The U.S. society for irrigation and drainage professionals
Conferences and Seminars
Future USCID Meetings
Summaries of Past USCID Meetings
Third International Conference on Irrigation and Drainage
March 30 - April 2, 2005
USCID organized the Third International Conference on Irrigation and Drainage, held in San Diego, California. The Conference Theme was Water District Management and Governance.
Water Districts are the most crrigation and drainage management in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and a growing number of other countries. District management brings decision making to the level of the farmers the District serves, enhancing accountability, transparency and responsiveness. In the western U.S. and other industrialized countries, Districts are facing a long list of new management challenges related to increasing water scarcity, urbanization and expanding environmental awareness and concern. This Conference provided an opportunity for District managers, policymakers and others to share their experiences in dealing with these challenging issues.
As a part of a global trend toward decentralization, countries worldwide are introducing and implementing District-based management of agricultural water supplies. Often these organizations are called by other names — Water User Associations (WUAs) or Irrigation Unions — but in fundamental respects many are similar to the Water Districts of the western U.S. These organizations are facing a set of first-generation problems related to governance, financing, system maintenance and organization — problems familiar to district managers in the U.S., many of whom have developed effective strategies for addressing these issues. The one-day Symposium on District (Water User Association) Formation and Strengthening brought together District managers and staff from the U.S., and their counterparts and supporters from countries where this form of management is just getting underway.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Water Rights and Related Water Supply Issues
October 13-16, 2004
USCID organized a Conference on Water Rights and Related Water Supply Issues, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 13-16, 2004.
An issue facing water users nearly everywhere is who has the right to use water when available supplies do not meet all the demands for that water. Since the earliest pioneers in the Western U.S. first appropriated water for irrigation, water users, suppliers, governments and legal entities have endeavored to develop a system of water rights that can serve the public interest while also protecting vested rights, water quality and the environment. A key component of any discussion of water rights is how best to conserve, distribute and use limited supplies of water.
This Conference provided a forum to discuss the myriad issues relating to water rights and the appropriation and distribution of water, including the application of technology.
Concurrent technical sessions focused on the following topics:
- Water Rights
- River Basin Specific Issues
- Ecological and Conservation Issues
- Application of Technology
- Irrigation and Water Quality
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Second International Conference on
Irrigation and Drainage
May 12-15, 2003
USCID organized the Second International Conference on Irrigation and Drainage, held in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 12-15, 2003. The Conference Theme was Water for a Sustainable World — Limited Supplies and Expanding Demand.
Water supplies in many areas of the world are under stress and some current uses are not sustainable. At the same time, demand for water is increasing as populations increase, industries grow and as environmental needs for additional water are recognized and accommodated. This suggests that less water will be available for irrigation in the future, while the world demand for food is expected to exceed current production some time early in this century. At the same time, irrigated land is increasingly taken by urban expansion. This results in many changes in how water projects for irrigation are operated and managed. The Conference focused on the need for irrigated agriculture and irrigation projects to adapt to this changing environment and provided experiences and practical guidance for water resources professionals who are addressing these issues.
Concurrent technical sessions focused on the following topics:
- Future Trends
- Changing Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure
- Integrated Water Resources and Basin Planning
- Reservoir Operations
- Water Quality and Drainage
- Canal Operations
- Urbanization
- On Farm Irrigation
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Helping Irrigated Agriculture Adjust
to TMDLs
October 23-25, 2002
A USCID Water Management Conference addressing TMDLs was held in Sacramento, California, on October 23-25, 2002. The Conference was organized and sponsored by USCID and co-sponsored by the Association of California Water Agencies.
A significant challenge facing irrigated agriculture is the regulation and management of contaminants and pollutants that make their way into streams and reservoirs. Increasingly, the development and enforcement of TMDLs (total maximum daily loads, or the amount of a particular pollutant that a water body can safely absorb on a daily basis) will affect many stakeholders, including farmers, water districts and environmental constituencies.
The Conference goal was to help irrigated agriculture address and respond to the scientific, environmental, economic and political/social issues related to TMDLs, including pollution sources, regulations, costs and impacts.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Conference on Energy, Climate,
Environment and Water —
Issues and Opportunities for Irrigation and Drainage
July 9-12, 2002
Irrigators are facing new challenges as competition for water supplies, coupled with significant increases in energy costs and environmental considerations, threaten the economic viability of irrigation. Climate changes, whether natural or a result of human activity, are providing additional concerns. The Conference provided a forum to discuss and evaluate these issues, with a focus on the technology being applied to meet the challenges.
The Conference, held in San Luis Obispo, California, was Sponsored by USCID and the Environmental & Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Irrigation Training and Research Center, California Polytechnic State University was the Co-Sponsor.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Irrigation Water Management in a Changing Energy Environment
The first in a series of three Energy Workshops was held in Rapid City, South Dakota, on November 27-28, and the second Workshop was held on December 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the Colorado River Water Users Association Annual Meeting. The third and final Energy Workshop was held in Reno, Nevada, on January 22, 2002, preceding the Annual Meeting of the Mid Pacific Region Water Users Conference.
