclusion statutes are old, and Reclamation doesn’t have an established process to exclude land, so when subdivisions are developed on former agricultural areas with no exclusion process, the result is that each of the owners of property in the subdivision has a right to participate in irrigation district elections, even though they may not receive water from the irrigation district.

There are also operations and safety issues relating to canal infrastructure running through residential areas.

Irrigation Leader: What current trends do you think will influence your irrigation clients?

10 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Anna Franz: I identify with our landowners. I know the struggles they face, because they are the same struggles my family faces. It’s increasingly difficult to work in agriculture, and there is not a lot of understanding of that on the part of other people in our society. I think the burdens our agricultural producers are facing are foreign to the average U.S. citizen. That’s why it’s easy to shift additional burdens onto the industry without thinking of the consequences.

Every decision the irrigation district board makes affects the landowners, and it’s important that our directors have all the information they need to continue to make good decisions.

Because of my background, I understand what the practical implications will ultimately be and how they will affect the people we serve in the irrigation district.

Irrigation Leader: What kind of skills should an irrigation district look for when searching for an attorney?

Anna Franz: Experience is key to understanding the legal issues and the clients. If you don’t understand the implications of a policy, you cannot serve the best interests of your client. Some level of background and experience with the agricultural community is key. That insight comes from my work with Richard Lemargie; he didn’t grow up on a farm, but he worked on farms growing up, and he always reminded me that we were serving the landowners and needed to advocate for their interests in our practice.

Irrigation Leader: What advice do you have for new attorneys who are interested in getting into water law?

Anna Franz: Any opportunity to gain experience in the industry and get out in the field is important. Before you go to law school, it would be beneficial to work within the ag industry. My first summer in law school, I interned with the Washington Environmental Council. That was good exposure to other perspectives that I had not experienced before. During that internship, I participated in lunch seminars with the interns and attorneys at EarthJustice. That was a unique opportunity to learn about and understand the things the groups we often oppose are thinking. There’s a lot of misunderstanding, and you can become a more effective advocate for your side if you know where the other side is coming from and try to either build common understandings and compromise or engage in direct opposition. IL Anna Franz is a partner at KenisonFranz. She can be contacted at afranz@basinlaw.com.

irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA FRANZ.

Anna Franz: I think they will continue to be affected by trends involving regulatory burdens and the protection of our supply of water. Washington State is preparing for an adjudication that could affect our water rights. We’ve got increasing environmental burdens, including the impact of the new total maximum daily load for temperature on the Columbia River.

We’ve also had some struggles with delays on projects caused by cultural resource compliance and other federal requirements.

They are huge administrative burdens that often take a long time to resolve, equating to additional costs for landowners.

More broadly, we need to secure our internal food supply in the United States. Looking at the potential effects of climate change, we need to be more protective of our agricultural resources and to make sure we can supply water in the future at a cost that is affordable for landowners.

Irrigation Leader: What influence has your background on a family farm had on your work?

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Introducing Mr. Craig Gyselinck The board of directors of the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District is proud to introduce our new Secretary/Manager, Mr. Craig Gyselinck.

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Mr. Gyselinck’s skills will be invaluable to us with respect to our ongoing implementation of a multi-year capital improvement plan designed to sustain and enhance the District’s ability to successfully fulfill the needs of our customers.

Phone: (509) 884-4042 Fax: (509) 884-8763 Email: Office@gwid.org

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Dean Edson and Jim Eschliman: Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts Turn 50

Platte Republican diversion pasture west of Smithfield, Nebraska.

N

ebraska’s natural resources districts, which handle a wide range of soil and water conservation and management issues in service areas mapped onto watershed boundaries, are about to turn 50 years old. They are observing that anniversary with a wide range of events throughout 2022.

To get a sense of what the NRDs have accomplished and how they have changed over the last 50 years and to take a look forward at their next 50 years, we speak with Dean Edson, the executive director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), and Jim Eschliman, the president of the NARD’s board of directors.

Jim Eschliman: Around 15–16 years ago, I was elected to the Lower Loup NRD board, and a few years ago, I was elected to the NARD board. Right away, it needed somebody to fill in an officer position, and I forgot to step back instead of stepping forward. I ended up moving up the ladder, and for the last 2 years, I’ve been the president of the association. I

16 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Dean Edson: My background with natural resources goes back a long way. I was a partner with my dad in our family farming operation in Gothenburg from the 1970s until the mid-1980s. We were involved when the NRDs were first created. I was in contact with the manager at the time, Ron Bishop, and started thinking about things related to water and soil conservation we could do on the farm. I left the farm in 1984 during the ag crisis, went to college, and ended up working as the director of state governmental relations for the Nebraska Farm Bureau. I also started working on water and natural resources issues with the Farm Bureau, which got me back in touch with the NRDs again. In 1997, I accepted the position of NARD executive director, and I’ve been involved with a passion of mine, preserving natural resources in Nebraska, ever since.

Irrigation Leader: What was the need or issue that inspired the creation of the NRDs? irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAT NOTT, TRI-BASIN NRD.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to be in your current positions.

sold my dairy cows in 2018, so besides my board service, I consider myself retired.

Jim Eschliman: After the Dust Bowl, a lot of special-purpose districts were developed to solve soil and water-related problems, and a lot of times, their roles overlapped. The puzzle of overlapping authorities and responsibilities was confusing, and Nebraskans wanted something that was clearer.

Historically, a lot of the discussions were related to funding. How do you fund conservation programs, and is there a better way to do it? Prior to the creation of the NRDs, conservation districts were funded through state appropriations that didn’t provide enough money to accomplish their goals. When the NRDs were created, the legislature gave them the authority to levy local taxes to fund their conservation programs. The legislature also gave the districts 12 statutory responsibilities, including water, soil conservation, waste reduction, range management, flood control, recreation, and tree planting. Over time, the legislature has added more duties to those 12 responsibilities.

Dean Edson: Back in the late 1960s, people around the nation started discussing natural resources management and funding natural resources programs. From my reading and discussion with the initial organizers of the NRDs, my understanding is that both Nebraska and California were looking to create what we now call natural resources districts—entities that would manage water and soil issues and natural resources within areas defined by river basin boundaries. In 1969, Nebraska moved forward with that concept and merged all the different political subdivisions that dealt with natural resources, more than 150 of them, into the NRDs. The 1969 legislation mandated the establishment of 24 NRDs by July 1, 1972, when their first organizational meetings would take place. In 1989, two NRDs merged, so now there are 23. They are based on Nebraska’s major river basins and allow for the coordinated management of natural resources.

As I mentioned, California considered a similar system, but decided not to go through with it. We did. Today, Nebraska has the most irrigated acres in the nation—9.1 million—and, due to our management, our groundwater levels are at nearpredevelopment levels. When we find that some aquifers are declining or can’t handle a lot of irrigation, NRDs can put some limitations on development to protect the resource.

Unfortunately, California has pretty much depleted its aquifers and there are even areas of the state where the ground elevation has dropped because of groundwater extraction.

Several times in my career, I’ve traveled to talk to officials in California about creating a similar NRD system and how to make it work. California has now started down the path of developing some management plans, but unfortunately, it is 50 years behind. Today, Nebraska’s unique system of locally controlled, watershed-based conservation is widely admired throughout the nation. In recent years, at least 11 states, including on the East Coast, on the West Coast, and in the South, have inquired about establishing a similar system for natural resources management. I’ve traveled around the country discussing how to establish local management irrigationleadermagazine.com

systems like Nebraska’s NRDs to help other states with groundwater management.

Irrigation Leader: To what degree do the 23 NRDs differ in the specific tasks they carry out?

Dean Edson: Nebraska is a diverse state, so it’s all driven by local natural resources issues. The average rainfall in the northwest corner of the state is 11–14 inches a year, but in the southeast corner, it’s 32–36 inches. In the eastern part of the state, irrigation isn’t necessarily required to grow a crop, and there are a lot of dryland acres. In western Nebraska, you need irrigation to grow crops. Therefore, irrigation management and groundwater management are more important out west, and those tasks are a higher priority for western NRDs. In eastern Nebraska, there are a lot of rolling hills and a lot of rain events, so there is a need to develop and build flood control structures. Large urban communities, such as Lincoln and Omaha, have demands for flood control and recreation.

The 12 statutory responsibilities allow for flexibility, so the local boards decide on their priorities.

Irrigation Leader: How have the NRDs changed over the 50 years of their existence?

Dean Edson: Until the mid-1990s, it was the policy of the state to develop every irrigated acre possible. There were few things that local districts could do to limit development when they ran into problems. They tried numerous things before they could put a moratorium on the development of irrigated acres. The policy of the state changed in 1996, when we got more proactive about managing water in a conjunctive-use fashion, looking at both stream flows and groundwater levels. In 2004, state policy changed again to allow the districts to manage groundwater more aggressively, especially in areas of shortage, and to try to address conflicts between the different users, including both surface water users and groundwater users.

I find it interesting when politicians find out about these problems and ask, “Why didn’t you guys do something to fix this back in the 1980s and 1990s?” I just sit back and smile because we couldn’t—it wasn’t the policy of the state. The state’s policy was aggressive development. Now, we’re trying to change that to manage development.

