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CapitalPress.com
February 2, 2018
Unique water systems help ranchers quench cows’ thirst
By DIANNA TROYER
For the Capital Press
Frustrated with constant-
ly hauling water to his thirsty
cows, Jed Heaton brainstormed
about ways to eliminate the te-
dious chore.
With polyethylene pipe,
massive tire troughs, valves,
and floats, he installed a per-
manent watering system on
his ranch south of Malta, Idaho
near the Utah border.
“Through word-of-mouth,
we started helping other ranch-
ers develop springs and ponds
into permanent watering sys-
tems,” said Heaton, who start-
ed Range Water Solutions and
Supplies in 2001.
Since then, he and his crew
have installed watering systems
in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Wy-
oming, and Oregon. Often he
works in conjunction with the
Natural Resources Conserva-
tion Service and other grazing
improvement programs, using
the agency’s range improve-
ment guidelines.
“We never thought it would
get this big,” said Heaton, of
the family-owned company,
nicknamed www.thirstycows.
com by his son Tykus three
years ago.
His work season starts in
April and ends in December.
One of his biggest jobs was
in northeastern Utah near Ran-
dolph, where he installed a sys-
tem so ranchers would have a
reliable water source.
“We laid 50,000 feet of
3-inch mainline pipe and
grouped 20 tire troughs togeth-
er, in sets of three, with a float
controlling them, so they fill
level,” he said.
On some jobs, he has in-
stalled as many as six troughs
on one float in one location,
so the float controls storage of
9,600 gallons of water.
His wife, Meshia, does the
bookkeeping.
“People tell me they like
Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press
During winter, Jed Heaton
maintains his equipment and
replaces dozer tracks.
Jed’s work because he knows
how a cow thinks and can
recommend the best place to
put the troughs or ponds and
how to configure the pipes,”
said Meshia. “Plus, he has a
reputation for doing a quick
and quality job.”
He uses high density poly-
ethylene pipe that can be fused
together at the joints with a
McElroy welder.
“That joint is amazingly
strong,” he said. “You can beat
on it, and it won’t break.”
The circular troughs are
durable, too, because they are
made from tires that were used
on massive gold mining equip-
ment. The tires are about 12
feet tall and 5 feet wide.
“We get them and cut them
in half, so they’re about 27
inches tall,” he said. “They’re
great because unlike metal
troughs they won’t rust, dent,
or spring a leak. When we
put them in, we laser level the
ground, so water is level in the
trough.”
Heaton buys semi-truck
loads of pipe and other supplies
to last the season. If ranchers
want to install their own sys-
tems, he gives advice and sells
them what they need.
Dianne Troyer/For the Capital Press
Jed Heaton’s kids, Tykus and Braylee, fuse pipe joints with a
McElroy welder.
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