Irrigation Business & Technology Online

WASHINGTON, D.C. -The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide $1.9 million and $900,000 respectively to South Dakota and Montana for emergency drought relief. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman also authorized emergency haying of 33 Montana counties and 28 South Dakota counties.

"South Dakota and Montana are enduring their worst drought in 25 years, devastating many of the states'livestock producers," Veneman said.

The relief money will be used to construct or deepen wells, develop seeps and springs, install pipelines and haul water for livestock.

In late Jurie Veneman also designated several counties in Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming as agricultural disaster areas, making farmers and ranchers in those regions eligible for USDA low-interest farm loans. A full list of eligible counties can be found at www.usda.gov.

Much of the effected area, the Plains and West, has been subjected to a devastating combination of record-high temperatures and record-low precipitation levels. Lincoln, Neb., for example, shattered its record-low June rainfall total with 0.17 inches, compared to the previous record of 0.56 inches, set in 1911, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. Further, Lincoln had temperatures at 90 F or higher for 19 days in June, the highest total since 1933.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Mexican officials agreed in late June to release 90,000 acre-feet of the 1.5 million acre feet of water it owes the United States under a 1944 water-sharing treaty. The water transfer is welcome relief to U.S. farmers on the Texas / Mexico border, an area hit Gov. Perry hard by drought. "It will help Rio Grande farmers and producers make it through the summer," Texas Governor Rick Perry said in a recent statement.

Though encouraged by the act of good faith on the part of Mexico, some Texas officials and farmers still question if drought-stricken Mexico will be able to significantly reduce its water debt to the U.S. The 90,000 acre feet only represents about 6 percent of what Mexico owes the U.S. "Mexico must now take the next step," Perry added, "which is to commit to a regular schedule of water releases."

According to a release from the U.S. State Department, Mexico and the U.S. agreed to jointly fund new water conservation strategies, as well as modernize the hydrological infrastructure, with the goal of achieving greater efficiency in water use.

To help create a new source of potable water for Texas, Gov. Perry called for construction of Texas'first ocean water desalination plant in a recent speech. "It is not a matter of whether saltwater will one day be used as an abundant source for public use, but when," Perry said. "There is no greater untapped source of water than the ocean water which Texas can easily access."

The Texas Water Development Board is currently working with regional planners and the private sector to develop a proposal for a coastal ocean water desalination plant.

JUPITER, Fla. - Irrigation designers and contractors had 147 fewer new golf course projects to work on in 2001 and the downward trend appears to be continuing into 2002.

Through the first six months of 2002, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reports 159 new golf courses opened. The projected total number of courses to be built or expanded in 2002 is between 318 and 325, a 15 percent decline from last year. Course construction in 2001 was off by 28 percent compared to 2000.

The two-year downturn marks the end of a remarkable expansion in the game of golf. From 1980 to 2000, the number of golfers nearly doubled to 26.7 million and the number of golf courses grew from 12,849 to 17,108. Some 524 courses were built or expanded in 2000, more than any other year on record.

Despite a significant decrease in golf course construction, rounds of golf played in 2001 dipped only slightly to 518.1 million from 518.4 million in 2000, according to NGF.

More than half (52 percent) of surveyed golf facilities credited weather as the reason for the slight decrease in golf rounds played.

California Assembly Bill 2734, a water conservation bill opposed by many in the state's green industry, will not become law this year because an appropriations committee could not review it before a May 24 deadline.

The Assembly's Water, Parks and Wildlife committee passed the bill in April and the bill's author, Assembly member Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) plans to re-introduce the measure next year, according to the California Landscape Contractors Association. Among other things, the bill would require improved enforcement of an existing water conservation act passed in 1991 and revising the evapotranspiration factor for non-reclaimed water from the current 0.8 to 0.7 in 2010 and 0.6 in 2015.

0n June 20, New Jersey officials eased water restrictions that have been in effect since March. "Given the recent rainfall we've experienced, we can now ease some of the water use restrictions in place across the state," said New Jersey Environmental Commissioner Bradley Campbell.

Maryland's Department of Environment is now required to encourage the use of reclaimed water on farmland, golf courses and athletic fields as a result of Maryland State Bill 726, signed into law in June by Governor Parris Glendening.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced the Small Business Drought Relief Act (S. 2734), a bill to provide emergency assistance to non-agricultural businesses that have suffered economic harm due to drought.

The American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC) elected new officers and new board members. Newly elected officers are: James Barrett, James Barrett Associates, president; Dan Benner, Hydro Environmental, vice president; Dave Davis, David D. Davis & Associates, secretary; Bob Scott, Irrigation Consultant Services Inc., treasurer; Brian Vinchesi, Irrigation Consulting Inc., immediate past president.

Horizon named Mark Mullikin as its new product category sales manager for irrigation products.

NDS announced the promotion of Curtis Lewis to vice president of manufacturing. Rael Sacks, president of Agrifim, a wholly owned NDS subsidiary, assumes the added responsibility of director of drip and micro irrigation operations. Ken Dallara is now plant manager, Simi Valley, Calif.

