EWRI
ASCE
Volume 5, Number 3 • Summer 2003

EWRI at USCID

Tipton Award

At the United States Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID) International Conference on Water for a Sustainable World – Limited Supplies and Expanding Demand (May 12-15, Scottsdale, Arizona), EWRI/USCID member Dr. Richard Glen Allen was awarded the 2003 ASCE Royce J. Tipton Award. Dr. Allen’s award lecture was both motivational and technical . He presented his current research on quantifying evapotranspiration (ET) for large areas using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL). He is currently testing the ET model in conjunction with a water balance model of the Eastern Snake River Plain in Idaho. Dr. Allen predicts that over the next decade most ET will be determined by satellite and that in 20 years most “on the ground” computerized ET calculation will be done by a "black box" that contains a sophisticated energy balance, physiological model with feedback between crop and microclimate. The user will feed in crop variety, crop height, plant spacing, fertility, water management, and weather and out will come ET.

On a lighter yet equally import note, according to Dr. Allen, the TOP 10 COOLEST ASPECTS OF IRRIGATION ENGINEERING are:

10. Hungry people are getting fed.
9. Playing in water can be fun, fun, fun!!!
8. Great combination of math, physics, water, and mud!!!
7. Heterogeneity [there’s always going to be work!]
6. You meet the greatest people on a canal bank!
5. Travel.
4. No one really understands what you do!
3. Pushing water uphill.
2. "Close enough" has perfect meaning.
1. Hungry people are getting fed.

Dr. Richard Glen Allen (right) recieves the 2003 Royce J. Tipton Award.
Dr. Allen was recognized for his outstanding contributions to irrigation engineering through system simulation, software development, teaching, and research. Dr. Allen is active internationally having served as a consultant and advisor to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the UN Development Program, World Meteorological Organization, and to national programs in Portugal, Spain, Jordan, India, and Morocco. He is a long-time guest lecturer in the International Institute for Infrastructure, Hydraulics, and Environment in Delft, Netherlands. He is particularly well known for his advancement of the theory and concepts of evapotranspiration world-wide. His recent works include being co-editor of ASCE Manual of Practice #70 "Evapotranspiration and Irrigation Water Requirements" and Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Irrigation Paper 56 "Crop Evapotranspiration and Guidelines for Predicting Crop Water Requirements". Dr. Allen emphasized the need for the older professionals to encourage the "younger crowd" to join a technical committee in EWRI, USCID, and ASAE; to continue "building better tools"; to not assume that anything is perfect or is off-limits to improve; and to invite your friends.

EWRI & USCID Pondering Partnership

Just prior to the start of the USICD conference, USCID and EWRI representatives met and discussed options for partnerships and affiliation. Among those being considered are cooperative technical activities related to irrigation, drainage, and flood control, sessions in each others conferences, member discounts, and a more formal partner arrangement for the years ahead. USCID's connection to the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) could be a major benefit to EWRI and the strength of the EWRI Irrigation and Drainage Council would be a plus for USCID. Discussions are expected to continue in August.

The outline of the lecture can be found as a power point presentation at his web site http://www.kimberly.uidaho.edu/water/sebal/tipton/index.htm.