We have one of the most aggressive management systems in the entire country in the Republican River basin, covering both groundwater and surface water. There are very restrictive allocations in southwestern Nebraska. At the time, we didn’t know for sure if those restrictions would work to ensure that producers could still grow economic crops.

One distinctive thing about the NRD system is that we work closely with irrigation companies, center-pivot manufacturers, and the agribusiness sector to push for more efficient irrigation systems and crops that are more drought tolerant. It’s a group effort that is coordinated through the February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

| 17

the home of the Arbor Day holiday, with Arbor Day Farm and Lodge located in Nebraska City. In early April, the NRDs will be planting their 100 millionth tree, and we’ll also be doing a tree-planting ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol on Arbor Day. The NRDs were officially created on July 1, 1972, so during the week of July 11–15, we will be celebrating NRD Week, during which the 23 NRDs will host open houses.

Governor Pete Ricketts will issue a proclamation, and other events will be held throughout the week as well.

Irrigation Leader: What is the public perception of the NRDs in Nebraska?

Jim Eschliman: At times, we need to get our message out more to the public, because people may not always realize what we do. Nebraska’s NRDs will continue to build upon their past, refine their policies, and adapt as they look to the future. Conservation is something that affects us all, and we need to pitch in and be good stewards of our land and water.

Locally elected NRD boards across the state are uniquely positioned in their communities to help manage our natural resources for future generations.

On May 14, 1984, Nemaha NRD Manager Don Hood, left, explains to Nebraska Congressman Doug Bereuter the issues surrounding a major road culvert erosion problem in Otoe County, south of Syracuse.

Congressman Bereuter was instrumental in pushing through federal approval and funding for rehabilitation of the road known as the Muddy Monster.

NRDs, but we couldn’t get it done without the help of the agribusiness sector, especially the center-pivot manufacturers’ development of more efficient irrigation systems.

Jim Eschliman: In the future, things are going to keep getting fine-tuned, particularly when it comes to the sprinklers and electronics that center-pivot manufacturers are developing. Every piece of irrigated ground is different—some need more water than others—and by fine-tuning application, we can conserve a lot of water.

Initially, we saw some hesitancy about more aggressive conjunctive-use water management, but the mindset is changing as we see that it is working. There’s an ongoing learning curve with water management. When the Lower Loup NRD imposed our moratorium, we really didn’t have any objections from the producers in our district, which I thought was good.

Jim Eschliman: We will have several events throughout the year. We’re proud of our tree-planting history—Nebraska is

18 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Irrigation Leader: Do you have a message for the state legislature or for Congress?

Dean Edson: We get criticized sometimes, and from time to time, a senator in the Nebraska Unicameral introduces a bill to weaken our authorities. However, I’ve never seen our authorities weakened; I’ve only seen them expanded.

In Washington, DC, we’ve got partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service. We appreciate the support we get from our congressional leaders on those conservation programs, because we’re able to take federal dollars and leverage them with our local dollars to do more. We work closely with our congressional leadership to get money put into the Water irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NARD.

Irrigation Leader: How is the 50th anniversary being observed in NRDs across the state?

Dean Edson: I agree with Jim. We probably don’t boast about ourselves enough. Nebraskans are appreciative of everything the NRDs do to manage water quality and quantity; carry out conservation programs; and build and maintain flood control structures, which include recreational facilities. Overall, they’re very pleased. If they haven’t lived in other states, they probably don’t realize what the other states are missing. Jim mentioned that landowners weren’t all that opposed to the moratorium in the Lower Loup NRD. That’s because they’ve been involved with their local NRD on water management and understand the concepts.

It’s an advantage to have locally driven decisionmaking that involves local citizens rather than having somebody from the state calling all the shots. It’s been set up this way for years, so when landowners have natural resources issues they want to address, they know they can work with their local NRD.

Center-pivot irrigation in Holt County, Nebraska, in the Lower Niobrara NRD, in 1974. As the number 1 irrigator in the nation, Nebraska has long been a leader in water conservation technology and management.

A flow sensor used in 1977 on the Wayne Kibby Ranch in the Lower Niobrara NRD.

Resources Development Act, and we’re grateful for that.

We are finishing up a massive flood control project with the Papio–Missouri River NRD, in partnership with other state and federal partners, to build a flood levee around Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha.

Irrigation Leader: What is your vision for the next 50 years of the NRDs? Dean Edson: I’m probably not too far away from retirement—there are probably some people who say that I should have retired years ago—and I maintain a close relationship with all the friends I used to farm with back in Gothenburg. They keep asking me, “Dean, when are you going to retire? Come back here full time—we need somebody to drive the grain cart.” Well, I saw an article yesterday about John Deere’s autonomous tractor. They don’t need people to drive the tractors anymore. I texted the article to my friend and asked, “What happened to the job I was supposed to get when I retire?” irrigationleadermagazine.com

I tell you that story to point out that technology is going to have a profound effect on the agriculture and natural resources sectors within the next 10–15 years. The technological improvements that I have witnessed over the course of my career have been amazing. Back when I was actively farming, it would have been hard to dream of the technology that farmers now have at their disposal to manage water and water risk.

For example, back in the 1970s, we were applying 30–35 inches of water from an irrigation canal per acre over a 60‑day irrigation period. It took 10–14 days to get over a field, and you had to be out there at least twice a day to change the water. With corn, we hoped for 200 bushels per acre. Today, on those same fields, we apply 11–14 inches of groundwater per acre through a center pivot over a 90‑day period. We can put an inch of water on a field in a little over a day. Moisture sensors send information to our smartphones about whether we need to run the pivot or not. The pivot can be controlled and monitored by smartphone, and we are getting 275 bushels per acre. Several NRDs share the costs of irrigation technology equipment, which helps producers with overall water use efficiency and farm profitability.

In 15 years, people will look back on 2022 as simple.

The NRDs will have to stay on top of change and keep evolving with the technology to help producers manage their resources.

Jim Eschliman: Over the past 50 years, the NRDs have adapted while facing changes in technology, funding, legislation, agencies, and society. Nebraska’s locally led conservation model has been successful because of our ability to adapt to the local needs of our communities.

I’d like to thank Dean for all his help. He’s the engine that runs this machine, and he does a really good job. We are proud of him.

Dean Edson: I appreciate Jim’s comment, but if it weren’t for leaders like Jim serving on the local NRD boards and the NARD board and making decisions, none of this would be possible. The NARD employees follow their lead and make sure the NRDs have what they need to move forward. IL

Dean Edson is the executive director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. He can be contacted at dedson@nrdnet.org.

Jim Eschliman is the president of the board of directors of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts. He can be contacted at jeschliman@hotmail.com.

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

| 19

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AgroLiquid: Leaders in Innovative Agriculture

T

he Michigan-based company AgroLiquid provides liquid fertilizer to boost the production of a wide variety of crops.

It also conducts research and shares its agronomic expertise with farmers and its more than 250 retail partners across the United States. In this interview, cofounder Troy Bancroft talks about the company’s family roots and its many branches.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about how AgroLiquid was started.

Troy Bancroft: My father-in-law, Douglas Cook, and I started the company in 1983. My father-in-law was a brilliant man who was always looking forward for next thing in agriculture in terms of plant nutrition or fertility products.

Michigan, where we are based, is second only to California in its diversity of crops because of the Great Lakes. There was a need for a commodity product that could be used in both fertigation through drip lines and in various transplant solutions for fruits and vegetables.

It was a difficult time to start a crop input company. There was a commodity surplus, so the government was paying farmers not to plant 20 percent of their crops. There was also double-digit inflation, which made things difficult for the ag economy. We didn’t have any money, and in the first 5 years, we struggled a fair amount. It wasn’t really until the drought of 1988, which really challenged U.S. farmers, that growers were motivated to investigate how to improve their yields in new ways. I can remember driving down Interstate Highways I-70 and I-80 and seeing farmers harvesting the grass in the medians of the highways to feed their animals. Every bushel of grain and every ton of forage crop was needed to maintain their herds’ health. That adversity led farmers to invest more in their crops, because tight supply made them more valuable and allowed them to take advantage of high-quality fertilizers like ours. It was a pivotal time in our company’s history.

Irrigation Leader: What roles do your family members have in the company?

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about the company’s products and services.

22 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Troy Bancroft: We provide liquid fertilizer for a variety of crops, from asparagus to zinnias. We have all 13 essential elements needed to grow a plant—primary nutrients, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients. Our 26 products are made with combinations of those 13 essential elements.

They are enhanced with flavanol-based polymers that allow the fertility to enter the plant more quickly, with less resistance, and without any harm to the plant. There’s some complex chemistry that goes into that, and we’re always developing new products to optimize yield and bolster the nutritional value of crops.

As good as our products are, they are equaled by the agronomic expertise of our salespeople and agronomy staff.

I’m proud of how thoroughly we educate and train our folks in the best use of our products so that they can give farmers the best results. We also do a lot of training with our retail partners on how to use our products and on agronomics in general. Our mission, which we further through our product line, our agronomic expertise, and our customer service, is always to prosper the farmer.

Irrigation Leader: Who are your customers, and where are they located?

Troy Bancroft: We really have two groups of customers: the retail partners that we sell our products through and the end users, or farmers. We have shipped products to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and Belize. We provide plant nutrition for coffee in Hawaii and ship some products to Alaska, but the bulk of our business is in the Great Plains, the Corn Belt, and the Great Lakes region. We do quite extensive business in the Pacific Northwest, California, and the West as well. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGROLIQUID.

