Irrigation System Design and Management

Irrigation System Design, Specifications, and Construction Management

Complete Irrigation system designs are done for all types of irrigation systems. Methods include life-cycle costing and energy optimization techniques for economic system designs. Complete cost estimates, design drawings, materials specifications, bid packages, and construction supervision can be provided.

Relevant Experience:

• Completed designs, specifications and construction supervision for a 6,300-acre irrigation system for mine water disposal for Barrick Goldstrike Mines, Elko, Nevada.
• Developed designs and specifications for rehabilitating 24,000-acres of on-farm irrigation systems (primarily center pivots) in Blocks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP).
• Developed designs and specifications for the rehabilitation of the irrigation system for an 11,000-acre irrigation development on the Prut River in Moldova, including creative solutions for fish protection at each of the river diversions and a scalable, modular approach irrigation development for future expansion.
• Currently completing rehabilitation plans, permitting, and project management for rehabilitation of 10,000-acre gravity irrigation project in the San Juan River Basin, New Mexico for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources.

Irrigation Project Feasibility Studies

KB has developed a proprietary software analytical tool (IRRSIM) to examine the feasibility of irrigation project development or rehabilitation. An integral part of this analysis is the cost-effectiveness of various types of irrigation systems, water supply options and conveyance facilities.

Relevant Experience:

• Completed Gila River Indian Community Draft Comprehensive Water Management Plan to examine feasibility of irrigating up to 143,000 acres.
• Developed a Water Resources Decision Support System, an integrated surface water, ground water and economic analysis model for the Gila River Indian Community.
• Developed a model for the Rio San Jose Basin in New Mexico for Native American water rights settlement support

Irrigation Management Program Development

Irrigation management programs, tailored to the specific needs of the individual or organization, are developed, including training and oversight.

Relevant Experience:

• Developed and implemented a computerized irrigation scheduling program for 55,000 acres of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, utilizing soil moisture monitoring and climatic data collection and analysis to predict crop water use and provide guidance for efficient irrigation near Farmington, New Mexico

Surface Water Hydrology

River Basin Modeling and Operation Studies

River basin modeling for water supply projection and management is carried out utilizing the latest modeling tools. KB has extensive experience using Riverware, a state of the art river basin hydrologic modeling tool that allows the user to develop data-driven, rule-based models of river basin systems. IRRSIM is a proprietary model created by KB that simulates river basin features and irrigation projects as well as the economics of those projects. Other models in the KB toolkit include, MODFLOW, HEC-RAS, OPDM, Waters, IRAS, QUAL2E, SWMM, and BASINS.

Relevant Experience:

• Participated in the development of the San Juan River Basin Hydrology Model which has been used to establish flow recommendations and reservoir operating rules for Navajo Dam to facilitate recovery of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker in New Mexico.
• Developed the Gila Water Resource Decision Support System, which is an integrated surface water and ground water management model with economic analysis capability, for the Gila River Indian Community.
• Initiated development of a groundwater and surface water monitoring program for the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona which included installation of automated gauging stations and a comprehensive database for all surface water flows and 62 monitoring wells, covering water quantity, water level, and water quality.

Instream Flow Studies

These studies typically analyze the impact of flow on development and maintenance of habitat for aquatic species. Studies include both hydrologic and geomorphologic elements.

Relevant Experience:

• Conducted a long-term monitoring program for the response of geomorphology, habitat and water quality to flow recommendations and the relationship to endangered fish recovery in the San Juan River in New Mexico.
• Conducted a natural flow study, which included satellite evapotranspiration mapping and river basin operation modeling of the Rio Chama in New Mexico.

Environmental Studies and Monitoring

Environmental Impact Analysis and NEPA compliance

Environmental impact studies (Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments and related studies) are completed for water resource development projects in collaboration with engineers, sciences, and stakeholders.

