Laurie Tollefson is an irrigation specialist. He doesn't see irrigation
as only an immediate problem.
"I think that the field of irrigation is growing," he says. "If we're going
to be able to feed the world, we need to be able to apply water more efficiently
and we need to learn to make better use of our water resources."
Tollefson knows what conditions are like in other countries, too. "This
job has given me the chance to travel around that world to work in countries
with people that are less fortunate than we are," he says.
"Anyone interested in irrigation as a career should think globally. I think
that's what's interesting about what we do. It's useful around the world.
So don't just think within your province or your state, think globally. Think
big!"
Of course, big thinking begins at home. Tollefson says that a degree in
agriculture or bioresource engineering is a good place to start.
"In my mind, there are two kinds of irrigation specialists. There are irrigation
agronomists. Those are people that look at irrigated crop production. They
study soil and plants and how to get the right amount of water to those plants
at the right time," he says.
"Then there are people who study farm water management systems. They build
systems and work on efficient uses of water. That's more of an engineering
person. And they really are two different people," he says.
"These people need to know basic background on drip irrigation and scheduling.
Scheduling is used in predicting water use and to allow people to schedule
irrigation.
"Someone with an engineering slant is looking more at the sustainable application
of irrigation techniques because water is becoming expensive and there is
a lot of competition for the use of that water. These people are looking at
systems that put water on and how to improve efficiency."
Tollefson, by his own definition, is an engineering-type irrigation specialist.
He seems to enjoy his job. He points to the ability to help others as one
of the greatest benefits. "It's been really interesting."
Amy Johnson is an irrigation specialist. She says that she
loves her job. In her previous position, she designed pump stations. "I loved
the design work. The types of projects that I worked on were great. Pump station
design is about getting water to the irrigation system, from concepts to in
the ground, running."
However, Johnson recently went to work for another company where she gets
to work on other types of irrigation designs. "I love it," she says. "I wanted
to broaden my knowledge base, and now I get to work on designs for storm water
and sewer work. I still do some pump stations, but there are also other opportunities
and it's a bigger variety of work."
The opportunity to work on a variety of projects has also given Johnson
the opportunity to do something else that she loves -- working with more people.
"I deal with a lot of people on any given day -- tons of clients and other
engineers. It's a lot of fun. I love the interaction and the math and science
that are involved."
There is more to the job than just talking to clients and engineers and
solving problems, however. "A typical day is spent multi-tasking. I handle
numerous projects at one time, so I'm contacting clients and contractors.
I do design work. And there is a lot of communication through memos and updating
clients about the status of the job."
Johnson says she got into irrigation in a "stereotypical way. I was good
at math and science in school, so all of my teachers said I should take engineering
in college. I started in chemical engineering, but decided I didn't like it.
So I talked to some of the other engineering students and professors in other
departments, and I decided to study irrigation design.
"At the time, it appealed to me in part because I wanted to work with farmers.
Of course, what I'm doing now is not working with farmers, but a lot of the
thought is still there. And the field at this point is growing, because of
the economy in general.
"For every new building that goes up, there is new landscaping, which means
new irrigation. And on the agricultural side, there is growth in the different
and new technologies and equipment that are needed. So yes, there is room
for growth."