Troy Bancroft: My three sons have joined me in running the company. My oldest, who was born within 10 days of the company’s incorporation, serves as the CEO now that I’ve transitioned to leading the board of directors. Another son oversees production, and the third is in charge of employee engagement. Each brings his own qualities to the company.

People in agriculture often grow up in a family business.

If you grow up with each other in the business, it allows for a lot of forbearance and forgiveness, which benefits the company. I’m proud of the way they work with each other and respect each other and me.

From left to right, Jill Bancroft, a member of the AgroLiquid board of directors; Troy Bancroft; and their sons, Gerrit Bancroft, the company’s operations manager, Albert Bancroft, the company’s employee engagement manager, and Nick Bancroft, AgroLiquid’s CEO.

Irrigation Leader: Would you discuss fertigation products?

Troy Bancroft: Almost all our products can be used in fertigation, which refers to injecting fertilizer in liquid form through existing irrigation systems. Our clean formulations mix well, so they don’t clog pivots, emitters, or drip tape.

That is a big selling point. We emphasize that you need to apply the right amount of the right product at the right time to get the best results. Based on a soil test or tissue test, you can apply only the nutrients that are needed, avoiding overapplication. A soil test for us is like a blood test for a doctor. It enables a grower to find out what the plant needs before, and sometimes during, the growing cycle to achieve the best results. Fertigation opens the door to timing and placement to get the best result.

Irrigation Leader: Please discuss your research facility.

Troy Bancroft: We have our own research facility, the North Central Research Station, which is located in Michigan. We also do contract research across the United States, because there are some crops, like cotton, that we can’t grow here in the north. In addition to testing the efficacy of our products, we conduct research to try to find the best management practices for farmers’ operations. Our research is replicated more than three times and statistically analyzed, so our data are research proven and farmer trusted.

Irrigation Leader: How do you reach people with your educational programs?

Troy Bancroft: We do training in the field, at conferences, and at other events. When I say in the field, I mean that we literally dig up dirt and examine plants and roots. We also have an AgroExpo each summer that has had over 3,000 attendees. It’s an outside trade show that we host at our research facility for the benefit of production farming. It allows people to come see the newest and most innovative things going on in the industry. We also put some short educational videos on YouTube to show people things like how to use potassium on cotton with our product Sure‑K. For schoolchildren and the general public, we have a learning center called the IQ Hub. Prior to the COVID‑19 pandemic, we had more than 12,000 students come through each year. We try to teach them about how farmers are trying to develop and provide safe, abundant, affordable food for consumers. Many people don’t understand what a farmer does. In my high school 45 years ago, 9 out of 10 of my buddies either worked on a farm or came from a farm.

Today, that figure is less than 2 percent. It is our job as agriculturalists to educate others and make them advocates, not adversaries.

Irrigation Leader: What are some of the top challenges the fertilizer industry is facing today? irrigationleadermagazine.com

AgroLiquid's North Central Research Station, located in St. Johns, Michigan.

Troy Bancroft: Like everybody in our industry today, we are facing supply-chain-management issues. The ag industry was hit hard because it is highly cyclical. In agriculture, you must provide your products and services when they are needed. Supply chain issues have affected the whole industry, but we feel like we are prepared, going into this next season, to provide our retail partners with the supply of products they need.

Another challenge is to be good stewards of natural resources. I believe in responsible nutrient management, which means applying the right amount of nutrients to the soil and being cognizant of runoff. We have to be forward thinkers and consider what we’re doing to conserve water, conserve soil, and watch the watershed.

Irrigation Leader: What should every farmer know about AgroLiquid?

Troy Bancroft: We have premium products that are readily assimilated into the plant and that mix well with other products.

We can provide advice to help farmers and retail partners make the best decisions in whatever they’re doing. We have over 250 retail partners across North America. We have a vested interest in partnering with them to do the best job we can.

Irrigation Leader: What is your vision for the future of the company?

Troy Bancroft: We want to continue to be a recognized leader in innovative agriculture. For more than 35 years, we have been on a mission to engineer the best plant nutrition products while safeguarding the crop, the soil, and the environment. We try to do things that are good for our industry as a whole as opposed to good just for AgroLiquid. IL Troy Bancroft is the cofounder of AgroLiquid and the president of AgroLiquid’s board of directors. He can be contacted at troy.bancroft@agroliquid.com.

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

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Innovations in the Pipeline at Krah USA

HDPE pipe installed at Oregon’s Three Sisters Irrigation District.

K

rah USA makes large-diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes for use in the irrigation, municipal, and hydropower markets. In this interview, co-CEOs Midge Graybeal and Mark Theetge and consultant Marc Thalacker, the manager of an irrigation district in Oregon, tell us about how irrigation districts and other customers are turning to the company’s products for a wide range of applications.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to be in your current positions.

Midge Graybeal: Marc Theetge and I are the co-CEOs of Krah USA. I have worked as a facilities manager for large corporations, a marketing and events manager, and a project assistant for engineering firms, concentrating on the built environment and water infrastructure for about 30 years.

These firms designed and constructed water and wastewater facilities, process piping, and other facilities for corporations, irrigation districts, industrial and food processing plants, and municipalities. Now, Mark and I provide products for infrastructure projects throughout the western United States.

28 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Marc Thalacker: I manage Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) in Sisters, Oregon. The first big project I did with Mark was in 2008, when TSID’s WaterSMART application was number 1 in the country out of 200 applications. I purchased 20,000 feet of 54‑inch HDPE pipe from him.

We’ve now piped 60 of the 65 miles of canals in the district, and we’re in the process of piping the last 5. In November, Krah delivered 9,500 feet of 24‑inch pipe to the district for installation during December. TSID is unusual in that we do all our own construction when we put in piping projects. In addition to that, we’re basically the only people in Oregon who have built hydro plants in the last couple of years. We built one in 2014 and one in 2018, and we are now building a third. Throughout the years, of the 60 miles of pipe I mentioned, and of another 60 miles of on-farm pipe, I’ve bought well over half from Mark. I’ve had a chance to learn about HDPE from him. Through my involvement with numerous organizations, I have become an adviser for irrigation districts throughout the West.

Midge Graybeal: Together, we have expertise in engineering and marketing; in pipe manufacturing, design, and sales; and in pipe construction and installation. We bring a deep knowledge in all three areas and can deliver excellent service to our clients.

Irrigation Leader: How does Krah USA relate to the German company Krah?

Midge Graybeal: We are independently owned and are not a subsidiary of Krah. Krah USA and the other Krah companies are part of the Krah family, meaning that they can advise us and help us find the material or information irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRAH USA.

Mark Theetge: I am a co-CEO and the chief sales officer of Krah USA. I’ve been a polyethylene product specialist for my entire career, which spans over 30 years. I have worked with owners, engineers, and end users in the polyethylene industry.

I was always looking for the next product to sell that would help projects in progress. For over 25 years now, I’ve built a relationship with Marc Thalacker and Midge Graybeal, and over the years, we’ve discussed how we could sell a polyethylene and polypropylene product here in the United States. Now, we have a state-of-the-art engineered product that will be well received for agricultural, hydroelectric, and municipal use.

A Krah staff member checks the temperature of a pipe mandrel to make sure it is ready for hot strips of polyethylene to be wrapped around it.

60-inch pipe manufactured for the Tumalo Irrigation District of central Oregon.

that we need. We just took the name of the German company and have the rights to use it.

There are 90 other Krah plants around the world, including in Argentina, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Japan, the Phillippines, and Saudi Arabia. Eventually, when we get past the COVID‑19 pandemic, we’ll get to host the biannual Krah fly-in. All the lead teams of the other Krah plants in the other countries will come to the United States to visit Krah USA. We’re looking forward to that.

Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us more about the company?

Midge Graybeal: We founded Krah USA in December 2019.

It was a fast-tracked project. We got our lease in July 2020, received our first equipment in November, and were producing pipe by December of that year. With two pieces of equipment, we can make pipe that ranges in diameter from 4 to 196 inches. Our first project was for 60‑inch pipe. Our clients include irrigation districts, municipalities, hydropower plants, tide gates, landfills, and oil and gas companies, among others. We also make solid-wall profile pipe, manholes, fittings, tanks, and silos. We provide CPR profile pipe for tide gates, and we provide welding services.

Mark even designed and manufactured a water tank for a winery in southern Oregon. Ultimately, we will be providing consulting services so that we can help clients design their pipes in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

We decided to locate our company in the Prineville area because there is a lot of infrastructure money from the federal government coming in through the irrigation districts. We realized there were not a lot of other manufacturing companies in the area, and we knew that the local consumers were paying up to $5,000 per truck to bring in large pipe. In Oregon, we are well located to supply pipe to the entire western United States. We’re already shipping irrigationleadermagazine.com

to Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and we’re working on projects in Colorado and Utah. Our clients spend significantly less on shipping than they would if they were to order pipe from the East Coast, Texas, or Canada.

Marc Thalacker: The Krah product allows Krah USA to build manholes and manifolds and things of that nature, so Krah USA could go into a wastewater treatment project, build all the tanks and structures inside the plant, hook up all the plumbing, and run lines out to connect the sewers coming in. Krah USA expects federal infrastructure money to fund more large wastewater projects that require manholes and plant tanks.