Relevant Experience:

• Conducted hydrologic evaluations of the impact of irrigation project development on the San Juan River habitat for Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker and completed the Section 7 Consultation under the Endangered Species Act for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Farmington, New Mexico.
• Completed a study and recommended a plan of action for the Navajo Nation to complete environmental compliance requirements (NEPA and Section 7 Consultation) for construction and rehabilitation of the Navajo Nation San Juan Irrigation Systems. This will involve approximately $30 million in construction.
• Completed environmental assessments for the replacement of Hogback Diversion and removal of Cudei Diversion dam on the San Juan River.

Biological Assessments

Biological Assessments and related studies, including consultation support, are completed for water resource development projects in consultation with ecologists and biologists.

Relevant Experience:

• Completed the biological assessment and environmental assessment for construction of a potato processing plant on the NIIP and finalized the Section 7 Consultation.
• Completed the biological assessment and Section 7 Consultation for the construction of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project for the Bureau of Reclamation, Durango, Colorado Office.

Water Quality Studies

Water quality analyses and monitoring programs relating to water resource development are provided to support environmental impact studies and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) compliance for point and non-point sources. Remediation and/or reduction research is conducted, and plans for implementation are developed.

Relevant Experience:

• Initiated study of irrigation return flow timing and control for the NIIP for managing selenium load moving to the San Juan River for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Farmington, New Mexico.
• Monitored water use, irrigation return flow, water quality, and water table rise on the NIIP for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Water Conservation Programs

Plan Development and Implementation

Plan Development: Irrigation project water conservation studies are completed to determine the feasibility, financial, and environmental impact of water conservation measures.

Plan Implementation: Guidance and training are provided to water districts and farmers in the implementation of water conservation programs for environmental, power, or drought management purposes.

Relevant Experience:

• Directed a team charged with verifying the water savings of a $125 million conservation program designed to conserve 106,000 acre-feet of water established under the 1988 Imperial Irrigation District (IDD)/Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Conservation Agreement.
• Co-led a detailed analysis of the on-farm and system conservation plans recommended as part of the Efficiency Conservation Plan for the IID. In conjunction with Davids Engineering and the Cal Poly Irrigation and Training Research Center (ITRC) delivery system conservation measures were developed.
• Initiated review of groundwater and surface water model use for the Rattlesnake Basin in South Central Kansas. KB assisted in developing a voluntary water conservation program with farmers, the groundwater management district, state, and federal agencies to sustain irrigated agriculture and protect environmental water demands for the Water Protection Association of Central Kansas (WaterPACK).

Conservation Monitoring and Verification

Monitoring of water use, verification, and certification of water conservation to entities involved in water conservation programs.
Relevant Experience:

• Acted as chair of the Conservation Verification Consultants for the IID/MWD Irrigation Water Conservation Agreement, which verified projected water conservation savings of 109,640 acre-feet annually.
• Initiated development of the Sunnyside Main Canal Operation Model to optimize canal storage and reduce operational spillage in order to reduce diversions, which impact salmon migration, from the Yakima River for the Sunnyside Irrigation District in Sunnyside, Washington.
• Design guidance and review for the Imperial Irrigation District Seepage Recovery System, a key element of the Efficiency Conservation Definite Plan designed to recover up to 40,000 acre-feet of canal seepage annually.

Geographic Information Systems

GIS is an integral part of of our work. Not only is it an indispensable tool in nearly all of our projects but we help our clients with their GIS needs.

Today’s GIS technology can help organizations create data and facility management systems. An Enterprise GIS can improve an organization’s operations by making it easier to collect and maintain data and manage assets. An essential element of this system is the ability to easily share GIS data within your organization and with stakeholders. This can be challenging for the GIS department and frustrating for users. Keller-Bliesner Engineering (KB) has helped our clients solve this problem by providing custom, high performance, cross-platform web based GIS solutions.

Technologies We Use:

• ESRI ArcGIS for Server and ArcGIS Online
• ESRI ArcGIS for Desktop
• ESRI JavaScript API
• ESRI Collector
• Nearly any mobile or desktop computer or browser

We have helped the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project (Gila River Indian Community) near Phoenix, AZ develop an extensive web accessible enterprise GIS system. Below are some other publically available examples of our work. Please browse to the provided URL’s.

