Irrigation Leader September 2017

Volume 8 Issue 8

RICK DIEKER of

September 2017

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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2017 Volume 8, Issue 8

Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by Water Strategies LLC 4 E Street SE Washington, DC 20003 STAFF: Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief John Crotty, Senior Writer Matthew Dermody, Writer Julia Terbrock, Graphic Designer Capital Copyediting LLC, Copyeditor SUBMISSIONS: Irrigation Leader welcomes manuscript, photography, and art submissions. However, the right to edit or deny publishing submissions is reserved. Submissions are returned only upon request. For more information, please contact John Crotty at (202) 698-0690 or John.Crotty@waterstrategies.com.

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ADVERTISING: Irrigation Leader accepts one-quarter, halfpage, and full-page ads. For more information on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly at (703) 517-3962 or Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com.

COMMITMENT AND VISION WITH RICK DIEKER OF THE YAKIMA-TIETON IRRIGATION DISTRICT

5 Commitment and Vision in Washington State

by Kris Polly 6 Commitment and Vision: A Conversation With Rick Dieker of the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District 11 100 Years of Kennewick Irrigation District 14 Building Big: Roza Irrigation District’s Reregulation Reservoir Set to Conserve System Water

by Scott Revell 16 Swalley Irrigation District Upgrades Water Accounting System to Address Urbanization

by Jer Camarata

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20 Paul Cross of RH2 Engineering on Water Infrastructure Assessments and Energy Use

DISTRICT FOCUS 24 Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District

by Jay O’Brien

BUSINESS LEADER 28 Kent Johnson of TruePoint Solutions

INNOVATORS 32 Accounting Upgrades at the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District

CIRCULATION: Irrigation Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. For address corrections or additions, please contact our office at Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com.

Copyright © 2017 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. /IrrigationLeader

@IrrigationLeadr

COVER PHOTO: Rick Dieker, District Manager, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District in Washington State.

IRRIGATION LEADER

Commitment and Vision in Washington State

By Kris Polly

I

n this issue’s cover interview, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District (YTID) Manager Rick Dieker perfectly summarizes the state of many irrigation districts across the West today: “We are living off the infrastructure investments that were made over a century ago, and it is time to start working on keeping them viable for the future.” Mr. Dieker and his peers in Washington State share the two qualities that have enabled districts to address aging infrastructure and bring their systems into the 21st century: commitment and vision.

For three decades, Mr. Dieker has been thinking big about how to maximize YTID’s water savings and ensure that every drop of water counts. He discusses YTID’s efforts to fully enclose its already pressurized distribution system, which is responsible for generating more than $600 million in agricultural revenues each year.

Roza Irrigation District Manager Scott Revell shares a story about building big water storage structures in an era in which that rarely happens. Last month, Roza ran water into a brand new $31 million, 1,600-acre-foot reregulation reservoir. The reservoir is part of a conservation plan that

spans decades, helping the district manage its limited supplies and take the edge off droughts.

We also hear from Jay O’Brien of the Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District, which is situated on the Canadian border along the Okanagan River. Mr. O’Brien has spent his entire career with district. His commitment to the farmers and communities he serves shows in his approach to all aspects of district management. “The district has always provided water for wildland firefighting. It is a good, neighborly thing to do.”

These dedicated individuals are the reason why there is an Irrigation Leader magazine. They think big and care about the people they serve. IL Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.

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COMMITMENT AND VISION: A CONVERSATION WITH RICK DIEKER OF THE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YAKIMA-TIETON IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

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IRRIGATION LEADER

Main canal.

IRRIGATION LEADER

The Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District (YTID) has delivered water to farmers in the upper Yakima River basin in central Washington State since 1910.

Today, farmers in the district use sprinkler and drip irrigation to grow high-quality apples, pears, cherries, and wine grapes. YTID delivers water to more than 28,000 acres—75 percent of which is high-density agriculture—via 220 miles of enclosed pipes that are as large as 90 inches in diameter.

District infrastructure consists of more than 2,000 turnouts, 6 pump stations, 2 small hydropower stations, a small reregulation reservoir, and numerous pressurereducing valves and other facilities to regulate the pressurized system to deliver approximately 55–60 pounds per square inch to each individual turnout.

Overseeing the operation and maintenance of YTID’s pressurized system has required dedication and vision. Rick Dieker has provided that during his nearly four decades with the district. Mr. Dieker joined YTID immediately after attaining his bachelor’s degree and is now the district manager.

During that time, he has helped lead the district through extensive efforts to maintain and enhance its water infrastructure in order to better serve the farmers who depend on its water.

Mr. Dieker recently sat down with Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, to discuss his career at YTID and how the district will continue to meet the needs of its irrigators in the future.

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WASHINGTON

Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District Kris Polly: Tell us about your background and how long you have been the district manager at YTID. Rick Dieker: I grew up in Oregon on a dairy farm, graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in engineering technology, and then went to work for YTID. I started working for the district in 1979 fresh out of college as a ditch rider, worked my way up to my current position of manager in 1997, and have served in that role ever since.

Kris Polly: How many employees does the district have?

Rick Dieker: We have 20 employees. There were 25–30 employees when I started, but we have reduced our workforce by becoming more efficient over the years. Moving from an open canal distribution system to a

pressurized distribution system in the late 1980s was one of the biggest steps we took in that regard.

Funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Washington State made that possible.

Kris Polly: What big projects are you working on for the district right now?

Rick Dieker: We are looking to upgrade and replace our 12-mile main canal, which diverts water from the Tieton River to our service area. The canal was built from 1906 to 1909, was enlarged in 1918, and has been in service ever since. The canal has 3 miles in tunnels, with one tunnel almost 4,000-feet long. There are no turnouts directly off the main canal. Water runs to a main lateral diversion that comes into the distribution system and then to the reregulation reservoir at French

YTID Main Canal Replacement and Upgrade Timeline

1906–1918

1982–1986

2013

Original construction of YTID canal

Partial replacement to a closed pipe distribution system

YTID canal replacement alignment study completed

Source: YTID project update, March 2017.