Irrigation Leader: How many people do you employ?

Midge Graybeal: We have a core of 12 and plan to eventually hire up to 30.

Marc Thalacker: Krah USA also has a lot of auxiliary products and services to offer. For instance, Krah USA is working with outside contractors performing welding and installation on a 33‑ and 36‑inch solid-wall pipe for an irrigation district in Washington. In addition to having its own truck, Krah USA works with multiple trucking firms and contractors who ship pipe to projects all over the Northwest.

Irrigation Leader: What are the advantages of HDPE pipe, and how does Krah’s HDPE differ from others on the market?

Mark Theetge: There really isn’t anything like it. There are traditional solid-wall pipes that are produced as extruded, but we wind with mandrels, so we can basically manipulate material to any process. That’s something that can’t be done elsewhere in the United States. We see ourselves as providing the next generation of what people will be using.

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

| 29

The next generation of piping products are engineered for specific use and longevity and range in size from 24 to 196 inches. Other corrugated or profiled products can’t reach the pressures or the stiffness that we can. Krah pipe can be used in the conveyance of any fluid or gas appropriate to the properties of the material, including potable, raw, and reclaimed water; methane gas; and foul air. It seems like everything, at least in this industry, starts in Europe eventually reaches the United States.

Midge Graybeal: Another benefit of our product is that it enables electrofusion welding, which is easy to do right in the field. It’s not a traditional weld. The product is chemical resistant, microorganism resistant, and abrasion resistant.

Mark can tell you that he has run trucks over the pipe, and it doesn’t break: It’s impact resistant. Since we are in the Northwest, it’s important that plastic pipes are seismic compatible. When the ground undulates, they undulate too, and won’t crack or break, like PVC or concrete does. HDPE won’t rust like steel does. It has a 100+ year shelf life; we have a 50‑year warranty on our product right now. Another advantage is that we can put colors inside the pipes—blue for water, green for wastewater, and yellow to attract fish to screens and passage for culverts.

Marc Thalacker: I’ve spent 25 years tearing out steel, PVC, and concrete to replace them with HDPE pipe. The district’s operations and maintenance needs have almost gone to zero, because the only time you ever need to fix HDPE pipe is when someone accidentally hits it with a backhoe. It’s incredibly tough. Another thing I love about the product is that it bends, so it fits in winding ditches.

Aging infrastructure is the number 1 issue in western water, so I always wondered why you would put in a product that you have to replace in 30–50 years when you can put something in that’s got a potential shelf life of 100– 1,000 years. That’s why I chose HDPE pipe.

Midge Graybeal: In the age of reduce, recycle, and reuse, many cities, municipalities, and now even irrigation districts want to have a certain percentage of reused material in their products.

That was the case with the city of Prineville. A huge advantage of our HDPE pipe is that it’s 100 percent recyclable. If people order pipes and decide they’re too small, we can dig them up, put in a bigger pipe, break down the old pipe into pellets, and reuse it again. Producing the pipe literally creates no waste, no chemicals, and no gas fumes. Today, it’s important that people know there is nothing going to the landfill.

Midge Graybeal: We are currently serving irrigation districts in Oregon and Washington and a mining company in Idaho.

We recently had our first inquiry from a food processing

30 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Marc Thalacker: In the past, 63‑inch solid wire was the biggest pipe out there. Now, Krah has the ability to make pipe up to 196 inches in diameter. That’s a big deal, because it affects how you can design projects. When TSID was working on our big main canal project, for instance, we had to put in dual pipes because no single pipe was big enough. With Krah pipe, we can start with a big pipe and then reduce the size or feed into a manifold and then into smaller pipes. Krah can build all sorts of different pieces that you couldn’t otherwise get. Krah does lend itself to gravity flow, which is a situation in which it’s super cost effective. When you’re making pressure pipe, the price comes down to pounds of plastic. Krah has a sweet spot in the 0–60 pounds per square inch (psi) area because almost no one else is making pipe in that range, but Krah can also make pipe up to 200 psi.

The product has the flexibility and ability to enable custom designs for irrigation districts that were not possible before. Something I saw in the literature from the Germans absolutely thrilled me. When TSID is doing road crossings, I’m always putting in a metal culvert, running HDPE pipe through that, and pumping sand into it. Krah has the ability to make three pipes that are extra thick and that have all the culvert protection on the outside, so I don’t have to add it. It saves me money. In fact, it’s a stronger product than the steel culvert, which will rust out in 50–100 years.

Irrigation Leader: How can prospective customers get in touch with you?

Midge Graybeal: I would encourage anybody to give Mark a call or to send an e-mail to sales@krahusa.com or marktheetge@krahusa.com. We’re doing tours almost every week for organizations from across Oregon and Washington.

If a group wants to tour the plant, we’d be happy to show them what we’re doing. IL

Midge Graybeal and Mark Theetge are co-CEOs of Krah USA. They can be contacted at sales@krahusa.com, marktheetge@krahusa.com, or (888) 457‑2487.

Marc Thalacker manages the Three Sisters Irrigation District and works as a consultant for Krah USA. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRAH USA.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your current offerings and clientele in the irrigation market.

company in eastern Oregon that uses only HDPE pipe and wants pipe from us. As we are the only HDPE company in Oregon, shipping costs much less.

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Testing a Moleaer Nanobubble Generator System at Maricopa Orchards

An orchard sprayer at Maricopa Orchards.

M

oleaer has created a novel aeration system that injects water with miniscule bubbles thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt, allowing the water to provide higher levels of oxygen to plants’ roots, to better penetrate soil, and to break apart biofilms and algae within irrigation systems.

To see how Moleaer’s solution fits into the irrigation industry, we interview Joe Coelho, the agronomy manager of Maricopa Orchards in Fresno, California, who is testing a Moleaer system.

license, and a qualified applicator license. My day-to-day work at Maricopa Orchards involves controlling agronomic inputs with our internal and external farm teams. I have a team of in-house advisors that manages some of the portfolio and some external advisors. I run a research and development group that tackles status-quo special problems and collaborates with universities, extensions, government entities, and private individuals on various research topics.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about Maricopa Orchards.

34 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Joe Coelho: Maricopa Orchards is a farming operation that is most heavily involved in nut crops. Pistachios are the number 1 crop, and almonds are number 2. We also grow blueberries, cherries, citrus fruit, and walnuts. We own a couple of dairies, which we lease.

The orchards cover many acres. Three-quarters of that area is managed in house; the last quarter is managed by custom farmers. The owners of Maricopa also own Touchstone Pistachio, which is a processing and sales company. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARICOPA ORCHARDS.

Joe Coelho: I’m the agronomy manager for Maricopa Orchards. I have been farming since I was 8 years old. I studied crop science at went to the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. I come from a big farming family and am involved in the production of its permanent tree crops. My brothers and I own and manage our own farms and ranches through another business. I have a pest control advisor license, a certified crop advisor

Maricopa Orchards is a family-owned business. It is owned by the Assemi family, which is well known in the Central Valley for its home-building company, Granville Homes. In addition to being real estate developers, the family owns a medical school and pharmacy school in Fresno and a hospital in Afghanistan and have a philanthropy business and a homegoods distribution company. It’s a diversified family business; farming is just one part of it.

Irrigation Leader: What sort of irrigation systems do the orchards use?

Joe Coelho: We mostly use dual-line drip irrigation with pressurized PVC systems and filter stations, which serve anywhere from 160 to 960 acres each. We have some acquisitions that have come to us with fan jets, which are heavily used in citrus. While we mostly use dual-line drip, we start some younger plantings with single-line drip to save water and add the second line later. We have some trellised irrigation for organic almonds so that we can flame and burn weeds below. There’s not much flood irrigation—there may be a few ranches that have it. Flood irrigation is only feasible in California where water is very plentiful—for example, near a river that has water allocation all the time or shallow groundwater that you are not restricted from pumping.

Irrigation Leader: What issue are you trying to solve with your Moleaer system?

Joe Coelho: All the water bodies coming off the Sierra Nevada funnel into the Sacramento delta, which runs underneath the Golden Gate Bridge into the ocean. There are pumping facilities in the delta that pump water into the California Aqueduct, which brings it directly south. The aqueduct’s purpose was to deliver water to the Westlands Water District, the largest irrigation district in the country, and then send it over the hill to Los Angeles. A lot of our plantings fall within the Westlands Water District. When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was introduced, the Bureau of Reclamation began to cut water allocation to protect Chinook salmon and delta smelt, both considered endangered. Up until that point, we normally received nearly 100 percent of our allocation, which equated to 2½ acrefeet per acre, but with the advent of the ESA, the allocation numbers were routinely cut to less than 100 percent. There were several severely reduced allocation numbers in the late 2000s, and as we began to experience drought, the numbers dropped even further. The allocations during the 4 years from 2013 to 2016 were 20, 0, 0, and 5 percent. When no surface water is being delivered to you, you must get your water from the ground, and there are many places in the state of California that are completely reliant on well water.

The heavier use of well water generally diminished soil quality with regard to salinity constituents, particularly sodium, boron, chloride, and bicarbonate. Boron is a difficult irrigationleadermagazine.com

thing to leach and push outside a root zone so that a tree won’t pull it up. Sodium is easier to move. Sodium causes a lot of changes in soil texture and structure because of clay dispersion. Once all the negatively charged exchange particles in the soil are saturated with 15 percent sodium or more, the soil tightens up, compacts, and cracks. Your water channels and irrigation efficiency become impaired by infiltration reduction, additional cracking, waterfalls, and channels, which the water fills, moving back up to the surface and undergoing evaporative loss. In addition, trees don’t like sodium, though pistachios can tolerate it a great deal more than almonds can.

