In the first Managers Issue since January 2020, Irrigation Leader featured 18 managers across the globe. The Nebraska Water Resources Association is proud that two of them were from Nebraska. Below are their interviews, reprinted from the April 2022 Issue of Irrigation Leader.
Mike Wells
General Manager
Twin Loups Irrigation District and Twin Loups Reclamation District
Scotia, NE
Years working in irrigation: 39
Years as a manager: 7
Number of employees: 13 full time; 2 summer part-time
Size of service area in acres: 56,199
Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 50,000–55,000 in an average rainfall year
Main crops irrigated: Alfalfa, corn, soybeans
Predominant irrigation methods: Center pivot, gravity
Irrigation Leader: What is the top issue facing your irrigation district today?
Mike Wells: As with most districts, the budget is the main issue. The board’s goal, of course, is to stay in compliance with our payments to the Bureau of Reclamation for project construction costs and to be able to operate and do yearly maintenance on the infrastructure of the district. Operations would include employee cost, all vehicles, heavy equipment, and chemicals. If I had to pick, I would say inflation is the top issue.
Irrigation Leader: What future issues are you preparing for?
Mike Wells: Although Twin Loups is one of the last of Reclamation’s irrigation projects, having been built in the 1980s, we are experiencing the need for more infrastructure repairs every year. Along with the staff of Reclamation’s Nebraska-Kansas Area Office in McCook, Nebraska, we conduct annual inspections of the reservoirs to assess the need for repairs. Preparing for any needed major repairs to the main infrastructure is foremost. Maintaining our present reserves and adding to them on a regular basis will make it possible to make repairs as needed. Incorporating more advanced technologies in our meters and continuing to install automation to control canal gates and monitor canal levels remotely is also in our future plans.
Irrigation Leader: What are your top issues regarding personnel?
Mike Wells: Finding and retaining good people is a top issue. Nebraska has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the United States, so we have to be competitive with wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Irrigation Leader: What training do you currently provide your employees?
Mike Wells: Currently, we pay for and encourage training in three categories. First, training for pesticide applications for rights of way and aquatic herbicide applications. Magnicide applications require annual certification. Second, training on heavy equipment when needed. Third, the district also pays for employees to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
Irrigation Leader: How much do you spend on training each year?
Mike Wells: We average $2,000 per year.
Irrigation Leader: What kind of safety programs do you have in place?
Mike Wells: We hold bimonthly toolbox meetings, which usually focus on activities taking place at the time. We supply air monitors for enclosed spaces and train employees on how to supply air if needed. We train on how to be safe when operating or working close to heavy equipment or when working next to swiftly flowing water and on how to use appropriate safety harnesses. The importance of safely using the various chemicals we come in contact with cannot be overstated.
Irrigation Leader: What is the most important thing you have learned as a manager?
Mike Wells: To be able to predict what effects your decisions have, whether on personnel or on the district’s bottom line.
Irrigation Leader: What are the top skills needed to be a successful manager?
Mike Wells: You need to plan for the future, whether near or long term. Listen to the employees: Their input is usually focused on certain aspects of the operation where they can see the solution. Many times, it’s best to suggest and then get out of the way. You need to also be a negotiator and a troubleshooter.
Irrigation Leader: What is the best way to work with a board of directors?
Mike Wells: Communication is key. Let them know what projects have been completed. Give updates on current projects and recommendations for the future. Keep them up to date on state and federal activities that may affect the district. Inform them of any complaints from the water users, the general public, or the staff. Review the budget on a monthly basis.
Mike Wells is the general manager of the Twin Loups Irrigation District and the Twin Loups Reclamation District.
https://irrigationleadermagazine.com/mike-wells/
Lance Philben
Manager
Ainsworth Irrigation District
Ainsworth, NE
Years working in irrigation: 7
Years as manager: 4
Number of employees: 12
Size of service area in acres: 34,518
Amount of water diverted for irrigation per year in acre-feet: 60,000–70,000
Main crops irrigated: Corn, soybeans
Predominant irrigation methods: Center pivot
Irrigation Leader: What is the top issue facing your district today?
Lance Philben: It is definitely aging infrastructure. Many of these irrigation projects are not that far from the end of their life expectancy. The amount of money that was needed for their initial construction pales in comparison to the amount of money that is required to do a major project if something needs to be replaced. We have been getting aggressive on our maintenance of our main canal, and it’s a huge part of our budget.
Irrigation Leader: What future issues are you preparing for?
Lance Philben: The board and I try to keep our ears to the ground and stay ahead of issues involving water at both the state and local levels. Some problems are telegraphed, and you have time to prepare. The tough ones are the ones that come up suddenly and catch you off guard. In either scenario, it’s crucial to be ready to protect our district’s water supply.
Irrigation Leader: What are your top issues regarding personnel?
Lance Philben: The year I took the manager position, we had four people retire. They took close to 100 years of combined experience with them. Luckily, I was able to find great people to fill those positions. There are four more who will be able to retire in the next 5–10 years, and in a small community, I hope I will find great new candidates again.
Irrigation Leader: What training do you currently provide your employees?
Lance Philben: When we hire a new person, they get on-the-job training on how to deliver water efficiently. We help them get a commercial driver’s license and a pesticide applicator’s license as part of our employee requirements.
Irrigation Leader: How much do you spend on training each year?
Lance Philben: $1,500–$2,000.
Irrigation Leader: What kind of safety programs do you have in place?
Lance Philben: We have a four-person safety committee made up of employees. They schedule and conduct monthly meetings for the staff. They’re in charge of picking the topics, which we try to tailor to what we are working on in the field at the time.
Irrigation Leader: What is the most important thing you have learned as a manager?
Lance Philben: The main thing I’ve learned is not to make any quick decisions based on what I’m hearing, whether in the community, in the back room, from politicians, or from other entities with an interest in water. I am careful to separate fact from fiction, and I move forward based on what’s best for the district.
Irrigation Leader: What are the top skills needed to be a successful manager?
Lance Philben: You need to be a people person. You need to be able to read people. You need to get out and work with your people so you can get to know them. It’s important to be able to build relationships with others who view what you are doing differently. You also have to be able to admit when you’ve made a bad decision. It’s best to just say, “Hey, I screwed up, I’m sorry, and we’re going to move on from here.” In the past, I have worked with people who were never wrong, yet I’ve never met a person who was right all the time. That can be a morale killer for your team.
Irrigation Leader: What is the best way to work with a board of directors?
Lance Philben: I try to be as informational and transparent as possible with my board. If I’m going to try something different or I need a piece of equipment, I always talk it over with them first. They are usually supportive if they have all the information and know what direction we’re headed in and what the end goal is. Communication is key.
Lance Philben is the manager of the Ainsworth Irrigation District. He can be contacted at [email protected].
https://irrigationleadermagazine.com/lance-philben/