MAINE BULLETIN NO. ME 210-12-1
February 13, 2012
Subject: ENG – Field Office Micro and Small Scale Irrigation and Engineer Training
Action Due: March 23, 2012
Purpose. To provide specific training to field office personnel in micro and small scale irrigation applications specific to Maine. This will serve as the annual formal field office engineering training typically provided in late winter/early spring in Maine.
Expiration Date. September 30, 2012
Background. In the past several years, NRCS in Maine has been focusing on providing more assistance to small irrigators that use micro irrigation systems. Many of these systems are of a much smaller scale than the larger systems that have had NRCS assistance. There is a need to provide planning, design, and installation training and guidance to field office and engineering staffs on these small scale irrigation systems.
To help meet this training need, the engineering staff will be providing irrigation training the week of March 19, 2012. Outside assistance will be provided by Hamid Farahani, Water Management Engineer, ENTC; Ruben Perez, Soil Conservationist (Irrigation Specialist), NRCS New Jersey; Clarence Prestwich, Irrigation Engineer, WNTCS. These folks have had extensive experience in micro irrigation systems. The training will be specifically targeted to the types of systems NRCS in Maine is involved with.
Topics of the training will include:
-
System components, layout, sequence, assembly for awareness (include center pivots, drip, emitters, small scale sprinklers) etc.
-
Data to collect from landowners
-
Options in application methods
-
Issues with using house wells/old dug wells
-
Rules of thumb for planning sizes of components
-
Planning tools – worksheets/questionnaires
-
Documentation required for payment and check out
-
Filter methods and water quality concerns
-
Suppliers’ List
NRCS employees are authorized to attend on government time and expense with supervisor’s approval. Please travel together to keep the use of government-owned vehicles to a minimum.
At least one representative from each field office should attend this training. The following locations will be the two training sessions:
March 20, 2012 – Tuesday
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
USDA - NRCS State Office Conference Room
967 Illinois Avenue
Bangor, Maine 04401
207-990-9100 Ext #3
March 21, 2012 - Wednesday
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
USDA - NRCS Lewiston Service Center Conference Room
254 Goddard Road
Lewiston, Maine 04240
207-990-753-9400 Ext #3
Contact. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Dan Baumert, State Conservation Engineer at 207-990-9555 or email dan.baumert@me.usda.gov.
/s/ Juan C. Hernandez
JUAN C. HERNANDEZ
State Conservationist
