Farm Beat: MJC will start irrigation program

Modesto Junior College will turn out experts in farm irrigation through an $833,175 federal grant announced this week.

The National Science Foundation awarded the grant, which will help launch the Agriculture Irrigation Technology program, serving at least 25 students to start this fall.

They will work toward two-year degrees in the science of applying water to crops. The topic is front and center in California, with a drought now into its fourth year and the prospect of long-term limits on river and groundwater supplies.

“The timing for this program is pretty good,” said Steve Amador, who teaches ag mechanics at MJC, including an irrigation class. “It’s important for agriculture to use water wisely.”

Amador and faculty colleague Don Borges applied for the grant, which mostly will pay for equipment on the west campus. Students will learn about designing irrigation systems and the use of canals, pumps, soil moisture sensors and other tools of the trade. They might use a drone to take infrared photos over a field, indicating its water needs.

Students will round out their learning with lessons on plant biology, soil, hydrology and meteorology.

The grant runs for three years, but Amador said the program likely will sustain itself afterward through enrollment and could grow to 50 students. Backers hope it will draw out-of-area students to the MJC ag department, which already is well-regarded for its teaching of animal science, crop production and other topics.

The program will have an advisory committee with experts from irrigation districts, the industry and other entities. It will offer internships for students, as well as a summer session that recruits “underrepresented” populations into this line of work.

Amador said four-year degrees in irrigation engineering can be earned at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, but the state can use technicians with associate degrees as soon as possible.

“There are a lot of job opportunities out there, and they all pay good money,” he said.

Or as a grant document put it, the college will “create a pipeline of skilled, certified technicians that can meet current conservation, efficiency and water management regulations.”

This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Farm Beat: MJC will start irrigation program."