IBEW 1245 members at Lindmore Irrigation District (from left) Gary Vail, Robert Vail, Michael Knutson and Kenny Hirabayashi. Not pictured: Robert Rodriguez.
Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, adjacent to Sequoia National Park, the Lindmore Irrigation District supplies water to 27,256 acres of land, allowing cattle, nuts, grapes and citrus to grow and flourish in Tulare county. In conjunction with the Friant Power Authority, Lindmore I.D. also supplies water to the Friant-Kern & Madera Canal and Friant Dam to generate power, which provides, on average, $1,000,000 per year for the district.
Shop Steward and Lead Line Operator Gary Vail poses for a photo near one of the district’s reservoirs
The district’s small but dedicated team of workers, who are proud members of IBEW 1245, service and maintain miles of underground pipes and hundreds of valves. They kick off the irrigation season in April and provide maintenance to the system in the winter months. They also repair lines, valves, meters and other equipment throughout the year . Each member specializes in one trade, but most are cross-trained in other fields as well.
The Local 1245 members at Lindmore I.D. have strive to improve processes using new technology, including a Scada system tablet that makes the opening and closing of valves a lot more efficient. The days of going back and forward to open and close water gates to maintain levels are gone. Shop Steward Gary Vail was proud to demonstrate to me how quickly the water gate starts to open after just a few taps on the tablet.
The workers at Lindmore I.D. are steadfastly dedicated to the union, with 100% of the members signing union commitment cards during Local 1245’s recent re-authorization campaign. They are also loyal to their employer; nearly all of them have been with the district for seven years or more. During the drought, some of the employees were dispatched to other districts in order to keep them employed. But now, the water is flowing gain from the snow melt down from the Sierras, and another water cycle begins.
–Jaime Tinoco, IBEW 1245 Business Rep