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CapitalPress.com
June 10, 2016
People & Places
Building a better fish screen
Farmers
Conservation
Alliance’s designs
more efficient
Western
Innovator
Capital Press
Farmers
Conservation
Alliance
Organization: Nonprofit
group aimed at irrigation
system modernization
Founded: 2006
Executive director: Julie
Davies O’Shea
Employees: 5
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
Headquarters: Hood River,
Ore.
Dan Kleinsmith, project manager for the Farmers Conservation Alliance, and Julie Davies O’Shea, the
nonprofit’s executive director, explain the functioning of a large, customized fish screen in Oregon’s
Hood River Valley.
cept was licensed to the new-
ly formed Farmers Conserva-
tion Alliance with the goal of
commercializing the technol-
ogy so other irrigators could
also benefit from it.
Since then, the nonprof-
it has installed about 40 of
the screens, which cost from
$15,000 to roughly $1 mil-
lion, depending on the size
of the diversion and level of
customization.
Initially, the fish screens
were approved by federal au-
thorities on an experimental
basis. However, widespread
adoption would require prov-
ing to the National Marine
Fisheries Service that they
don’t harm fish protected un-
der the Endangered Species
Act.
“To scale our business, we
had to become a NMFS-ap-
proved technology,” said
Julie Davies O’Shea, the alli-
ance’s executive director.
The process was financial-
ly taxing, as the nonprofit had
to test the screen’s function at
various water levels and fish
life stages, she said.
The alliance nearly went
out of business before finally
winning clearance from fed-
eral authorities in 2011, but
O’Shea said she doesn’t want
to “vilify” the government
because the process was new
for everyone.
Old fish screen designs
were “grandfathered in” the
federal system, so the alli-
ance had to “face the reality”
of having the first new tech-
nology to receive more thor-
ough vetting, she said.
O’Shea said she hopes
their experience will make it
easier to gain approval for fu-
ture irrigation improvements
developed by farmers and
others in agriculture.
“How do we transfer that
knowledge?” she said.
The basic idea behind the
Farmers Screen —— of wa-
ter moving horizontally over
a flat screen — wasn’t new,
but it never caught on be-
cause it didn’t work correct-
ly, said Kleinsmith, who’s
now a project manager for
the alliance.
The concept was none-
theless attractive due to the
possibility of reduced main-
tenance costs.
“We liked the idea of wa-
ter traveling over the top of
something rather than slam-
ming into something,” Klein-
smith said.
An important refinement
of the Farmers Screen is that
water flows into a channel
that gradually becomes nar-
rower.
This feature is key be-
cause the amount of water
in the channel decreases as it
falls through the screen at the
bottom.
If the channel was the
same width, the speed of the
water would diminish toward
the end. However, because the
channel is tapered, the water
doesn’t lose velocity.
Because of that, debris is
prevented from settling on
the screen and causing clogs,
Annual revenue: $318,000
(in 2014)
Website: http://fcasolutions.
org
Kleinsmith said. “We’re
counting on the water to
sweep the screen off.”
Aside from installing fish
screens, the alliance also
helps other irrigation districts
to modernize in other ways.
For example, replacing
open canals with pipelines re-
duces water loss from evapo-
ration and seepage, while also
creating enough water pres-
sure to generate hydropower.
However, many irrigation
systems were built upwards
of a century ago, so upgrad-
ing them to become more ef-
ficient is akin to fitting new
parts onto an antique truck,
O’Shea said.
The alliance assists irriga-
tion districts with retrofits, in-
cluding finding partners who
can provide funding.
“There’s so much oppor-
tunity for environmental im-
provement,” O’Shea said.
Washington dairy ambassador coronation set for Tacoma
Six young women will
compete to become the new
Washington State Dairy Am-
bassador on Saturday, June
25, at the Greater Tacoma
Convention and Trade Center.
The ambassador program,
sponsored by the Washington
State Dairy Women, provides
professional and educational
opportunities for young wom-
en in Washington state. The
young women chosen to serve
as Washington’s Ambassadors
for Milk receive a college
scholarship, internships and
extensive communications
training.
It will also be a time to
say “thank you” to 2015-
2016 State Dairy Ambassador
Nicole Buell of Marysville
and State Alternates Aman-
da Howe of Bellingham and
Lydia Johnson of Ethel, said
Tammi Schoenbachler, state
ambassador adviser.