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2014

IRRIGATION LEADER

Canyon Dam Reservoir, just west of the town of Tieton. The canal is in a steep river canyon with limited access and is approaching the end of its service life. We are trying to determine how to replace or upgrade the canal. Our distribution system is coming up on 30 years of service and also needs to be maintained and upgraded. It is akin to a 30-year-old body being kept alive by a 107-year-old artery.

Kris Polly: What is the capacity of the main canal?

Rick Dieker: The main canal can move up to 345 cubic feet per second of water. It is a horseshoeshaped concrete canal—8.5 feet at the widest spot and 8.5 feet deep— that was built on a hillside by Reclamation. In its open sections, it slopes about 7 feet per mile, and it slopes 10 feet per mile in the tunnels.

Kris Polly: Why was the canal built in the horseshoe shape?

Rick Dieker standing by a Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District turnout.

Rick Dieker: It was a new design being used by Reclamation at that time, but I have not seen any other canal like it anywhere.

Nevertheless, it is efficient and the water moves through it well.

Kris Polly: What have been some of the biggest challenges you have had to address since you became district manager in 1997?

Rick Dieker: The biggest challenge right now is the transition the district is going through regarding the debt we have incurred from our upgrade to the pressurized system in the 1980s. Earlier this year, we made the final assessment on servicing that debt, and we are now looking at future upgrades that have been in the planning stage since 2013.

We are also trying to determine whether the district’s best option is to upgrade or replace the main canal. Replacing the entire canal could cost over $200 million, and we also have to keep our existing infrastructure online and delivering water while we plan for the next 50–100 years of operation. We cannot fund such a large project on our own, and we will need partners to help contribute. We are currently determining which partners could be most suitable.

Kris Polly: How big are the two small hydropower units you have?

Rick Dieker: They have a capacity of 1.5 megawatts each for a total

From 2015 to 2017, YTID explored alternatives that expand benefits to other Yakima water users, consistent with Integrated Plan.

2015 Canal replacement concept validated by Reclamation IRRIGATION LEADER

2016

2017

2018 Canal replacement alternatives assessed

Conceptual design of preferred alternative to begin

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“We are living off the infrastructure investments that were made over a century ago, and it is time to start working on keeping them viable for the future.”

—RICK DIEKER of 3 megawatts. They are used as pressure-reducing stations. We also receive power revenue from the Tieton Dam Hydropower Plant, which we helped develop when it was built in 2006 by a private developer. Our district obtained the original license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the power of the dam but could not develop it ourselves. So we partnered with another entity to build the powerplant on an existing Reclamation dam, and we now receive a royalty payment for the power it generates.

Kris Polly: Which of your accomplishments as district manager are you most proud of?

Rick Dieker: I was very proud of helping to get the pressurized pipeline delivery system installed and operational. I am also proud of the fact that we deliver water so efficiently—we have a 95 percent efficiency rate—and affordably to our customers. Our district produces approximately $600 million in gross crop revenue annually, which is important to our region and is particularly impressive for a district our size. I am proud to have been a part of those efforts, as well as those we are undertaking for the present and the future.

Kris Polly: What would your message be to Congress about irrigation?

Rick Dieker: I would tell them that infrastructure is a critical issue for our district and many others throughout the country. The federal government made a commitment to develop and support the economies in the West by building infrastructure, and we need

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its assistance to continue to do that. We are living off the infrastructure investments that were made over a century ago, and it is time to start working on keeping them viable for the future. We need help through regulatory relief as well as funding mechanisms to upgrade water systems across the West. YTID water users have paid off their debt service to the United States twice in our history, first in 1947 and then again in 1988. That is a proven track record, and we should get not only recognition but the active commitment of the federal government to partner with us to continue for the next 50 to 100 years.

Kris Polly: Based on your many years as a manager, what advice would you give to individuals who may be starting out in that position?

Rick Dieker: I would say to make sure they have a vision for where they want to take their career over the long term. If they want to stay somewhere and grow with a company long term, they should look at the water industry because there will likely be a lot of positions coming available as a lot of current managers retire. This creates many opportunities for folks who are looking to get into this industry and move forward over the course of their career.

I would also say to those who start working in the irrigation and water resource area that they should seek out those who have been in the business for most of their career. Take the time to talk to them, ask them questions, and seek their institutional knowledge.

Get to know them both professionally and personally.

Practice what Jim Trull did his entire career: kindness and connection. Do not be afraid to take a risk and get outside your comfort zone. IL IRRIGATION LEADER

100 Years of Kennewick Irrigation District

Local residents stopped in to look at the historical displays at the KID office on August 17.

Guest book of Kennewick Irrigation Project’s first Water Ceremony, April 26, 1957.

On Display Irrigation log book from 1903.

The Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) held an open house on August 17 to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. Media, area residents, and other guests filtered through the open house, which included displays of artifacts, such as the pen President Truman used to authorize the Kennewick Highlands Project, which added 14,534 acres to the limited early irrigation project, and an irrigation log book from 1903.

KID also displayed old photos of district projects over the years and newspaper articles for guests to view. The event was a great opportunity to highlight and convey the growth of the district since 1917. IL

“The 100th anniversary of KID shows how much progress the district has made from its humble beginnings.

Since before KID was even founded, good irrigation leadership and management, as well as machinery and technology, has enabled the dry desert of the southeast corner of Washington State in and around Kennewick to bloom.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNEWICK IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

—KENNEWICK IRRIGATION DISTRICT PRESIDENT GENE HUFFMAN

The pen President Truman used to authorize the Kennewick Highlands Project.

IRRIGATION LEADER

“The 100th anniversary celebration provided us an opportunity to learn about ourselves, to learn where we came from, and to pass that message on to the community. A lot of people have moved into our district from other parts of the country and have no idea of what KID is and why things are the way they are, such as why we divert Yakima River water at Prosser Dam and how we manage a complex canal system through the heart of the Tri-Cities.”