Web Map Examples

Western US Real-time stream gages
This is a simple map that shows all the USGS real-time gaging stations in the Western United States. Click on a gage and click the right arrow button to display the gage information and a plot of the recent gage data. This is an example of using GIS functionality to display near real-time data.

Environmental Planning

Agricultural/Urban Interface Planning

Urbanization in agricultural areas brings unique challenges and opportunities. Planning studies are completed that incorporate the unique features of agricultural water transportation facilities with open space needs and explore the synergistic opportunities of water exchange, using raw water for urban uses, and reclaimed municipal water for agricultural needs.

Relevant Experience:

• Completed two conceptual designs for riparian parks in Sacaton and Blackwater, Arizona. The design challenge was to incorporate riparian features of importance culturally and historically to the Gila River Indian Community in a setting with a controlled water supply and readily assessable to Community members

River Restoration for Enhancing Habitat

Rivers throughout the western US have lost channel complexity due to channelization promoted by flood control and encroachment of non-native vegetation. In some cases habitat range has been reduced by fish passage impediments. Habitat area can be enhanced by actions such as removing these impediments where practical and modifying habitat to promote development of key habitat types.
Relevant Experience:

• Removed Cudei Diversion Dam and replaced it with a siphon served by a new water supply. The removal of the diversion dam provides razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow, both endangered species, access to designated critical habitat.
• Completed the design, permitting and mangaged the construction on two projects to restore low velocity habitat in secondary channels and backwaters in the San Juan River near Shiprock, NM. Restoring these habitats will assist in the recovery of endangered species and help to restore the natural geomorphic processes of the San Juan River. .

Ron Bliesner, PE, D.WRE - CEO

Education
B.S. Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering, Utah State University, 1971
M.S. Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering, Utah State University, 1975

Summary
Ron Bliesner is a licensed agricultural engineer with over 45 years experience in the planning, design, management and analysis of irrigation systems and projects. Before joining Keller-Bliesner Engineering in 1978, he was manager of Irrigation Services for Superior Farming Company in Bakersfield, California with responsibilities over design, construction, maintenance and management recommendations for irrigation of 36,000 acres of intensive crop production in the Central Valley of California. Prior to this, Ron worked for Utah State University for two years as a research engineer, managing a drainage and water quality research farm in Vernal, Utah and for two years as a sales and design engineer for Ames Irrigation service, Twin Falls, Idaho.

Ron comes from a farming background and has been actively involved in irrigated agriculture all his life. His close involvement with production agriculture over the years has helped him develop a keen insight into the appropriate application of irrigation technology to a wide variety of situations.

Ron has been involved in consulting since the early days of his career, having consulted on irrigation development throughout the United States as well as a number of foreign countries. His main areas of expertise are on-farm irrigation, irrigation management, irrigation project formulation, environmental impact of irrigation and pressure pipe systems analysis. His work in the area of PVC piping systems led to the publication of a handbook on the subject by the Irrigation Association and he has consulted on many projects throughout the United States dealing with failures and trouble-shooting of PVC piping systems. He has extensive experience in planning for water resource development, impacts of water resource development on the aquatic environment, sprinkle, trickle and surface irrigation design, computer software development and irrigation management. Ron has also served as an expert witness in numerous product liability and water rights litigations.

Registered Professional Engineer
California and Utah

Professional Affiliations and Honors

• Member and active on committees of ASCE, ASAE and The Irrigation Association.
• Member of the Honorary Society of Phi Kappa Phi
• 1992 Distinguished Alumnus of the Biological and Irrigation Engineering Department at Utah State University.
• Diplomate Water Resources Engineer, American Academy of Water Resource Engineers
• 15th USCID Merriam Improved Irrigation Award Recipient (2015)

Technical Publications
Author or co-author of over 50 major project reports, 23 technical papers, three handbooks and 1 textbook, including co-editor of the ASCE manual on Selection of Irrigation Methods for Agriculture.