When you can’t push the water down deep enough, you get a concentrated head of salt right in the middle of the roots.

A band-aid solution to the age-old problem of decreased soil infiltration is gypsum, which flocculates the soils and allows you, using the same amount of water or slightly more, to push that concentrated salt head past the root zone. As things dry, the salt will rise back up toward the root zone. There are other solutions that you might be able to make use of, depending on the lime characteristics, such as reacting that lime to make gypsum and improve infiltration. A grower may also use what is called a leaching fraction, which refers to additional irrigation water applied during a routine irrigation. The amount of water needed for a leaching fraction comes from a calculation based on the electric conductivity, the characteristics of the water, and a few other things. In theory, a leaching fraction of additional water at every irrigation can push water, the head of which is concentrated with salt, to a desired depth and reduce the effects of salt in the tissue of a tree.

Irrigation Leader: Why did you decide to investigate the Moleaer system?

Joe Coelho: I’ve been looking at ways to improve soil filtration for a long time, and I’m looking at Moleaer for a few different reasons. One of the objectives of my research and development department is to try to find agronomic solutions that can solve multiple problems rather than a bunch of one-trick ponies that cost a bunch of money. So while the focus of my preliminary work is to determine soil water infiltration, I also investigate other potential benefits.

The bubbles created by Moleaer’s technology improve infiltration but have several other effects at the same time.

For example, they deliver oxygen to the root zone. Moleaer uses atmospheric levels or 100 percent O2 cylinders through its manifold and is able to increase the oxygen saturation of the water. All this additional oxygen is delivered to the roots.

If you have a root zone with poor infiltration, and roots are sitting in water, they can get anaerobic disease. One of the first things that the technology showed was a reduction of anaerobic diseases, particularly in hydroponic and aquaponic situations. It can eliminate one of the disease problems we get, which could potentially save me $60 an acre worth of fungicide or more.

Adding extra oxygen should also help proliferate beneficial microbial communities, such as fungus or February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

| 35

These graphs demonstrate that Moleaer-treated water infiltrates deeper and pushes salt out of trees’ root zones.

beneficial bacteria you may have added to the soil. A growth in those populations should lead to additional soil respiration, which can be measured using a gas chromatograph. Soil microbes are said to improve fertilizer use efficiency, particularly of nitrogen. Using Moleaer nanobubbles to improve the population and health of the microbial communities could save me $20 an acre or more on fertilizer efficiency products alone.

Another potential benefit is line cleaning. Drip lines are affected by the buildup of scale and biological film. The bursting of the bubbles created by Moleaer’s device can serve the same function as chlorine gas line cleaning. I can save another $45 an acre if I can get rid of that chlorine in the water, which is another thing I have to leach. Moleaer can be used to provide reservoir treatment as well. Putting the bubbles into a reservoir with a carbon-type product would clean up algae easily. That could represent another $60 of savings. Suddenly, we’re looking at $185 or so an acre of savings, not including the infiltration benefits.

Irrigation Leader: How have you been testing the Moleaer system, and what results have you seen?

36 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Joe Coelho is the agronomy manager for Maricopa Orchards. He can be contacted at joseph.coelho@valleyorchardllc.com.

irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARICOPA ORCHARDS.

Joe Coelho: I have the Moleaer device directly installed on a lateral irrigation line on a ranch here with an O2 tank connected in the field. I’m not getting university funding, so this is not a $100,000 study. I just have a single irrigation monitoring probe installed within the treated and untreated blocks. We’re treating a small area in a single direction— approximately 10 rows with 40 trees per row. The field we’re testing in is nothing short of a salt marsh—it’s one of the saltiest ranches I’ve ever farmed in my life. The bad salt

constituents are more than double what I see in the worst soils in Westlands, and with nearly 50 percent of the soil exchange sites saturated with sodium, the infiltration is badly impaired.

My probes and computer system allow me to see moisture, infiltration, and salt levels at various depths over time. As we irrigate, I can see the water move downward. I can see that in the treated field, by September 30, after the end of the irrigation season, what is left behind is a low-salt root zone, and the water is getting down to 46 inches. When I look at the dry site, the infiltrations are reduced and it’s quite salty at the end of the event. All the water is getting trapped at about 26 inches rather than draining down to 46 inches and leaving a salt-free environment. We’re getting water here, but the soil is staying completely saturated. If you look at this salt index, you can see that it’s salty throughout the entire period. It was pleasing to see that, with Moleaer, I can take my water down to 46 inches, moving a lot of that salt deeply out of the root zone leaving it less salty.

Based on what I am studying, the potential replacement cost with the Moleaer solution should be $100–$200 an acre, a cost similar to applying gypsum at a rate of 1–2 tons per acre. The other potential savings and enhancements of the Moleaer system will be investigated over the next 2 years of collaboration. IL

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How Rob Welke Packages Five Decades of Experience Into One Pumping System Master Class

R

ob Welke is an Australian water professional with 50 years of experience split nearly evenly between the municipal and irrigation sectors. Throughout it all, he has focused on energy efficiency, and his experience has led him to look past just the pump to the system as a whole. Through his company, the WATER PUMPING INSTITUTE, Mr. Welke runs a Pumping System Master Class for irrigators that helps them put precise numbers on the energy use and cost savings of running their pumping systems.

In this interview, Mr. Welke explains the concepts behind the course and lays out its advantages for irrigators.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

38 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

HYDRopz, WATER PUMPING INSTITUTE’s flagship software, determines optimum pipe diameters for energy efficient pumping.

After 25 years with SA Water, I went into the irrigation industry. I deliberately chose it because I wanted to pursue a career in promoting energy efficiency in an area where people were listening more, and I saw a real opening in irrigation.

Over the last 28 years in irrigation, I’ve conducted a lot of energy audits of pumping station and pumping system designs. You could say that throughout the last 50 years of my career, I’ve had a pressure gauge in one hand and a flow meter in the other. It’s also significant that I’ve never sold product.

That makes me quite unique in the irrigation industry. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROB WELKE.

Rob Welke: I started my life out on a wheat and sheep farm in Mid North South Australia. One thing that defines me most is that my father always said, “Don’t follow the world; create your own.” That’s exactly what I’ve done. I spent three parts of my career following others, but I didn’t feel that it was right, so I’ve gone and created my own company and training course.

I started my tertiary education studying technology and mechanical engineering. I later did some training courses with Irrigation Australia, a sister company of the Irrigation Association in the United States that also provides training and assessment qualifications. I was a member of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants for a number of years, and I’m currently a member of Irrigation Australia and Pumping Industry Australia. I’ve spent 53 years in pumping and hydraulics, the last 50 as a paraprofessional mechanical engineer.

Paraprofessional means just under the full professional level but having most of the attributes of a full professional engineer.

At the point at which I stopped my bachelor of technology studies, I went to an employment agency and said I wanted to do a fitter and turner’s apprenticeship.

I was matched with the government engineering water department, which is now called SA Water. Within a short time, I was attached to the pumping engineer. My principal role was to monitor the energy efficiency of all our major pumping plants. We’re talking about 175,000 horsepower of pumps, up to about 7,500 horsepower each, and pipelines up to 1.6 meters (5.25 feet) in diameter.

To put this into perspective, South Australia is the driest state of the driest continent in the world. It is heavily reliant on pumping. In a dry year, South Australia’s capital city, Adelaide, which has a population of 1.5 million, requires 90 percent of its water supply to be pumped 60 miles from the River Murray over 1,200‑foot ranges. Five major pumping schemes supply this water.

Irrigation Leader: What are the components of your pumping master class?

Rob Welke: As a result of what I learned through experience during my many audits, I came up with a whole gamut of things that I thought the irrigation industry should know that weren’t being taught or practiced. There are four units to the course, which take about 3½ hours each over 4 days.

I start off talking about energy and how we apply it.

Then I go into pipelines. Pipelines are obviously conduits for water, but they are subject to deteriorations in performance.

Knowing what to expect and how to quantify that is important. Then we go into the selection of pumps and other components inside a pump station, targeting energy efficiency the whole way. This course is about energy efficiency, which can save end users thousands of dollars a year.

Then we look at pump testing, which is not as easy as you might think. Pump testing deals principally with flow measurement. I’ve always said that the accuracy of a pump test is 90 percent determined by the accuracy of the flow meter.

This course is predicated on the fact that selecting the most energy-efficient pump is only the first step in maximizing pumping system efficiency. All pumps these days are very efficient, so what’s the difference between pump efficiency and pumping system efficiency? The answer lies in the hydraulic efficiency of the whole pumping system. Basically, the overall energy efficiency of a whole irrigation system has little to do with the pump—it mostly has to do with the hydraulics, and when it comes to hydraulics, the pipeline is the most important.

This course considers pipelines as much a part of energy efficiency as pumps. When it comes to pumps, we look at how efficient they are and how much energy we can extract from them as their efficiency goes down. With the pipeline, we look at how much energy is required to overcome the friction, and then we quantify it in terms of pumping cost dollars. If we can quantify a pump in terms of dollars to run, we can also quantify a pipeline in terms of dollars to run.