George Burtch, founder of wholesale irrigation firm Irrigation Station, Houston, Texas, named Joe Williams as regional sales manager for Oklahoma.

Rain Bird appointed Jim Gitney as director of the company's contractor division. Chris Fay was named director of the company's golf division. Rich Forrest will serve as national business development manger for golf. The Golf Course Builders Association of America elected Rain Bird's Dennis Wagner to a two-year term on its board of directors.

Reinke, a manufacturer of agricultural irrigation systems, announced three key management appointments. Tim Goldhammer was promoted to vice president of marketing. Mark Mesloh was appointed director of domestic irrigation. Mike Boyd was named national accounts manager.

Tom Childers has joined John Deere Landscapes as marketing director. In the role, Childers will head up promotional activities for the company.

OASE Pumps named David Thrailkill as eastern regional sales manager for the commercial division.

Michael Oberlander joined Waterman Industries as vice president of operations. Likewise, W. Michael Lenihan is vice president of finance.

OMAHA, Neb. - Shares of Valmont Industries, a manufacturer of mechanized irrigation equipment, will be traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) begining Aug. 30, the company announced.

The company anticipates listing under the symbol "VML" Shares of the company are currently traded on the Nasdaq and will continue to be traded there until Aug. 30.

"We believe our move to the NYSE is an important milestone in Valmont's history of growth," said Mogens Bay, chairman and CEO, who will ring the NYSE opening bell on Aug. 30, in celebration of Valmont's listing.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Irrometer Company announced the availability of a publication describing how to specify Irrometer and Watermark soil moisture sensing products for maximum efficiency. The booklet, Moisture Sensor Agricultural Irrigation Design Manual, includes detail drawings for AutoCAD. Copies can be obtained by contacting Irrometer at 909 / 689-1701 or by e-mail: sales@irrometer.com.

DESHLER, Neb. - Reinke Manufacturing, a mechanized irrigation manufacturer, celebrated the 80th birthday of company founder Richard Reinke on June 19. Reinke, one of mechanized irrigation's first pioneers, designed the first reversible, electric-gear-drive center pivot irrigation system and patented the first V-jack truss design.

Reinke began his company in 1954. Today the company is based in Deshler, Neb., with more than 300 employees.

In related news, Reinke Manufacturing launched its 2002 Free Wheelin'Sales Event in June. Through Sept. 30, purchasers of a Reinke system will be entered into a drawing for a 2003 Yamaha four-wheel-drive ATV. One winner will be chosen from each of Reinke's nine territories.

The same promotion will run again from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, with a total of 18 ATVs awarded. Names from both sales events will be entered into a January 2003 drawing for a 2003 Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCab 4X4 pickup truck. For complete contest rules contact your authorized Reinke dealer.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - John Deere Landscapes, a distributor of landscape installation products, released a new 2002-2003 supplies catalog. The catalog is available free to landscape professionals.

Catalogs are available at a local John Deere Landscapes branch, by phone at 800/347-4272 or on the Internet by visiting the company's Internet site: www.johndeerelandscapes.com.

0MAHA, Neb. - Lindsay manufacturing awarded a new 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 250OHD pickup truck to Phyllis McClure, as part of the company's GrowSmart Truck Giveway contest. "Normal people like me don't usually win these things," said McClure, who is office manager for McClure Farms. McClure Farms is a 1,500-acre family farming operation in Stafford, Kan. McClure's name was drawn from more than 2,000 participants in the U.S. and Canada, who registered at trade shows, farm exhibits and irrigation dealerships.

Sept. 4-6: Irrigation Expo China 2002, Beijing, China. Contact: (86)10 64194401/ 4402/4403.

Sept. 10: Grower Irrigation Seminar Series, Frost Protection, Southern California Edison AgTAC, Tulare, Calif. Contact: 800/772-4822.

Sept. 10-11: Pump Efficiency Testing Class, ITRC, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Contact: 805/ 756-2434.

Sept. 12-13: Southwest Horticultural Trade Show & Conference, Phoenix, Ariz. Contact: 480/966-1610.

Sept. 18-20: CanWest Horticulture Show, Vancouver, B.C. Contact: 604/ 574-7772.

Sept. 19-21: Florida Nursery & Allied Trade Show, Orlando, Fla. Contact: 800/ 375-3642.

Oct. 8: Grower Irrigation Seminar Series, Winterizing Irrigation Systems, Southern California Edison AgTAC, Tulare, Calif. Contact: 800/772-4822/

Oct 9-10: Turfgrass, Landscape and Equipment Expo, Southern California Turfgrass Council, Pomona, Calif. Contact: 800/500-7282.

Oct. 10-12: Northwest Green Industry Conference, Wenatchee, Wash. Contact: 800/833-2186

Oct. 18-22: American Society of Landscape Architects Expo, San Jose, Calif. Contact: 202/363-4666.

Oct. 21-26

Irrigation Association 23rd Annual International Irrigation Show, including CID, CLIA, CGIA, and CAIS exams, New Orleans, LA.
Contact 703/536-7080.

Send your irrigation event's name, date, location and contact information to Steve Smith, 4012 Bridge Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113, E-mail: ssmith@gie.net, fax: 216/961-0364.