—KENNEWICK IRRIGATION DISTRICT MANAGER CHUCK FREEMAN

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BUILDING

ROZA IRRIGATION DISTRICT’S REREGULATION RESERVOIR SET TO CONSERVE SYSTEM WATER

By Scott Revell 14

IRRIGATION LEADER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROZA IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

BIG

Roza Irrigation District serves 72,000 acres of orchards, vineyards, hopyards, and dairies with 95 miles of main canal and more than 350 miles of laterals in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. It is a big operation that requires constant maintenance and rehabilitation. In the early 1980s, Roza began implementing a 40-year rehabilitation and betterment plan to conserve water through the automation of its main canal, the replacement of open laterals with enclosed conduits, and the construction of reregulation reservoirs.

This past August, Roza reached a major milestone in the realization of that plan: the initial filling of a $31 million, 1,600 acre-foot reregulation reservoir located north of the city of Sunnyside. More than 20 years ago, Roza built two smaller reregulation reservoirs toward the end of its system. The recently completed lined reservoir, however, is the critical piece of the conservation puzzle for the district, providing more control over flows from the center of its delivery system.

ABOVE: From left to right: Roza Irrigation District Watermaster Clay Bohlke, Roza Board Vice President Jim Willard, Roza District Manager Scott Revell, and HDR Consulting Engineer Stan Schweissing run the first test water into the reregulation reservoir on August 2.

LEFT: On August 28, the reregulation reservoir reached 70 percent capacity. The irrigated land is worth more than $15,000 per acre, while the dryland range is only about $500 per acre. Mount Adams and Mount Rainier are visible in the background.

make it through the end of the year. That year, Roza received only 47 percent of its normal water supply. In general, drought years are difficult for Roza because it is a junior water rights holder. When restrictions on the river are put into place, Roza water users are the first to feel it. The reregulation reservoir will help the district take the edge off future droughts, buying 4 extra days for water users in the lower 50 miles of the district.

The reregulation project has been a truly collaborative effort. Roza has had exceptional partners in the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Ultimately, the reregulation reservoir builds on Washington State Department of Ecology. Under the Roza’s control gate installations and piping projects 1994 federal Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement by enabling the district to conserve 8,300 acre-feet of Project legislation, Reclamation is covering 65 percent water from the Yakima River each of the costs of the project and the year—5,500 acre-feet of which can Department of Ecology and Roza each are covering 17.5 percent. Roza put up be dedicated to instream flows in the initial money on the $31 million full water supply years. With the WASHINGTON investment and is being paid back over aid of five pumps, Roza can now several years. move water 100 feet vertically from Although the pumps for the its main canal through a pipeline reregulation reservoir are still being 3,000 feet into the 70-foot deep, tested and there is still much work to Roza Irrigation District 39-acre surface area reservoir instead be done in our overall conservation of directing those operational spills plan, there is much to proud of. Our into district wasteways. The district will be able to fill farmers like to see big things built. The project has up and draw down the reservoir multiple times during required perseverance, but we stuck with it to see it the water season. through. The completed reservoir speaks for itself and In 2015, a severe drought forced the district to will help Roza save water staring next season. IL shut down its system for 20 days to stretch supplies to aid crops such as hops, grapes, and orchards, which Scott Revell is the general manager of the Roza Irrigation require late-season water. The district also had to put district. You can reach him at srevell@roza.org. construction of the reregulation reservoir on hold to IRRIGATION LEADER

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By Jer Camarata

OREGON

Swalley Irrigation District

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F

or irrigation districts, aging infrastructure means more than canals and pumping stations; it can also mean software and information technology systems. For Swalley Irrigation District (SID), located in and around Bend, Oregon, aging software and accounting systems became a real challenge in light of SID’s ever-expanding urban boundaries. Our response to was to seek out a flexible, web-based system to meet our growing needs.

SID delivers water to 668 irrigators across 4,300 irrigated acres in and around Bend, Oregon. Nearly one-third of the district is urbanized and falls within and adjacent to the city’s recently expanded urban growth boundary. The expanded boundary has led to an increase in construction projects and development across the district. Many large areas that were farms are now being divided into smaller properties for residential or business development.

Urbanization in general has generated a dramatic increase in inquiries about water rights and accounting.

Searching for a Better Way As a manager at a district that had once used a Disk IRRIGATION LEADER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SWALLEY IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

Swalley Irrigation District Upgrades Water Accounting System to Address Urbanization

The North Canal Diversion Dam and fish ladder in downtown Bend, Oregon. Swalley Irrigation District is roughly one-third urbanized.

Operating System (DOS)-based water accounting system, which held the account information of all the district’s customers, I understood working with outdated technology. When I worked for Farmers Irrigation District (FID) in Hood River, Oregon, I began looking for software better suited for water accounting at an irrigation district. I eventually found three suitable programs, but all were very expensive.

However, our GIS and GPS data consultant told me about a company in Idaho called ACS that was developing a new web-based water accounting system called WaterMaster.

I contacted the company to express an interest in the product and was told that it had sold its first product version to an irrigation district in eastern Oregon. Our water rights specialist, Rick Brock, and I drove out to the district to see the system in action.

We saw great potential for the ACS product at FID. We had several meetings with ACS to discuss how to IRRIGATION LEADER

make the product more usable for water districts in general. It took a year of work before the new system was up and ready, but it allowed FID to get off the old DOS-based system. The ACS team was awesome to work with and patient with our numerous requests for functionality and different types of reporting capabilities.

Migrating to WaterMaster The WaterMaster system is web-based, can be accessed from anywhere, and is compatible with smartphones and tablets. SID uses the system to look up customer information and water rights records.

With it, we can determine how many water rights our customers have and calculate how much water to deliver to them; further, WaterMaster facilitates our customer invoicing. We can do all this from anywhere, as long as we have a cellular or web connection. We also generate all our annual billing through the system.