It’s a simple parallel, but some significant science goes into figuring out those numbers, and the course bears that out.

These numbers are not based on speculation; they are based on my career outcomes. I’ve done five major audits of irrigation systems through government agencies in Australia, each of which took 2–4 days. I zeroed in on hydraulic efficiency and how to optimize systems to reduce the running costs of a pumping system. I found that optimizing pump efficiency represented only 17 percent of the potential savings that could be derived from optimizing an irrigation system, while optimizing hydraulics represented 33 percent of the savings.

That’s twice as much! There are hundreds of pumping systems out there that can and should be hydraulically optimized to save growers thousands of dollars annually in pumping costs.

The course is really about the software. The software empowers the participants to convert the losses in their systems into savings. The software is all Excel spreadsheets, but some of them have been converted into phone apps. irrigationleadermagazine.com

One of the most useful pieces of software is the Pump Data Calculator. You enter the pumped head, the cost of the electricity tariff, and the volume of water, and the program calculates an annual pumping cost. Then, it amortizes the cost over 25 years at a given electricity cost index and inflation rate to calculate an amortized electricity cost. Then, we can start to evaluate friction losses not in terms of feet head loss or pounds per square inch but in dollar amounts. From there, we can start to ask how much we can reduce those dollar amounts.

Mr. Welke tests a 60-horsepower end-suction river pump as part of an energy audit.

For pipelines, we’ve got our Pipe Suite, which is a suite of 13 calculators. During my extensive time in the field, I wished I had had a calculator to do some simple calculations.

In the end, I created my own, which is now available as a phone app. Another app, HYDRopz, is a hydraulic optimizer. It calculates the optimum pipeline size based on energy efficiency. If there’s one thing that this course will teach you, it is that pipe sizing according to energy efficiency is quite different from pipe sizing according to irrigation efficiency. With irrigation efficiency, we’re talking about a velocity limit of 5 feet per second, but it’s much less when it comes to energy efficiency. In February 2021, the national energy engineer from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Terry Ruch, attended my course. At one point, she said, “You know, the 5 feet per second was never intended as a guideline for energy efficiency. It was only ever intended for water or irrigation efficiency.” So we’re operating in a new paradigm; this training course is a world first.

The flagship software of the course is our elaborate pump selection software, which has numerous system curves. There just isn’t anything else like this out there. Last, we have pump testing software, which is really useful.

Each of these software programs comes with a tutorial, and I demonstrate them during the course. I create hypothetical scenarios based on my experience that show people how to use the programs.

In summary, this course teaches people how to design pumping energy efficiency principles into new irrigation systems and to fix old ones. It redefines pumping energy efficiency for irrigation, moving away from the old paradigm in which you just look at the pump. The pipelines are where the big gains are.

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

| 39

Irrigation Leader: So everyone who takes the course also gets the software?

Rob Welke: Absolutely. Every person who attends gets a copy of the software and is taught how to use it in the class. For software that is available as a phone app, I show them how to load it onto their phones. I developed the software myself to use in projects that I’ve done over the last 20 years. I’ve modified it to make it user friendly for the course. My estimate is that about 1,500 hours of time has gone into the production of this training course. That’s my time, you know—whereas most people will be watching football on a Saturday night, I’ll be tinkering with a spreadsheet. That’s what I like to do.

Irrigation Leader: Does your business offer activities and services other than this course?

Rob Welke: This course is my main focus, but I still do energy audits. For example, I’ve been asked to review the specifications for a $2.5 million pipeline scheme. People still come to me for my expertise in that area, and I enjoy getting involved in projects like those.

Irrigation Leader: Who is the audience for the course?

Rob Welke: When I started out with this, my target was growers, because they are pocket sensitive to the cost of energy. Ultimately, I found that growers tend to be spoiled rotten with government-subsidized training. Generally, they don’t have to pay any money to be trained. Because my course is not part of a national curriculum, it doesn’t attract free funding, so everybody has to pay, and therefore farmers don’t want to come. That’s a tragedy, really, because it’s focused for their benefit. As a result, I decided to target farm managers, branch managers, and designers. These professionals can filter this information down and handpick people they think would benefit from this course.

Irrigation Leader: What are the main blind spots that you’re trying to correct with this course?

Rob Welke: Almost anything that goes beyond the pump itself, but the big one is the pipeline. You know, I’ve heard people say, “I’m only going to install a 6‑inch pipeline, because that’s all my father ever installed.” People think they’re saving money by doing this, but they’re setting themselves up for long-term loss by selecting excessively small pipes. This course puts numbers in front of people that make them say, “You’re right. I do need a 10‑inch rather than a 6‑inch pipe.”

Rob Welke: The majority of the pipe used in the irrigation industry is PVC or poly, both of which have an almost

40 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

Irrigation Leader: How many participants are usually taking part in the course simultaneously? Do participants get personalized attention?

Rob Welke: I encourage people to raise their hands right in the moment when they have questions rather than waiting till the end of the session. Maybe some of the others have the same question. To enable that, I prefer a smaller class. I don’t like going over 12. In the case of face-to-face classes, I’ll go up to 16. With numbers beyond that, people are not inclined to ask questions, and if you don’t ask questions, you don’t get the maximum from the training course.

Irrigation Leader: What practical information should readers know about the course’s length and cost?

Rob Welke: The course costs US$595 and lasts 4 days, 3½ hours a day. The next course sessions are February 14–17 and March 28–31. The course is worth 8 continuing education units from the Irrigation Association, and it comes with a certificate of completion. We encourage large groups to have in-house training so there’s no conflict of interest within the class. Separate class times can be arranged for anyone with a large group. Interested readers should visit our website at www.waterpumping.institute for more information. You can easily register for a course and pay with a credit card at www.talle.biz/wpibillus.html. As a service to Irrigation Leader subscribers, we will give away a free phone app software to the first six e-mail inquiries about our Pumping System Master Class. IL Rob Welke is an independent consultant. He can be contacted at register@waterpumping.institute or +61 414 492 256. When calling from the United States, it is best to try after 6:00 p.m. U.S. time. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB WELKE.

Irrigation Leader: Aside from size, what makes a pipe more or less energy efficient? Does material play a role?

mirror-like finish on the inside. New pipe is very efficient if it’s sized correctly, but it will still have high friction if you push too much velocity through it. The first step is to size the pipe according to the optimum level of friction.

HYDRopz does that.

Throughout the life of the pipeline, under certain water conditions, algae or biofilm can build up in the pipe, increasing pipeline friction and therefore increasing energy expenditures. We need to allow for this in the design process. Biofilm is only a few thousandths of an inch in thickness, but it significantly affects pipeline performance.

For example, you can expect a 10 percent reduction in pipeline efficiency within the first year when running recycled water through a pipeline. And if you take water that has picked up bacteria from a channel system, it can grow algae that sticks to the inside surface of the pipe and significantly increases pump power requirement.

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Training New Voices for Agriculture and Forestry in Washington State

AgForestry Leadership Program participants in the forest.

T

he Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation trains leaders to advocate for policies that support natural resources industries in Washington State. In this interview, interim Executive Director Vicky Scharlau speaks with Irrigation Leader about how the organization’s intensive 18‑month AgForestry Leadership Program transforms participants, who hail from a wide range of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries jobs, into savvy spokespeople for those sectors.

Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us about the history of the AgForestry program?

Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us more about the AgForestry Leadership Program?

Vicky Scharlau: The Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, which over the years has become known as AgForestry, was established in 1977 to cultivate leaders to

Vicky Scharlau: The leadership program brings together natural resources managers and stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. For each leadership class, we select

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

42 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGFORESTRY.

Vicky Scharlau: I was raised on a farm, and my professional life has played out in the agriculture and natural resources arena, which means I know the industries AgForestry serves. I also have 40 years of experience managing nonprofit organizations.

Finally, I’m a graduate of the program as well. I believe that trifecta assured AgForestry’s board and its donors that choosing me as the interim executive director would be a positive step.

advocate for management and public policy that supports Washington State’s natural resources industries and the surrounding communities. At the time, the so-called fish wars had launched a great public debate over fisheries and forestry in the state. Those battles took place not just in courtrooms but in the state’s forests and rivers. It was the era when the Timber-Fish-Wildlife (TFW) Agreement was formed, thanks to two strong leaders on opposing sides: Billy Frank Jr., a Nisqually tribal leader, and Stu Bledsoe, an Ellensburg rancher-turned-politician. What Stu and Billy were able to accomplish with the TFW Agreement allowed all natural resources industries, including agriculture, to see the need for and the value of aggressively pursuing their needs and explaining them to the public, especially in public policy.

The AgForestry founders understood that the challenges they faced would not be solved in their generation. They wanted to create a program that endured and that would continue to develop leaders to advocate for natural resources industries.

Now in its 43rd year, the program has been very successful.

AgForestry Leadership Program participants visit a facility of the United Grain Corporation in Vancouver, Washington.

up to 24 candidates from statewide applicants. Participants come from a range of professions in agriculture, forestry, and fishing and include producers, processors, shippers, marketing professionals, and salespeople. The idea is to broaden their knowledge and refine the skills that are needed to provide leadership in a constantly changing environment.

