It is crazy how time works. It seems so long ago when I started my Ogallala Commons internship with the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, but as I begin to think more about it, the whole experience has passed by so quickly. I would like to thank Ogallala Commons and Lower Ark for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow as an individual and as an intern. When I first walked into the doors of the Lower Ark building, I remember thinking, “This won’t be too bad.” Shortly afterwards, my mind was racing as I struggled to comprehend every other word my boss was saying as he explained to me the complexities of the recharge pond project I would mostly be working on. However, as time went on, I began to understand the projects and my work more and more, fulfilling my first and second internship goal. When I started working for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, I was met with kindness and hospitality from my co-workers. As time went on, I built professional relationships with these individuals, fulfilling my third internship goal.
Aside from occasional designated tasks, my attention and effort was mostly focused on the company’s Super Ditch project, 319 Grant project, and Soil Health videos. The Super Ditch project aimed to monitor and regulate the amount of surface water seeping into the ground and becoming groundwater. Monitoring such a process was done through recharge ponds. In each of Lower Ark’s four recharge ponds, there was a floom where an individual could control how much water was pouring into the recharge ponds. One of my primary job tasks was to manage the ponds, clean the ponds, and download the data records of the ponds. I would then input the downloaded data into a Water Accounting database. In the 319 Grant project, Chase, Isabella, and I would drive around to the various wells scattered across Rocky Ford and McClave. We would then take water samples and water readings of each well to monitor the water’s quality. Throughout the summer, Isabella and I produced Soil Health videos that showcased the EPA’s visit to the area and the farms that were involved in the soil health experiment.
My growth in knowledge about the water conservancy world is indicative of the successful summer I had here in the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. This was such a wonderful internship, and there were no significant obstacles or challenges I encountered over these past few weeks. Thank you Ogallala Commons for providing me this opportunity. See you all later!