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SID’s 0.75 megawatt horizontal Francis turbine in the district’s Ponderosa Hydropower Plant. SID Manager Jer Camarata sitting atop the turbine tailrace thrust block with control panels in the background.

SID’s old accounting system had all our customers’ information in a database, and the ACS programmers were able to take that information and migrate it. The process took approximately 1 month to complete.

The transition was seamless for our irrigators. They did not notice any significant change, but now, when they (or developers, realtors, or title companies) call with questions about accounts or water rights, we can provide answers more quickly. Tasks like invoicing, reporting, and creating ditch/pipeline books to facilitate maintenance or construction activities through the system are also a breeze. Since migrating to WaterMaster, we can now accept credit cards online. It feels like we have entered the 21st century.

system cost around $2,000 per year; WaterMaster costs $189 per month and provides us with significantly more options, capability, and flexibility. The decision to upgrade was a no-brainer for the district.

Although ACS offers a variety of system modules at different prices, we currently just use the base module.

The base module works well, but as we continue upgrading our infrastructure from canals to pipelines and begin moving to a more pressurized system, we could begin taking customized water orders and even integrate telemetry data. As the district grows and modernizes, we will be able to buy and install additional modules so that the system can grow with us.

Any irrigation district seeking to increase its efficiency and flexibility and reduce paperwork and staff hours should consider a webbased accounting system that has the inherent flexibility to add modules and additional app-like functionalities. Doing so can help districts both in the present and in the future as they grow. For SID, it has helped us become more efficient and effective in water accounting and billing. IL

The decision to upgrade was a no-brainer for the district.

Reaping the Benefits As the district has urbanized, we are receiving more inquiries from people asking how many water rights they have on their property. Some new owners grant a quitclaim to their water rights and connect to the city water system, but others want to retain the water rights. WaterMaster has helped us keep track of the many small properties within our urbanizing boundaries.

The WaterMaster system provides a high level of value to the district for the money spent. Our old

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Jer Camarata is the general manager of Swalley Irrigation District in Bend, Oregon. You can reach him at jer@swalley.com.

IRRIGATION LEADER

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PAUL CROSS OF RH2 ENGINEERING ON WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENTS AND ENERGY USE RH2 Engineering has developed a process called True Utility Condition Assessment (TUCA), which is structured to strategically assess the condition and efficiency of water infrastructure. TUCA has helped water users change the way they think about water and energy conservation during operations. RH2 Executive Vice President Paul Cross spoke with Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, about the origins of TUCA; how water entities are using it; and how it is revolutionizing the industry to save those entities water, energy, and money.

Kris Polly: How did you become involved in this specific engineering niche for water infrastructure?

Paul Cross: My diverse experience as an operator and a consultant led me to a career at RH2, where I work in both the engineering design and municipal planning sectors. Each position I held prior to coming to RH2 gave me insight into the perspective of different water stakeholders, and RH2 provided the opportunity to put that diverse experience into practice.

Kris Polly: Please explain the development process for TUCA.

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depreciation. Those in charge of managing infrastructure should be setting aside funds, reinvesting in capital improvements, or planning to secure financing to replace the depreciation that occurs over time.

RH2 developed TUCA to eliminate some of the uncertainty caused by assuming that the design-life expectancy is accurate or, in fact, is the same for all systems. We wanted to more accurately assess the true condition of water pipelines, pumps, pump stations, motors, reservoirs, and any other water infrastructure project, and how the cost of operating and maintaining that infrastructure changes over time. Removing some of the uncertainty has the potential to result in more accurate information and better estimates of remaining life.

Kris Polly: How have irrigation customers used TUCA? Paul Cross: Capital planning for irrigation districts looks at both the condition of assets and the ability of those assets to meet current and future demands.

Matching supply with demand is an important aspect of hydraulic modeling. For irrigation districts, demands often change due to different crop patterns or increased efficiency by farmers.

Equipment that was designed for the infrastructure’s original demands may no longer meet current or future demands. For example, an irrigation district can have a pump station supplying water to a higher elevation zone that serves 500 acres, where IRRIGATION LEADER

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL CROSS.

Paul Cross: RH2 started out in the consulting business, working primarily for municipalities and districts, 39 years ago. The core of our business has always revolved around the application of technology and innovation in the water industry, and our founders were experts at water systems modeling and analysis.

They helped develop some of the industry’s best evaluation techniques to find deficiencies in water system hydraulics and equipment, and that led us to develop capital plans based on effectiveness and efficiency. We could identify which components or systems were the most vulnerable or least efficient and plan to replace or repair those to manage current and future needs.

Infrastructure asset management became popular 20 years ago and uses the concept that the designlife expectancy for facilities is a good indicator of the remaining useful life and life-cycle cost based on age, the original cost of construction, and replacement costs. With that information, a utility can prepare capital improvement plans based on industry-standard values and can calculate annual

Executive Vice President of RH2 Engineering Paul Cross.

originally alfalfa and corn were furrow irrigated 200 days per year. The demand was both constant and predictable. New permanent crops, hybrid varieties, double-cropping, and sprinkler or drip irrigation can all change how much water is needed and when. This in turn can force a district to evaluate how to modify the pump station or operate it differently to meet the new demands. Ultimately, the price of power and peak loads, together with competing needs for water, have led us to additional expectations for water use efficiency and low-cost operations. Districts that pump are starting to look at reducing peak demand on their systems on hot summer days to avoid demand charges. Power suppliers are providing incentives for improvements that help them avoid building more power infrastructure.

Kris Polly: What makes TUCA different from other assessment modules on the market?

Paul Cross: RH2 spent a lot of time during the recent recession doing research and development using advanced equipment and advanced mathematical models. The goal was to improve on the accuracy of conventional wire-to-water efficiency calculations and include the effects of variables beyond the pumps and motors that influence the efficiency. This might include, for example, suction or discharge pressures that do not vary linearly with flow rates. With our enhanced understanding of the subtleties embedded in offsite electrical and mechanical systems problems, we were able to identify inefficient processes, equipment, and setpoints that had the potential to result in significant increases in system efficiency.