The 18‑month program provides hands-on learning experiences. Over the course of 11 in-state seminars, participants gain a broader understanding of various stakeholders in Washington State, an appreciation for the interdependencies among industries, and a deeper sense of self and service. The seminars cover a broad range of skills and topics, including communication, public speaking, working with the media, forestry and agriculture issues, the Columbia River system, social issues, state government, crime and corrections, and transportation. Participants hear from over 250 subject-matter experts and leaders in their fields, helping them gain the confidence and know-how to promote effective and inclusive public policy for our state.

In addition, each participant works on a public policy project for the entire 18 months of the program. In many instances, these projects become actual state law or are written into the Washington Administrative Code. These projects make a difference. The program makes public policy real for participants, whether it’s through involvement with the city council, the county commission, or the school board.

Irrigation Leader: Can you provide a recent example of an advocacy or public policy campaign that your graduates have worked on? irrigationleadermagazine.com

Vicky Scharlau: Some recent projects have focused on improving mental health opportunities in the agricultural community, expanding broadband access in Washington State, expanding the workforce for the wine industry by allowing 18- to 20‑year-olds to work in production, and securing funding for search-and-rescue organizations.

The workforce development project addressed recently passed legislation allowing 18‑ to 20‑year-olds enrolled in community college enology and viticulture programs to taste wine at school and to work in internships. However, once they graduate, they are not able to work in wine production until they turn 21. This excluded the same qualified graduates from the workforce, decreasing their earning ability, reducing labor availability for employers, and creating another barrier to development for small communities and the entire Washington wine industry. The project goal was to amend the Revised Code of Washington 66.44.318 to explicitly allow 18‑ to 20‑year-olds to work in wine production in Washington State under the supervision of an employee of at least 21 years of age. The group successfully got a bill written, sponsored, passed through both chambers of the legislature, and passed into law after two separate legislative sessions of attempting to do so. There are plans to expand the bill in 2022 to include brewers and distillers.

Irrigation Leader: What country is this year’s class going to?

Vicky Scharlau: There are two classes always operating at the same time. Class 43 will go to Washington, DC, this year, and Class 42 will go to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico provides a unique learning opportunity to see the infrastructure damage caused by the storms that hit the island. The international trip is designed to increase awareness and understanding of trends and emerging issues in other countries and to provide opportunities to explore a different political system, to discover the country’s culture and history, to learn about its agricultural production systems and natural resources management approaches, and to take participants out of their comfort zones. Puerto Rico provides a unique opportunity to explore what will feel like and in many ways be like a different country without leaving U.S. borders. The class will see fruit and vegetable production and forest management practices and be able to compare and contrast the public policy of a territory with that of a state Irrigation Leader: How long will you serve as interim head of the program?

Vicky Scharlau: I started in August 2021; the end date may depend on the completion of a strategic plan that the board is working on right now. That plan, once it is completed and approved by the board of directors, will identify the future needs of the organization and the skills the board is looking for in a new executive director.

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AgForestry Leadership Program participants visit the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us what you know so far about what the leadership is looking for in a new executive director.

to attract future leaders. It can’t be the model of yesterday; it has to be a model for tomorrow.

Vicky Scharlau: The first important skill for the executive director of a large, involved nonprofit like AgForestry is to have experience running a nonprofit organization.

The leader also needs to be able to work effectively and efficiently, guide a board, and execute a strategic plan and the annual work plans that come from it. They must be able to move the needle on an organization that’s building leaders for tomorrow.

Irrigation Leader: What have you enjoyed the most about being the interim director?

Irrigation Leader: Going forward, will the program format and activities change?

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Vicky Scharlau is the interim executive director of the Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation. She can be contacted at vicky@agforestry.org or (509) 670‑1225. irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGFORESTRY.

Vicky Scharlau: The answer to that is complicated. One of the many reasons the board chose to undergo a strategic planning process was to answer that question. It realized that our natural resources industry is changing and that the next generation of leaders needs to learn and adapt to leadership challenges differently than we did 40 years ago. We have a program that originally targeted Baby Boomers. Now, we’re starting to train the Millennials, but as we look to the future, we’re looking at training leaders from Gen Z. Gen Z people get information differently, they interact differently, and the organizations and industries that they’re involved in are different. Therefore, we need to have a program that can pivot

Vicky Scharlau: It has been a great experience, and I’m thankful that I’ve had this opportunity. It’s more than just a job—it’s truly been a passion for me. The staff at AgForestry are so committed, so bright, and so engaged. They really understand that providing this program to the natural resources industries of Washington State makes a significant difference for the future of those industries. Our graduates are all committed to the AgForestry Leadership Program and its future. We need to go beyond the first 1,000 graduates with energy, enthusiasm, and a focus on leadership. And we must excite individuals in and around the natural resources industries to be as excited as the staff and board, and as excited as those who have come to know us. IL

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Anchor Trucking Services: Delivering Heavy Equipment From Coast to Coast

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nchor Trucking Services Inc. delivers heavy off-road equipment and machinery from coast to coast. In this interview, President Jim Crain tells Irrigation Leader about his company’s services and its recent delivery of rehabilitated construction equipment from Evans Equipment of Concordia, Missouri, to Kennewick Irrigation District in central Washington State.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

Jim Crain: I am the president of Anchor Trucking Services Inc., a company that my dad started back in 1965. I got into the business when I graduated from high school, and my son Eric joined the business after he graduated, also. We are a multigenerational business.

An Anchor truck delivers a Caterpillar rehabilitated by Evans Equipment.

Irrigation Leader: What services do you provide?

Jim Crain: We deliver heavy off-road equipment and machinery, such as bulldozers, scrapers, and excavators.

We mainly transport construction equipment, but we also deal with a lot of mining equipment. When dealing with heavy equipment, there are lots of permits involved, and the requirements differ between states. We have multiaxle trailers that can work for the weight requirements of each state.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about the work you’ve done with Evans Equipment.

Irrigation Leader: How do your vehicles differ from regular delivery trucks?

Irrigation Leader: Do you also deliver things like pipe?

Jim Crain: Mainly, they just have more axles, and sometimes the trailers are quite a bit longer and wider and have more capacity as far as grading. Our trailers can haul from 35 to 85 tons.

Irrigation Leader: Do your drivers need special licenses or permits?

Irrigation Leader: What states do you deliver to?

Jim Crain: No, we just supply the heavy equipment. We don’t deliver flatbed pipe or those types of materials.

Irrigation Leader: You recently delivered some Caterpillars and other equipment to Kennewick Irrigation District in Washington State. Do you do a lot of work for water- and irrigation-related entities?

Jim Crain: We don’t work directly for the water and irrigation industry, but rather for the construction contractors. For example, we are working with another company that is constructing dikes and things like that. We don’t usually work directly for the company but rather for its contractor. IL Jim Crain is the president of Anchor Trucking Services Inc. For more on Anchor Trucking Services, visit www.anchortruckingservices.com.

Jim Crain: We deliver to all 48 contiguous states and to Canada.

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irrigationleadermagazine.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANCHOR TRUCKING SERVICES INC.

Jim Crain: In almost every state, you have to have an overweight permit for any vehicle over 80,000 pounds. Some states will allow a little more weight on secondary roads but require an overweight permit for trucks of that weight on the interstate. For any vehicles over 8½ feet wide, you have to have a permit. Normally, the biggest you can go without a permit is 8½ by 53 feet. Drivers need a normal commercial driver’s license, but a doubles and triples certification is usually required for pulling multiaxle trailers equipped with dollies.

Jim Crain: We’ve been working with Evans for at least 40 years. The company sells a lot of mining equipment, oversized equipment, irrigation equipment, big dozers, and big sprayers.

NuSTREEM’s Modular Small Hydro Offerings for Washington State Irrigation Districts Juliann Blanford: Exactly. This approach greatly reduces the geotechnical and civil work typically involved in these hydropower sites, which is necessary to make the return on investment on these projects attractive.

Irrigation Leader: What should irrigation districts in Washington State know about NuSTREEM and your current program?

NuSTREEM General Manager Juliann Blanford explains hydro turbines at NuSTREEM’s headquarters.

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uSTREEM is a pioneering hydroelectric equipment manufacturer based in Mansfield, Connecticut, that manufactures modular small hydro installations that are suitable for irrigation districts or other water conveyance operators. To make its turbines more portable and easier to install, it has developed the NuCONTAINER, an integrated, modular package in which turbines are transported and can be installed in a standard-size shipping container. In this interview, NuSTREEM General Manager Juliann Blanford tells Irrigation Leader about what the company’s products can offer Washington State irrigation districts and the steps that potential customers should take.

Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

Juliann Blanford: I have a finance background. I worked for Ernst and Young as a certified public accountant before I joined NuSTREEM as the general manager in January 2018. NuSTREEM’s two missions are to increase efficiency at existing hydropower sites and to deploy new small, modular hydropower sites.

Irrigation Leader: What is the size of your turbines?

Juliann Blanford: They range from 75 to 250 kilowatts. Our turbines are meant to be installed in an array. We can install multiple turbines at a site to get grid-scale energy.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NUSTREEM.

Irrigation Leader: What is unique about your turbines?

Juliann Blanford: Our turbines are designed with a standard modular approach and are extremely efficient across a wide range of flows. When you’re looking at building a site in an irrigation district, you don’t have to build the powerhouse on site. The turbines come packaged in a shipping container with the switchgear and the grid interconnect ready to rapidly install at the site.

