Tony Jantzer of Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts In August 2017, the Jack Creek Wildfire ran rampant through the Cascade Range in Washington State, leaving thousands of acres of land destroyed and impenetrable by water. Due to the lack of absorption, the Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts have been taxed with accommodating the higherthan-normal-level runoff captured in Eight Mile Dam, adding stress to the 1920s-era structure. As a result, the board declared an emergency to address looming challenges. Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke with Tony Jantzer, secretary-manager for Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts, to learn more about the districts and the situations they are facing. In the interview, Mr. Jantzer speaks about the challenges his team faces when combating aging infrastructure in the steep terrain of the Cascade Range and the looming threat of a catastrophic dam failure at Eight Mile Lake.
Prior to joining Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts, I managed the 12,600-acre Cascade Irrigation District in Ellensburg, Washington. I am a retired Air Force master sergeant, and I used to manage a wrecking yard as a kid. I received my bachelor’s degree in vocational education and three associate’s degrees in personnel management, avionic electronics, and applied sciences.
Kris Polly: Please tell our readers about your background managing irrigation districts.
Tony Jantzer: We are different from most in that there are actually two irrigation districts that we operate. The Icicle Irrigation District is a 4,300-acre irrigation district. It has a little bit less than 40 miles of canals. Most of its canals are concrete lined. We probably have about 5 miles of pipe within this district. We are up against the Cascade Mountains near Leavenworth, Washington, so most of our canals are in steep mountainsides. The district owns four reservoirs up in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area and has water storage in a fifth reservoir
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IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF TONY JANTZER.
Tony Jantzer: I have been an irrigation district manager for a little over 22 years, and since October 2010 I have been with the Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts, which operate under a joint operating agreement.
Kris Polly: Please provide an overview of the Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts.