We developed techniques to assess the exact condition of equipment without disassembly, and we can accurately estimate its life expectancy. For example, we know that new, well-designed pumps and motors should have 70 to 85 percent wire-to-water efficiency.

Some older systems we have assessed are below 25 percent, and we can use these tools to figure out why and how to improve them. Sometimes equipment is too far gone, and replacing old, worn out units with newer, more efficient ones is the best solution.

Kris Polly: When you evaluate a pumping station, how do you determine the efficiency of each turbine or power-generating unit?

Paul Cross: Sophisticated instruments and processes are used to accurately measure flow, pressure, and electrical demands under variable field conditions.

Spectral vibration monitoring equipment is also used IRRIGATION LEADER

to identify the internal operating characteristics of each pump and motor combination (think of this as an MRI for your pumps and motors).

That field data are used to create pump curves that are more accurate than the factory-developed curves, integrate those pump curves with accurate system head curves, and then import that information into the hydraulic model. The key here, and what sets our process apart from industry standards, is the accuracy of the field measurements and how that is integrated into the subsequent modeling efforts. When we pair the system hydraulic data with our enhanced wire-towater efficiency calculations, we are able to calculate an energy signature for each pumping system that describes how much power is needed to pump a unit of water for each unit of energy. We can then identify the most, and least, costly pumping combinations to run for any given flow or demand scenario. We then calculate the most energy-efficient combinations and the least energy-efficient combinations, which allows owners to run the lowest-cost systems and avoid the higher-cost combinations.

We then combine the hydraulic model with the results of measuring the temperature, vibration, and strain in each pump or motor. In effect, we are looking for the units that are running with the least internal wear or degradation. When we combine the minimum power cost knowledge with the maximum pump life knowledge, we can identify which pumps and motors should be used in various hydraulic combinations to reduce power costs and extend equipment replacement cycles. Knowing when equipment is likely to fail is a new and vital piece of information for municipalities and districts, and it allows them to prioritize upgrades and replacements.

Kris Polly: How successful have these programs been in saving districts money and energy?

Paul Cross: They have been successful and have identified savings typically within a range of 10 percent to a high of 31 percent annually. Our technology continues to advance as our database expands. Nearly every jurisdiction we have worked with has been able to pay for our services with the savings they achieved in the first couple years. We want to be cognizant of where the industry is going and what the energy, water demand, and power production priorities are going to be in the future.

Our goal is to search for opportunities to save districts money that they can use to fund capital improvement projects to meet the changing demands of their customers. IL

21

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IRRIGATION LEADER

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DISTRICT FOCUS

A cloudy day over the Okanogan River Valley near Oroville, Washington.

Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District

By Jay O’Brien

24

IRRIGATION LEADER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND OROVILLE-TONASKET IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

the power that serves them. The Situated in north-central plants generate total flow capacities Washington State, the OrovilleOroville-Tonasket Irrigation District ranging from 20 cubic feet per Tonasket Irrigation District second to 75 cubic feet per second. stretches 25 miles north to WASHINGTON Our contract with the U.S. Bureau south, from Lake Osoyoos on of Reclamation for reserved power the Canadian border down limits the district to 27.1 million along the Okanagan River. The kilowatts per year. district serves approximately 2,000 accounts covering Intensive System Maintenance 10,000 acres of apples, pears, One of the district’s biggest challenges is cherries, and hay. There are also some residential and maintaining our pumps. They require a tremendous commercial accounts in the towns of Oroville and amount of work. In the mid-1980s, Reclamation Tonasket. replaced the district’s surface water irrigation system The district’s delivery system is completely with a pressurized pipe distribution system. The pressurized, consisting of six major pumping original pumps were actually set in an inclined plants and 110 miles of pipe. Each plant serves position on the bed of the river. Unfortunately, the 1,000–3,000 adjacent acres up and down the valley. equipment was not designed to run in that position, The district is reliant on the pumping plants and

DISTRICT FOCUS pumping plants. In 2040, the district will be required to pay full market value for its power. Currently, roughly one-third of our budget is dedicated to power.

In 2040, we will lose our preferred power rates.

In preparation for that time, we are taking steps to generate extra revenues. The district maintains Zosel Dam, which impounds Osoyoos Lake, for the Washington State Department of Ecology. We lease land to cell companies to construct and operate cell towers. The district also runs fish acclimation projects from time to time for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. During winter, the tribes use our facilities to acclimate hatchery-reared salmon. They bring them out as fingerlings 4–6 inches long and put them in our desilting basins. We circulate river water around the fish throughout the winter to acclimate them for spring releases.

Finally, we will be working on setting up a water bank to get some water transferred downstream. We are the upstream water rights holder with senior rights dating back to 1916. As water comes past the 49th parallel, we are the first to receive it. There are junior rights holders in desperate need downstream of us who would be more than happy to take excess water if it were available. We hope to have that set up soon.

Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District cell lease site.

and that positioning has posed mechanical challenges over the years that we have worked through.

Those original pumps are now over 30 years old. Right now, we are just finishing up an 8-year replacement program to install more efficient, reliable units. We have acquired and installed 300-horsepower submersible pumps and motors from Gicon, a Texas manufacturer and service provider. We are finishing up the program soon.

The district will continue with other infrastructure upgrades into the future. Specifically, some of our 1980s technology is having a hard time talking with our current technology. For the last few years, we have been upgrading our programmable logic controllers, which automate our pumping facilities. Our goal is to have all our technology up to date and integrated.

