The Value of Redundant Systems in the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District
Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE QUINCY-COLUMBIA BASIN IRRIGATION DISTRICT.
Natural disasters are a prime example of the need for proper emergency planning and contingencies. Floods and wildfires can devastate the infrastructure of local towns, farms, and irrigation systems. Electrical power lines and stations are particularly vulnerable, and loss of electricity can cripple an irrigation district’s ability to manage its canals. The QuincyColumbia Basin Irrigation District (QCBID) learned this lesson recently when a wildfire compromised its electrical power supply and could have prevented it from managing the capacity of its canals. QCBID’s automatic generators activated when power was lost, allowing the district’s systems to remain operational until power was restored. QCBID General Manager Darvin Fales and Technical Services Assistant Manager Roger Sonnichsen sat down with Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, to discuss the wildfire incident, the backup systems the district has in place for such emergencies, and the lessons that can be learned ensure better preparation for future disasters. Kris Polly: Please describe the canal works, their power supply, and how the fire affected those systems. Darvin Fales: The city of Quincy and QCBID sit on a flat part of a slope. Beezly Hills is uphill of us but is dry, not irrigated, and it is covered with sage and cheat grasses. We have a main power transmission line that comes down the hill to the Quincy pumping plant, which sits right on the west canal near its upper end. We received a lot of rain this spring, which caused the grasses to become tall and heavy. Those conditions created a large amount of fuel for potential wildfires during the summer months. The fire began in
8
IRRIGATION LEADER
