Design/Build & Construction, Irrigation
Western Heritage Consulting & Engineering supplied design and construction services for a large farm in the Imperial Valley. The 3000+ acre farm resulted from the purchase of numerous smaller farms and combined and converted from flood irrigation to a combination of flood and subsurface drip irrigation. The fields were leveled and reconfigured for optimum field layout and configuration to accommodate irrigation and harvest practices, with subsurface drains and existing infrastructure being inspected and often replaced. A network of diversions, reservoirs, pumping plants and distribution pipe was designed and installed to accommodate the drip irrigation system.
Approximately 3,000 acres of farmable drip irrigation was installed, with 28 million feet of drip tape, and 28 miles of field manifold piping. The drip system was supplied by 15 miles of pressurized distribution piping-typically 24” and 18”, 3 pump stations totaling over 1100 horsepower (flows in excess of 45 CFS), with 3 sediment ponds. Coordination and design for, and with, Imperial Irrigation District-Water & Electric departments was required. The farm crop production is state of the art alfalfa and forage production for export markets, with unprecedented quality and yields.
This project was initiated with WHCE by Director of Farming, John Summers, with economic support and finance coordinated by Economist Brent Hansston and Field Construction Support Ed Hale. The project was designed with the intent of saving water and the results have been astounding, resulting in large payments from the Imperial Irrigation District water conservation programs.
With the continued and ongoing success of this venture, John and Brent have the desire to partner with us on future projects. We are currently under contract for a new 13,000-acre farm improvement project. There is also the potential for international farms and operations needing engineering support under consideration.