“They have done a fantas-
tic job representing the Dairy
Farmers of Washington this
past year,” she said in a press
release.
Seating will begin at 5
p.m. in the ballroom with the
program starting at 5:30.
The event will be in a new
Calendar
Alicia
Smaciarz
Allyson
Carothers
venue this year. The conven-
tion and trade center is at
1500 Broadway in Tacoma.
For ticket information,
contact Gloria Edwards at
gloria.wsdw@hotmail.com
or phone 360-273-7313. All
ticket orders must be received
no later than June 10. Tickets
will not be available at the
door.
The six contestants com-
peting to become the 61st
Washington State Dairy Am-
bassador are:
• Snohomish County: Bec-
ca Bartelheimer, 18, is the
daughter of Ryan and Mi-
chelle Bartelheimer and will
graduate from Snohomish
High School in June. She has
been involved in 4-H, FFA,
and the Washington State Jr.
Holstein Association. She
has shown dairy cattle for the
past 9 years at area fairs and
Sponsored by:
To submit an event go to the
Community Events calendar on the
home page of our website at www.
capitalpress.com and click on “Sub-
mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press,
1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR
97301.
Monday, June 13
Summer Water Law and Re-
source Issues Seminar, Sun Valley
Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho. (208)
344-6690, http://www.iwua.org
Tuesday, June 14
Summer Water Law and Re-
source Issues Seminar, Sun Valley
Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho. (208)
344-6690, http://www.iwua.org
Wednesday, June 15
Jump on the Biocontrol Bus: In-
troductory Biological Pest Manage-
ment for Nurseries & Greenhouses,
8 a.m.-5 p.m. This workshop and
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester ..........................President
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Sid Freeman .................. Outside director
Mike Omeg .................... Outside director
Corporate officer
John Perry
Chief operating officer
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
HOOD RIVER, Ore. —
The Farmers Conservation
Alliance was born of de-
struction, or more precisely,
destruction that inspired cre-
ativity.
Twenty years ago, rushing
floodwaters uprooted trees,
knocked out bridges and de-
molished irrigation equip-
ment in Oregon’s Hood River
Valley.
Faced with a clean slate,
growers in the Farmers Irri-
gation District decided to re-
build a more efficient system
than the one that had been
washed away.
Clogged fish screens were
a common problem at the old
system’s irrigation diversions.
Not only would someone fre-
quently have to remove the
debris, but the mechanical de-
vices regularly needed repair.
“Any time you have mov-
ing parts, they just wear out,”
said Dan Kleinsmith, a former
project manager for the dis-
trict.
Before the flood, the
Farmers Irrigation District
spent about $90,000 annu-
ally to operate and maintain
its fish screens, which stop
salmon, steelhead and other
native fish from swimming
into irrigation lines and pipes
while keeping them clear.
Developing their unique
replacement
“Farmers
Screen,” which relies on
rushing water instead of ma-
chinery to keep the screens
clear, turned out to be a
heavy investment — roughly
$2.5 million over 10 years.
In 2006, the screen con-
Capital Press
educational tour/demonstration will
show new approaches to managing
common pests on nursery plants.
Field and greenhouse growers will
learn beginning methods of biolog-
ical control, and will be offered in
English and Spanish. Featuring Su-
zanne Wainwright-Evans, Buglady
Consulting, and Robin Rosetta,
Oregon State University Extension
horticulturalist. Pre-registration re-
quired. OSU North Willamette Re-
search & Extension Center, 15210
NE Miley Road, Aurora. Cost $20
morning workshop, $35 morning
workshop plus educational tour and
demonstration. Lunch provided.
Website: http://bit.ly/26BIy76
Friday, June 17
Going Further on the Bio-
Control Bus: Advanced Biological
Pest Management for Nurseries
& Greenhouses, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Advanced biological control work-
shop and tour/demonstration. This
Becca
Bartelheimer
Caitlin
Meek
worked on the family farm.
After attaining an agribusi-
ness degree, Becca would like
to have a career in agricultural
finance.
• Snohomish County: Ally-
son Carothers, 18, of Monroe
is the daughter of Marty and
Nancy Carothers and graduat-
ed from Monroe High School
last June. Allyson was a mem-
ber of Monroe FFA, holding
several offices. She showed
dairy cattle for 5 years. Al-
lyson is attending college to
attain her degree in environ-
mental science.
