Photo By Staff Sgt. Garrettgarrett Ralston | Local Iraqi boys watch as water flows freely from the Tigris River into an irrigation...... read more read more
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WASIT PROVINCE, Iraq – The Wasit Provincial Reconstruction Team, escorted by members of Company H, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment held a meeting with local farmers in the Numaniyah area Sunday.
The farmers recently received new water pumps that pull water from a nearby river into a canal to irrigate local farmland. The meeting was an opportunity for PRT members and US Forces to see the pumps in action and also discuss future management of the pump station.
“The operation of this pumping station has been on and off since 2003,” said Armand Lanier, a PRT agricultural advisor from the United States Agency for International Development. “The station has pumped water through four antiquated pumps that have needed constant maintenance.”
In recent years the station has struggled to pump enough water to supply the 1500 area farms and was costly to keep up. With nobody officially responsible for the station it seemed it would remain out of service. Now with the new pumps and discussions developing between the farmers the station is on its way to effective production once again.
After the PRT assessment, funds were appropriated for two new heavy capacity generators to provide power for the pumps. The new pumps pull water horizontally from tubes that reach out further into the river allowing for greater pressure and more water. The canal now flows at the limit of it banks.
“The PRT plans to meet monthly with the farmers’ Water User Association,” said Lanier. “We want to teach them to be more water conscious which will increase production for them.”
The soldiers of Company H have an essential piece of the development of the area as well.
“Our responsibility is to enable the PRT by getting them out here and making sure they have a safe environment to operate in,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Hubacek, a platoon sergeant in Company H. “We also spend a lot of time with ISF [Iraqi Security Forces] and try to maintain positive relationships with them.”
Hubacek says it is important for USF to be engaged with these processes of Iraqi reconstruction.
“We really want to train the farmers to be better users of their water and agricultural resources,” said Lanier. “We want them to be effective on their own because that’s the aim of these projects.”
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2010 10:57 |
| Story ID: | 60494 |
| Location: | BABIL PROVINCE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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