Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association
Well Depth Data Collection
Dear WPVGA Grower,
I’m writing today to ask for your help on a very critical issue affecting the entire Wisconsin potato and vegetable industry. This is an urgent request because we need you to act in April before you get too busy with the planting season.
Beginning immediately, we are going to continue collecting our database of high capacity well depths. This database is going to be used to track water levels throughout Wisconsin. We are planning to use this information to help growers and protect your rights to irrigate at the levels you need. Water issues continue to arise and we need to provide accurate, science-based answers to those who mistakenly believe we are not using water wisely. This information will become the intellectual property of the WPVGA and will be kept private and confidential through the WPVGA. I promise you that this information will not be shared unless absolutely necessary in the future and then only with grower consent. It is our firm belief and our intention that this information will be used to paint the industry in a positive light.
We will need one contact from each farm to be responsible for collecting the data and providing it to Ellie Stapleton with GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. The WPVGA has been working with GZA for over a year now and we are extremely pleased with their efforts, and are confident in their ability to assist growers on a wide variety of water issues. We are asking for two measurements of all of your wells, one in the beginning of April and one in the beginning of October and then monthly measurements from a few select wells. A protocol of exact measurement procedures will be distributed for consistency in measurements from all farms. A few farms in the area have well depth water level indicators that can be shared and these contacts will be provided in the protocol.
Please send your contact information on the attached form to Ellie Stapleton with GZA at [email protected] or 20900 Swenson Drive, Suite 150, Waukesha, WI 53186 by April 17, 2017. If you have any further questions, feel free to call Ellie at 262-754-2560. We hope to get cooperation from all farms, particularly those in central Wisconsin and use this information to help us all in the future.
For those growers who are using the Conservis mobile app, please see the following:
Below is a list of steps that will need to be performed in order to use the Conservis mobile app going forward:
Open the Water Management icon on the mobile device:
This will only need to be performed the first time logging in.
Login with you Login and Password
Every Login will begin with wpvga\
Then your designated username.
Thank you very much for your cooperation! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Tamas Houlihan
Executive Director
WPVGA
The WPVGA has purchased two Water Level Tape Measurement devices. These are available for use free of charge to WPVGA grower members and can be picked up at Roberts Irrigation in Plover. Feel free to contact Roberts Irrigation (715-344-2526) and request the use of a measurement device.
