FIIP Monthly Report – Month of June 2021_06182021(CORRECTED)_LAN
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
Flathead Indian Irrigation Project
220 Project Drive
St. Ignatius, MT. 59865
Delivered via Email
Flathead Irrigation District
C/O Chairman, Paul Guenzler
Mission/Jocko Irrigation District
C/O Chairman, Ray Swenson
CS&KT Tribal Chairwoman
Shelly Fyant
SUBJ: Flathead Indian Irrigation Project – Monthly Report
Provided is the beginning of a monthly report on activity of the FIIP and its Operation.
Administration:
Currently the FIIP is continuing the recruiting needs of the Project, and actively seeking Irrigation System Operators (ISO’s). We currently have 10 vacant positions. This includes 2 Supervisory ISO’s. We have selected 3 potential new hires, but due to lengthy delays in on-boarding processes, some new applicants decide to seek employment elsewhere. We had one new ISO state it took to long to hire him, so he took another job. This was repeated in other positions we have tried to fill.
These delays are due to background checks or other Human Resource issues beyond our control. Once all vacant positions in Irrigation delivery are filled, the need to have Section of Maintenance staff delivering irrigation water will cease, and they will be returned to Maintenance duties.
Section of Maintenance has one vacancy, with a Welder position. We will also be losing a Heavy Equipment Operator to retirement at the end of July 2021. The FIIP is establishing a Lead-Heavy Equipment Operator for the Section of Maintenance, to soon be recruited. This position will assist the Supervisory Irrigation Maintenance Specialist in the daily direction of staff and duties.
In the section of Administration, the FIIP is still working on filling the following positions:
• Project Manager/Administrator
• Management Assistant
• Administrative Assistant
• Irrigation Lands Clerk
Currently there are staff members acting in the above-mentioned positions and a Contracted Employee in the Administrative Assistant position.
At the end of September 2021, the section of Administration will lose the Secretary (O/A) to retirement. Approximately 60 days prior to the departure of the Secretary position, we will begin June 21, 2021 the recruitment for this position.
The staff members of the FIIP will be scheduled to meet with the CSKT Attorney’s for discussions on PL-93-638, Self Determination, assumption of the functions of the FIIP. Employees of the FIIP would like to hear from the Tribe on the plans of assumption after the passing of the 2020 Montana Water Protection Act. FIIP employees are requesting this meeting to better understand this process.
Up to date budget report will be provided at the next submission of this report in July.
Section of Irrigation:
The Irrigation staff are retaining water flows in the reservoirs as it is released from the mountain ranges in snow melt. Currently, (as of 06/10/2021)
Corrections in RED:
• Black Lake = Elev. (4430.2) Acre Feet – 3,630
• Jocko Lake = Elev. (4324.4) Acre Feet – 4,669
• Tabor Reservoir = Elev. (4014.2) Acre Feet – 20,313
• Mission Dam = Elev. (3396.4) Acre Feet – 4,622
• McDonald Lake = (3595.4) Acre Feet – 7,705
• Kicking Horse Res. = (3058.2) Acre Feet – 5,508
• Nine Pipe Res. = (3005.9) Acre Feet – 8,974
• Pablo Res. = (3209.4) Acre Feet – 25,270
Water deliveries this irrigation season began with a delay due to colder temperatures in the mountain ranges slowly releasing snow melt water. The South Mission Division of FIIP was scheduled to begin around the second week of June 2021. Reservoir storage was the key issue and collection of snow run off emphasized to start the delivery season. The Dams and Reservoirs are now near full and full deliver has commenced.
Section of Maintenance:
The Staff members of the Section of Maintenance has been greatly reduced as there are approximately 7 Maintenance Workers and Equipment Operators who have irrigation water delivery experience working in the Section of Irrigation. This leaves the Section of Maintenance with 6 members who are responding to general repair issues arising from the beginning of water delivery. The are continuing the repairs such as turnout installations, wash out repairs, and Cattle Repair damages caused by cattle ranchers who allow cattle to enter and exit the canal/lateral delivery systems. Clay material is being hauled to different locations for staging purposes and other repair materials are used in the repairs of our canal system.
Respectfully,
Lawrence A. Nelson, Sr.
Project Manager