Conference on Transbasin Water
Transfers
June 27-30, 2001
The USCID Conference on Transbasin Water Transfers, Co-Sponsored by the Bureau of Reclamation, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, was held on June 27-30, 2001, in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
The Conference provided a forum to evaluate the issues involved with Transbasin Water Transfers, including water supply and water requirements; environmental concerns; biota transfer; legal, political and diplomatic aspects; and risk management. Case-study presentations and analyses of existing and proposed U.S. and international transbasin projects were be featured.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
International Conference on the
Challenges Facing
Irrigation and Drainage in the New Millennium
June 20-24, 2000
The International Conference on the Challenges Facing Irrigation and Drainage in the New Millennium was held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Theme of the Conference was Meeting Human and Environmental Needs through Sustainability, Rehabilitation and Modernization.
The Conference provided an opportunity to learn of the latest solutions, innovations and technological advances practiced in the United States. The newest developments in research and practical applications in the international arena were discussed.
The Program is online.
The two volume Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Workshop on Modernization of
Irrigation Water Delivery Systems
October 17-21, 1999
The Workshop on Modernization of Irrigation Water Delivery Systems provided a state-of-the-art review of issues related to the improvement of irrigation delivery system operations, including such issues as automation and rehabilitation, and was held in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Conference on Benchmarking
Irrigation System Performance
Using Water Measurement and Water Balances
March 10-13, 1999
The Conference was held March 10-13, 1999, in San Luis Obispo, California. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to examine irrigation system performance from both conceptual and practical view points.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Conference on Shared Rivers
October 28-31, 1998
The Conference on Shared Rivers, was held October 28-31, 1998, in Park City, Utah. The Conference Theme was River Basin Management to Meet Competing Needs. The Conference was a multi-disciplinary review of how river basins are managed to meet the needs of all of the water users in the river basin.
In five half-day sessions, the Conference featured in-depth examinations of issues involving U.S. and international river basins. A Poster Session offered an additional opportunity to examine river basin management activities. A one-day study tour of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District was also featured during the Conference.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
14th Technical Conference on
Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control
June 3-6, 1998
Four noted experts on Western water issues were featured speakers during the 14th Technical Conference on Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control, held June 3-6, 1998, in Phoenix, Arizona. The Conference Theme was Contemporary Challenges for Irrigation and Drainage.
David N. Kennedy, Director of the California Department of Water Resources, delivered the Keynote Address on Wednesday, June 3. Rita P. Pearson, Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, discussed Arizona water issues during a dinner talk Thursday evening. Lunch speakers on Thursday and Friday were David S. Wilson, Jr., Central Arizona Water Conservation District, and Maurice Roos, California Department of Water Resources.
The Conference provided water resources professionals their first opportunity to hear results of irrigation management activities implemented under the 1988 Water Conservation Agreement between the Imperial Irrigation District and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Conference participants heard professional papers addressing the following Technical Session Topics:
- Improving Irrigation Management and Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage Systems
- Drainage and Water Quality
- Institutional, Environmental and Economic Issues Affecting Irrigated Agriculture
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Conference on Best Management
Practices for Irrigated
Agriculture and the Environment
July 16-19, 1997
A Conference to address issues related to irrigated agriculture and its effects on the environment was held July 16-19, 1997, in Fargo, North Dakota. The Conference Theme was Best Managment Practices for Irrigated Agriculture and the Environment. USCID and the Bureau of Reclamation were the sponsors of the Conference.
The purpose of the Conference was to develop a broad understanding of how management practices can be economically applied to allow agricultural operations to approach optimum production and at the same time reduce the potential for adverse impacts on the environment. The Conference focused on the development and implementation of Best Management Practices that provide for a sustainable ecosystem encompassing the quality and quantity of surface and ground water resources.
The Conference addressed three topics:
- Development and Application of Best Management Practices
- Irrigation Water Management
- Water Quality
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Competing Interests Conference
December 4-7, 1996
USCID organized a Conference to examine the growing problem of competition
for water. The Conference was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 5-7, 1996.
The theme was Competing Interests in Water Resources -- Searching for
Consensus.
The objective of the Conference was to address and improve understanding of the problem currently facing all water users and water suppliers -- the problem of competition for sufficient water supplies to meet all needs.
The Conference addressed four major topics:
- Environmental Needs
- Demand Management
- Water Marketing and Water Transfers
- Social and Economic Impacts
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Wetlands Seminar
June 27-29, 1996
A USCID Seminar to address wetlands issues related to irrigated agriculture was held June 27-29, 1996, in Bismarck, North Dakota. The theme of the seminar was Water for Agriculture and Wildlife and the Environment -- Win-Win Opportunities. The Seminar was cosponsored by the Bureau of Reclamation.
The objective of the Seminar was to bring together professionals of the disciplines involved with agriculture and wetlands, to exchange information and seek solutions to competing issues that will satisfy the needs of all interests.
The Seminar included sessions on four major topics:
- Agriculture and Wetlands Compatibility
- Wetlands and Water Quality
- Water for Wetlands: Appropriation/Allocation
- Fish and Wildlife Diversity and Productivity
Each session featured an invited speaker to set the stage, followed by technical presentations and case studies. A Poster Session was also held. The Seminar concluded with a discussion of future actions to be taken by USCID and cooperating organizations. A Study Tour on June 29 gave participants an opportunity to see wetlands conservation activities.
The Conference Proceedings are available for purchase from USCID.
Future ICID Meetings
56th IEC Meeting and 19th Congress
September 10-18, 2005
Beijing, China
57th IEC Meeting
September 10-17, 2006
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
58th IEC Meeting
September 30 - October 5, 2007
Sacramento, California, U.S.A.
59th IEC Meeting and 20th Congress
October 2008
Lahore, Pakistan
