Irrigation district awarded grants

Madera Irrigation District has been awarded two grants from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for water and energy efficiency projects.

The grants will total $873,161 in federal funds.

According to a news release from Thomas Creci, the district’s general manager, the first venture, an irrigation water conservation and canal automation improvement project, will expand the irrigation district’s existing supervisory control and data acquisition system by installing 14 new solar-powered automated gates and meters throughout the canal system.

The gates and meters can be remotely monitored and controlled by smart phones and are programmed to automatically open and close to maintain a constant flow within +/- 2.5 percent accuracy, regardless of varying upstream water level. Upon completion, it is estimated the program will conserve 3,600 acre feet of water on average each year...