Developing Additional Revenue Streams Reclamation transferred title to project facilities to the district in 1997. The settlement agreement and subsequent legislation provides the district with 50 years (dating from 1990) of reserved power to run its IRRIGATION LEADER

Canadian Counterparts We deal with our Canadian neighbors on a day-today basis. The upper part of Lake Osoyoos is located in Canada, and the lower part is located in the United States. The international joint commission sets the operational levels for the lake. We have to stay within the ditches, so to speak, on lake levels and flow rates.

We coordinate that with our Canadian neighbors.

There are a number of factors to consider. There is a significant amount of irrigation on the Canadian side of the border to water what is known as the Napa Valley of Canada. We use the lake for recreation and for storage for irrigation. Property owners around the lake are interested in lake levels and how their docks are going to perform—it is a sensitive issue, and the lake must be maintained at a certain level. We have created a choreography, and based on what the Canadians release or do not release, we adjust accordingly.

Wildland Fires In Okanagan County, wildland fire is part of life.

The district has always provided water for wildland firefighting. It is a good, neighborly thing to do. The year 2015 was particularly catastrophic for us. In Washington State, we had almost 1 million acres on fire at one time—more than half of that was here in Okanagan County. The district has to take precautions

25

DISTRICT FOCUS during events like that, to protect our telemetry and power supply to our pumping plants. And not only are growers dependent on water here, but the firefighting community also depends on dipping water from our reservoirs for their helicopters.

We set sprinkler systems at our reservoirs. They help keep the ground wet and humidity levels elevated around our telemetry shelters, which are basically 8-foot-by-8-foot fiberglass boxes that communicate with our pumping plants, controlling how many pumps are running. Without those telemetry stations, we cannot operate. We also do a lot of vegetation control around our reservoirs. We will come in with backhoes and scrape everything down to bare ground and put a 50-foot radius around those instrument shelters. We also make clearings around utility poles.

The district does quite a bit of fire preparation every year, coordinating with our local firefighters, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Forest Service. We keep those relationships fresh. For me, that is not a difficult task: My wife is a Forest Service employee and is on a Type-1 Incident team, and both my boys were wildland firefighters. I sit down with members of our

firefighting community every so often to have a cup of coffee and keep connected. That way, when there is an issue, I can make the necessary phone calls and be sure of getting the help we need.

So far this year, we have been lucky. Conditions are perfect right now for catastrophic fire. Just yesterday, we had a 10-acre fire near one of our facilities— fortunately, we had a lot of resources available. The Forest Service and the Department of Natural Resources jumped right on it and kept it contained. IL

Jay O’Brien has worked for the Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District since 1983. He has been general manager since 2013. You can reach him at otidjay@nvinet.com.

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BUSINESS LEADER

Kent Johnson of Since 2005, TruePoint Solutions has been a leader in providing irrigation districts with innovative and effective water accounting and billing software solutions.

The company’s products include systems to bring all of a district’s customer data to one centralized, easily accessible location; portals that allow customers to access their accounts, place orders, or request service either online or over the phone; and programs that allow a district employee to instantly view a customer’s information to provide better service.

Kent Johnson is one of TruePoint’s founders and its chief executive officer. He spoke with Irrigation Leader’s editorin-chief, Kris Polly, about how new technology has fostered greater innovation in water accounting and management, TruePoint’s success partnering with the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID), and how a commitment to customer service and high-quality products has been instrumental to the company’s success.

Kris Polly: What kind of services do you offer your customers?

Kent Johnson: We support the customers’ water accounting needs, which include managing allocation, taking water orders, tracking water deliveries, and measuring consumption. We also assist with financial issues as well as billing and metering.

Kris Polly: One of your clients is Kennewick Irrigation District in Kennewick, Washington. Can you tell us how TruePoint worked with the district to create a different kind of service?

28

and find a customer’s records as soon as the customer calls the district and show those records on the computer screen in front of the district employee as he or she is speaking to the customer.

Kris Polly: How new is the record-searching product?

Kent Johnson: It is relatively new and has only become possible with recent advances in technology. A lot of districts do not yet have this capability, but many are moving in that direction.

Kris Polly: What kind of customer information do the integrated phone and search systems place on screen at KID when a customer calls?

Kent Johnson: All the customer’s contact information, accounting information, any outstanding invoices or payments, existing or outstanding water orders, and any open or completed service requests are all displayed. The system gives the district a complete IRRIGATION LEADER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KENT JOHNSON AND TRUEPOINT SOLUTIONS.

Kent Johnson: KID was one of the first irrigation districts, back in 2012, to come to us seeking a better way to manage both irrigation and utility billing. KID has over 23,000 accounts that function more like municipal utility customers than growers/ farmers. Blending our municipal utility billing into its irrigation operations was a challenge, but that was the key to meeting the district’s needs. I believe we were successful in doing so.

We have also incorporated some other tools, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), which allows people to use keypad numbers or their voice to request services over the phone. Few irrigation districts have IVR systems, and it is definitely an advantage for those that do. We also offer a solution that will search for

Founder and CEO of TruePoint Solutions Kent Johnson.

BUSINESS LEADER perspective of what is happening with that customer’s accounts. This allows any employee answering the phone to be instantly informed of the customer’s status, which enables them to assist the customer faster and more efficiently.

Kris Polly: Is that system something that other clients have the ability to upgrade their phone system to?

Kent Johnson: Yes, it is. Most districts with a reasonably current phone system can support integration with our products. Unfortunately, older hardline phone systems likely won’t have the capability to pop screens based on an incoming call. The recent advances in technology are what have made this new service possible.

Kris Polly: Can customers order water using your products?

systems are designed to reside in the cloud, which was unthinkable even a few years ago. Using cloud-based systems reduces the amount of physical hardware that an irrigation district or municipality needs and allows software to potentially be purchased under a software-as-a-service model, in which the buyer is in essence renting the software. This negates the need for the buyer to pay for all the software upfront and pay all the costs to implement it. Instead, the customer signs an agreement and pays monthly for the software and the services to maintain it. Many municipalities are adopting this purchasing model because it is much more affordable for them to get a system in place that way. Irrigation districts are beginning to adopt this method as well. One other recent development is our ESRI integration for GIS (mapping), which displays the related map from within the TruePoint product.