• Grays Harbor County:
Caitlin Meek, 19, of Roches-
ter is the daughter of Cory and
Kendra Meek and will gradu-
ate from Futurus High School
in June. Caitlin is a member of
FFA and 4-H. She received her
first dairy calf, Sweety, when
she was in eighth grade and
Jana
Plagerman
Tiana
Peterson
has been involved in the dairy
industry ever since. Although
Caitlin has already graduated
from Centralia Beauty Col-
lege, she plans to continue her
education in dairy and hopes
to someday have a small dairy
farm and a hair salon.
• King and Pierce counties:
Tiana Peterson, 19, of Gra-
ham is the daughter of Tom
and Bianca Peterson. She is
homeschooled and will grad-
uate in June. Tiana has shown
her Guernsey cow in open
class at the Washington State
Fair for the last 4 years. Her
small family farm also in-
cludes a Guernsey heifer and
small animals. Tiana plans to
attend college to pursue a de-
gree in public relations, which
would help her with her two
greatest passions — commu-
nicating with people and the
dairy industry.
• Whatcom County: Jana
Plagerman, 20, of Lynden is
the daughter of Leroy and
Rhonda Plagerman and a
graduate of Whatcom Com-
munity College. Jana works
on her family’s dairy farm,
where she is responsible
for many jobs, including
calf and cow care, milking,
breeding and field work.
Jana plans to further her
education by getting her
degree in dairy science or
agribusiness and to be an
advocate for the dairy in-
dustry.
• Lewis County: Alicia
Smaciarz, 18, of Raymond
is the daughter of Terry and
Lana Smaciarz and will
graduate from Willapa Val-
ley High School in June. Ali-
cia is involved in FFA and
4-H. She lives and works on
her family’s dairy farm. She
plans to further her educa-
tion by getting a degree in
biology with a career goal
of becoming a laboratory
technician at a hospital. She
would also like to remain
in the dairy industry by be-
ing a 4-H leader and raising
replacement heifers for her
family’s dairy.
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
20 Northwest Locations
day is limited to a grower audience
with some experience. OSU North
Willamette Research & Extension
Center, 15210 NE Miley Road, Au-
rora, Ore. Cost: $35. http://www.
pesticide.org/advanced_biologi-
cal_pest_2016
Pruning to Restore White Pine
workshop in Sandpoint, Idaho. 9
a.m.-1 p.m. Pre-register by June
10. Registration fee is $20. (208)
263-8511 http://extension.uidaho.
edu/bonner/
Saturday, June 18
ATFS 75th Anniversary Cele-
bration, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Celebrating
75 years of sustainable forestry and
honoring tree farmers. Montesano
High School and Lake Sylvia State
Park, Montesano, Wash. www.wa-
farmforestry.com
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
Tractor-Truck-Garden Tractor
Pull. This is the Oregon Tractor
Pullers Association’s annual Fa-
ther’s Day pull, all tractors are
welcome. Venue: Schurman’s Iron
Ranch, Ridgefield, Wash. www.or-
egontractorpullers.com
Sunday, June 19
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
Wednesday, June 22
Idaho Cattle Association Summer
Roundup, Red Lion Templin’s Hotel
on the River, 414 E. First Ave., Post
Falls, Idaho. www.idahocattle.org/
Thursday, June 23
Idaho Cattle Association Sum-
mer Roundup, Red Lion Templin’s
Hotel on the River, 414 E. First
Ave., Post Falls, Idaho. www.idaho-
cattle.org/
Friday, June 24
Alpacas at the Gathering,
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas join the
sheep and goats at the Black
Sheep Gathering, with fleece,
yarn, socks, scarves and more.
Fleece show as part of BSG
Wool Show & Sale. Lane County
Events Center, 796 W 13th Ave.,
Eugene, Ore. Cost: free. www.al-
pacafarmsoregon.org
Saturday, June 25
Washington State Dairy Ambas-
sador Coronation, 5 p.m., Greater
Tacoma Convention and Trade
Center, 1500 Broadway. For ticket
information, contact Gloria Edwards
at gloria.wsdw@hotmail.com or
phone 360-273-7313. All ticket or-
ders must be received no later than
June 10. Tickets will not be avail-
able at the door.
Capital Press Managers
Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager
Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
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Index
Dairy .....................................11
Livestock ..............................11
Opinion .................................. 6
Water ..................................... 4
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