Irrigation Leader: So customers get a standard shipping container, and all they need to do is it to put it on a platform and then connect it electrically? irrigationleadermagazine.com

Juliann Blanford: We are offering a rapidly deployable modular hydropower site. There is a lot of opportunity in Washington right now to develop hydropower in irrigation districts. Developing hydropower in a modular fashion is going to be the only way to achieve the highest return on investment on those projects. We are currently looking for demonstration sites in Washington State.

Irrigation Leader: Do you work with a particular turbine size, or do you choose a site and then build something custom for it?

Juliann Blanford: We have a single NuCONTAINER ready to go right now that can be packaged with a turbine ranging from 75 to 250 kilowatts. It would be ready to deploy in April 2022. In our NuCONTAINER, the turbine comes packaged in a shipping container with the switchgear and the grid interconnect ready to rapidly install at the site.

Irrigation Leader: What kind of information would you need from an interested irrigation district?

Juliann Blanford: We would need the head and flow information, of course. If an irrigation district is ready to go with the site permitting process and has sorted out the requirements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the Bureau of Reclamation, then we come in as the equipment manufacturer and partner with site-design engineers of their choice, or ours, to rapidly deploy the hydropower site.

Irrigation Leader: If an irrigation district in Washington State is interested in more information, how should it contact NuSTREEM? Juliann Blanford: I am going on maternity leave until April 2022, so the best person to contact is Andy Sadlon at andy.sadlon@nustreem.com. IL Juliann Blanford is general manager of NuSTREEM. For more on NuSTREEM, visit nustreem.com.

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JOB LISTINGS

Does your organization have a job listing you would like to advertise in our pages? Irrigation Leader provides this service to irrigation districts, water agencies, and hydropower facilities free of charge. For more information, please email Kris Polly at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.

ENVIRONMENTAL CIVIL/ENGINEER Location: Asheville, NC Deadline: Open until filled Salary: Based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +P erform technical analyses for projects that may include design for landfill repairs, water resources management including supply, conveyance, treatment, and storage, storm water projects, grading design, and/or hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling. +P repare written reports, technical studies, and permit applications. +D evelop engineering drawings, technical specifications, and opinions of probable cost. +D evelop scopes of work, budgets, and schedules for projects, and manage their successful completion. +V isit project sites to perform site assessments and oversee construction (potential for regional and national travel).

REQUIREMENTS: +8 + years of experience in related engineering field. +N orth Carolina PE or ability to get reciprocity in North Carolina. +E xperience with a diverse range of hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling and design software packages, such as AutoCAD Civil 3‑D, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, HydroCAD, StormCAD, or other similar/related programs. +E xperience managing projects. +S afety-oriented and experienced with implementing health and safety policies.

For more information: Full announcement details and application instructions are available here: anchorque.com.

ELEPHANT BUTTE IRRIGATION DISTRICT TREASURER-MANAGER Location: Las Cruces, NM Deadline: February 25, 2022 Salary: Based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +T he treasurer-manager serves as the chief executive officer of the district and is appointed by and reports to a nine-member board of directors that are elected by members of the district. +C onducts the mission of the district to accomplish its

50 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022

goals and objectives, implement and represent board policies, and lead efforts to develop a solid foundation for the current and future operation of the district. +O versees the management of personnel, budgets, water rights and infrastructure +D evelops, evaluates, and implements operating policies and procedures that will assist the district with abiding by state and federal law and best practices for operating an irrigation district.

REQUIREMENTS: +M ust have exceptional communication skills and the ability to address issues calmy, tactfully, and proactively with a diverse group of stakeholders (members, staff, board, public, regulatory agencies, and others). +M ust demonstrate the ability to keep the board of directors well-informed and engaged, have a strong fiscal background including planning, budgeting, capital replacement, and strategic investments +M ust have a direct working knowledge of local governmental organizations at a leadership level, and a general understanding of water rights and the complexities of managing a water delivery system. +A bachelor’s degree in business management, finance, engineering, or a closely related field from an accredited university. +F ive years of experience managing and leading a local governmental organization. +E xperience working directly and communicating effectively with an elected board of directors. +F ive years of fiscal management and decisionmaking experience. +W orking knowledge of federal and state agencies. +D irect experience with federal and state legislative processes including public policy education and advocacy. +A dvanced computer/technology skills and proficiency with computer software relevant to managerial decisionmaking.

For more information: Full announcement details and application instructions are available here: https://www.ebid-nm.org.

TECHNICAL SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Location: Remote/Hybrid Deadline: Open until filled Salary: Based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +P resent NuSTREEM well by representing our product and our values accurately and enthusiastically. irrigationleadermagazine.com

JOB LISTINGS +M aintain existing lines of business relationships and effectively obtain new business. +P rovide market feedback to help product development, marketing, and other strategies.

REQUIREMENTS: +2 + years of sales experience in the hydropower industry. +S trong technical understanding of mechanical and/or electrical products. +E xcellent written and verbal skills. +C omputer literate with Sales Force, Zoho or other CRM. For more information: go to https://nustreem.com or send your resume and cover letter to HR@NuSTREEM.com.

SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT SENIOR ENGINEER OR SENIOR SCIENTIST Location: West Palm Beach, FL Deadline: Open until filled Salary: $62,836–$84,822 based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +P rofessional Engineer/Scientist position that provides technical services and makes decisions for a work unit that supports the success of several of the district’s strategic programs and major projects of moderate scope with complex features.

REQUIREMENTS: +C omprehensive knowledge and consistent application of theories, precepts, concepts, and practices related to a specific discipline. + I ncumbent will perform work that requires application of conventional hydraulics and hydrologic practices, but may also include a variety of complex features requiring proper us of design standards; selecting suitable materials; and difficult coordination. +A ssignments require broad knowledge of hydraulic and/ or hydrologic subjects within the discipline to effectively resolve technical issues and complete assignments. +F or Senior and Staff Engineering positions, State of Florida professional Engineer (PE) License is required.

To apply: please visit www.sfwmd.gov/careers and click on the link for External Candidates and refer to Job Reference: 2990BR.

PROJECT DESIGNER Location: Tracy, CA Deadline: Open until filled Salary: Based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +S upport the Project Manager’s (PM) efforts from inception through production both in new product design and in existing product redesign on each individual project.

+L ead design sessions and review sessions with engineering, operations, production control team members, and other members of the organization including all levels of management. +A ccurately compile the contract requirements, customer preferences, and manufacturing limitations of a given project into a cohesive design drawing package, bill of materials, and Track.net. +A ctive communication with Project Managers. +S upport the estimating functions.

REQUIREMENTS: +F ive plus years experience or equivalent education. +A bility to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate. +M ust be able to read and understand civil and mechanical drawings, blueprints. +M ust have a basic understanding of civil engineering and surveying terms and methods. +M ust be strong in mathematics through trigonometry. +M ust have good computer skills including spreadsheets and CAD. For more information: contact Nick Hidalgo, Talent Acquisition at nhidalgo@nwpipe.com, or go to www.nwpipe.com/careers.

TECHNICAL MARKETING MANAGER Location: Orem, UT or Salt Lake City, UT Deadline: Open until filled Salary: Based on qualifications RESPONSIBILITIES: +D evelop, maintain, and improve relationships with the engineering and specification community in all viable markets. + I dentify new and existing products that require an educational and promotional focus and develop a marketing plan to maximize all product lines. +W ork with Sales Manager to coordinate sales team marketing efforts as needed to accomplish corporate strategic directional goals.

REQUIREMENTS: +B achelor’s degree in engineering is preferred +T hree to five years’ experience in a field marketing position is preferred. +P refer experience marketing technical products. +E xperience in municipal/public works/government level planning is helpful. +P E is preferred and highly regarded.

For more information: contact Nick Hidalgo, Talent Acquisition at nhidalgo@nwpipe.com, or go to www.nwpipe.com/careers.

For more job listings, please visit: irrigationleadermagazine.com/job-board/. irrigationleadermagazine.com

February 2022 | IRRIGATION LEADER

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Upcoming Events February 9 Nebraska Water Resources Association, Water Roundtable, Lincoln, NE February 17–18 Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance, Annual Conference, Colorado Springs, CO February 22–24 Idaho Water Users Association, Applicator Workshops, Jerome, Rupert, and Caldwell, ID February 23–25 Multi-State Salinity Coalition, Annual Salinity Summit, Las Vegas, NV February 24–25 Family Farm Alliance, Annual Conference, Reno, NV March 9 Nebraska Water Resources Association, Water Roundtable, Lincoln, NE March 9–11 Texas Water Conservation Association, Annual Convention, Fort Worth, TX March 11 Oregon Water Resources Congress, District Managers Workshop, Newport, OR March 21–23 Utah Water Users Association, Utah Water Users Workshop, St. George, UT April 7–8 The P3 Water Summit, San Diego, CA April 13 Nebraska Water Resources Association, Water Roundtable, Lincoln, NE May 2–4 National Water Resources Association, Federal Water Issues Conference, Washington, DC May 3–6 Association of California Water Agencies, Spring Conference and Exhibition, Sacramento, CA

Past issues of Irrigation Leader are archived at IRRIGATIONLEADERMAGAZINE.COM /IrrigationLeader

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