Kris Polly: What is your message to irrigation districts about TruePoint and the services you provide?

Kent Johnson: Yes—in a number of ways. We do have web portals through which people can submit a Kent Johnson: Our foundational principle is customer request for water. A district employee will review the service. We take it very seriously, and it is one reason request to ensure that the water can be delivered as we have been so successful. Many of our customers requested and that the client has paid all previous bills come to us after being referred by other irrigation and is eligible to receive additional water. We call that districts that are already using our products, and web access program the True Customer Information our excellent customer service often headlines such Portal (TrueCIP). It also allows growers to look at referrals. We take pride in being responsive, and how much water they used in past years and on what districts appreciate that because they typically are not crops. It can help them make decisions information technology professionals; we regarding how much water to request. assist them and operate as an extension “Our foundational of their information technology solution. principle is Kris Polly: Can the web portal be viewed Our focus is on delivering top-quality customer service. on a mobile phone? service as well as top-quality products.

We take it very seriously, and it is one reason we have been so successful.”

Kent Johnson: We have developed a Kris Polly: Is it true that customers can mobile phone–based system for water often speak to you directly if they call orders, which some of our customers use. with a problem?

Usually, our customers implement the portal solution for grower’s self-service Kent Johnson: Yes they can, and that —KENT JOHNSON access. The IVR system is a good solution is an advantage to a company of our as well; it allows customers to call and size. We are big enough to have a great access the services they need by using the keypad on full-time help desk staff to support our customers, but their phone or their voice to place water orders. if someone has a problem, we are completely open to having them talk to anybody in the company. We Kris Polly: Are there any other noteworthy features of really enjoy being in a niche market. No two districts your irrigation-based products? are the same, even if they share boundaries with each other and obtain their water from the same source, Kent Johnson: In general, some of the trends in so we have to treat them as individuals with unique technology happening in the municipal space are now needs, which they appreciate. IL making their way into the agricultural space. The way people are buying, licensing, and integrating systems For more information about TruePoint Solutions, please is changing rapidly, including the fact that many contact Kent Johnson at KJohnson@TruepointSolutions.com.

IRRIGATION LEADER

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INNOVATORS

Accounting Upgrades at the

GREATER WENATCHEE IRRIGATION DISTRICT

E

ffective accounting is an important but challenging task for a successful business.

Tracking accounts payable and receivable, billing, equipment, inventory, and payroll can often require the full-time attention of multiple employees and reduce efficiency. Randy Agnew set out to make accounting more time and cost efficient when he formed Wolven Software in 1989.

Wolven offers a series of customizable accounting software programs that can be specially crafted to the needs of a given business. The company’s software products have been purchased by brokerage firms, law firms, packing and shipping companies, and irrigation districts in the United States and Canada, including the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District (GWID) in central Washington.

Each client has different accounting parameters, so Mr. Agnew creates a customized software system optimized for each customer’s specific needs. If a customer has existing accounting programs, that information can be migrated to the Wolven software. Mr. Agnew said that this process can vary depending on the configuration of the existing software and that he charges an additional hourly rate to perform the migration work.

Mr. Agnew came to understand that irrigation districts have particularly unique billing and accounting challenges while doing work for GWID under a previous employer before forming his own company. That job taught him that “there can be annual assessments as well as charges for actual water used, the types of crops grown, and number of acres irrigated. This creates a complex system of accounting and billing.” Accordingly, Mr. Agnew designs Wolven software programs to combine all the various billing elements a district has into a central module that can be tracked, monitored, and modified as needed.

Information must be manually entered into the software program before the software can track it.

For example, a farmer will call the district and tell

32

IRRIGATION LEADER

INNOVATORS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRIS POLLY AND GREATER WENATCHEE IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

IRRIGATION LEADER

Wolven offers a series of customizable accounting software programs that can be specially crafted to the needs of a given business.

TOP: Irrigated acres served by Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District (GWID).

LEFT: GWID office building.

it how many acres of a certain crop will be planted at a given location, the dates that planting will occur, and the dates when irrigation will be needed. That information can be entered into the software package by the irrigation district staff and will subsequently appear in all relevant billing or accounting documents relating to that particular account.

Mr. Agnew said GWID uses a maximum impact assessment, which all farms have in addition to the other billings. Each farm is allotted 3.5 acre-feet of water for each acre of irrigable land they have.

GWID’s meter readers then go out once per month and check the meters for each farmer. That information is compiled and entered into Wolven’s system when the meter readers return to the office. At the end of the year, the information will be used to determine any necessary additional billing.

GWID General Manager Mike Miller upgraded the district’s previous accounting system to a Wolven program because Mr. Agnew had successfully managed another system for the district in the past. GWID also wanted to move away from its previous IBM-oriented accounting programs to one that was PC-based, and Wolven was able to help it do so. The process of converting GWID’s previous accounting program to the new system was seamless, with minimal conversion work.

Mr. Miller appreciates the fact that Mr. Agnew can provide both programming and technical support for the accounting software, rather than having to use an external tech support entity to rectify software issues.

“Randy is good to work with, and most other systems would require tech support. But it is a very good deal for us when the tech support person is also the programmer and lives down the road from our office,” he said.

Overall, Wolven products have helped customers, including water districts, become more time and cost efficient. The use of more integrated recordkeeping systems has allowed irrigation districts to perform more work more efficiently without having to hire additional staff. Mr. Agnew said that one water district “told us that our products have saved a considerable amount of time. As the rest of the company grew, they were able to do much more accounting, billing, and recordkeeping with the same number of staff members as they had before, thanks to the efficiency of our software.” IL For more information about Wolven, contact Randy Agnew at ra@wolven.net.

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Ongoing dam safety services provided: • Structural, hydraulic and geotechnical analyses • Rope access radial gate, penstock and pipeline inspections; forensic investigations; and seepage and stability analyses • Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) and Probably Maximum Flood (PMF) development and spillway routing

Services for NID: • Leading the environmental permitting for the proposed dam since 2016 • Extensive FERC licensing support for other projects that include hydropower facilities

A&B Irrigation District • Aeneas Lake Irrigation District • Agnew Irrigation District • Ahtanum Irrigation District• Ainsworth Irrigation District •Alfalfa Valley Irrigation District • Almena Irrigation District No. 5 • Alpaugh Irrigation District • Alpine/Peshastin Irrigation District • Alta Irrigation District • Alta Vista Irrigation District • Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District • Angostura Irrigation District • Arnold Irrigation District • Artesia Irrigation District #8 • Avondale Irrigation District • Badger Mountain Irrigation District #402 • Baker Valley Irrigation District • Banta-Carbona Irrigation District • Beehive Irrigation District • Belle Fourche Irrigation District • Benton Irrigation District • Big Bend Irrigation District • Big Flat Irrigation District • Big Horn Canal Irrigation District • Big Horn Irrigation District • Bittter Root Irrigation District • Black Canyon Irrigation District • Black Sands Irrigation District • Blalock Irrigation District #3 • Blalock Orchard Irrigation District #10 • Blalock Orchard Irrigation District #12 • Bluff Irrigation District • BoiseKuna Irrigation District list • Bostwick Irrigation District •of Brewster Flat Irrigation District • Bridgeport Bar Irrigation District • Bridgeport Offices worldwide Our mailing includes hundreds Irrigation District • Bridgeport Irrigation District #1 • Browns Creek Irrigation District • Browns Valley Irrigation District • Brownsville irrigation districts across the country.

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Upcoming Events September 6–8

United States Society on Dams, ICOLD Benchmark Workshop 2017, Stockholm, Sweden

September 11–12

CLE International, New Mexico Water Law Conference, Santa Fe, NM

September 25–26

CLE International, Endangered Species Act Conference, San Francisco, CA

September 27–28

Nevada Water Resources Association, 2017 Fall Water Event, Reno, NV

September 29 October 3

Nevada Water Resources Association, Independence Lake & Perazzo Meadows Tour, Reno, NV

October 5 October 8–14

Oregon Water Resources Congress, Water Law Seminar, Redmond, OR

October 10–14

Association of California Water Agencies, Northern California Tour 2017, Sacramento, CA

October 12–13

CLE International, Tribal Water Law Conference, Las Vegas, NV

October 14–15

United States Society on Dams, Lessons Learned from Recent Tailings Dam Failures: A Path Forward, San Antonio, TX

CLE International, Texas Water Law Conference, San Antonio, TX International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage International Congress, Mexico City, Mexico

istrict No. 19 • Corcoran District • Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District • CrookSan County Irrigation October 18–20 IrrigationTexas Water Conservation Association, Fall Meeting, Antonio, TX District • Dalton Gardens rigation District • Daly Ditches Irrigation District • Deaver Irrigation District • Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District • Dickey-Sargent October•20–22 United States Society onIrrigation Dams, The Challenges of Dams in Cold Climates, AK Irrigation Distric rigation District Dodson Irrigation District • Dungeness District • Eagle Point Irrigation DistrictGirdwood, • East Bench East Columbia Basin Irrigation District • East Contra Costa Irrigation District • East Greenacres Irrigation District • East Side Irrigation October 24–27 United States Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, Conference, Sacramento, CA istrict #6 • El Camino Irrigation District • El Dorado Irrigation District • Elephant Butte Irrigation District • Emmett Irrigation District October 24–27 Wyoming WaterIrrigation Association, 2017•Annual Meeting and Education Sheridan, WY • Exeter Empire-West Side Irrigation District • Engelman District Enterprise Irrigation District •Seminar, Entiat Irrigation District rigation District • Falls Irrigation District • Farmers Irrigation District • Farwell Irrigation District • Flowing Wells Irrigation District • Fort Utah Water Users Association, Utah Water Summit, Provo, UT October 25 elknap Irrigation District • Fort Clark Irrigation District • Fort Shaw Irrigation District • Fort Sumner Irrigation District • Franklin County Jan. 31–Feb. 1, 2018 Irrigation LeaderDistrict Magazine’s 6th Annual Operations andDistrict Management Workshop, Phoenix,Irrigation AZ rigation District #1 • Fremont-Madison Irrigation • Frenchman Valley Irrigation • Frenchman-Cambridge Distric Frenchtown Irrigation District • Fresno Irrigation District • Galt Irrigation District • Gem Irrigation District • Gering Irrigation District • Feb. 17–24, 2018 Australia Water Leader Educational Tour ering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District • Gila Valley Irrigation District • Glasgow Irrigation District Glen Elder Irrigation District No. 8 • Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District • Goshen Irrigation District • Grandview Irrigation District • Grant ounty Black Sands Irrigation District • Grants Pass Irrigation District • Gray Goose Irrigation District • Greater Wenatchee Irrigation istrict • Green Tank Irrigation District #11 • Greenfields Irrigation District • H. & R.W Irrigation District • Hanover Irrigation District • arlem Irrigation District Harquahala Valleyare Irrigation District District • Heart Mounta Past issues of •Irrigation Leader archived at • Hayden Lake Irrigation District • Hearn Irrigation rigation District • Helena Valley Irrigation District • Henrylyn Irrigation District /IrrigationLeader • Hermiston Irrigation District @IrrigationLeadr • Hidalgo County Irrigation istrict #16 • Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 6 • Highland Irrigation District • Highland-Hanover Irrigation District • Hill Irrigation istrict • Hillander “C” Irrigation District • Hills Valley Irrigation District • Hillsdale Irrigation District • Hilltop Irrigation District • Horsefly rigation District • Horsehead Irrigation District • Huntley Project Irrigation District • Hutchinson Irrigation District #16 • Hydro Irrigation

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