Eastern Irrigation District canal automation and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
Date
2005-10
Authors
Hust, Ron, author
Veldman, Gerald, author
West, Greg, author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The Eastern Irrigation District (EID), located in southern Alberta, Canada, is a farmer owned entity that delivers water to 300,000 acres (121,500 ha) of irrigation and encompasses a total area of 1.5 million acres (607,000 ha). EID implemented automated level control on major water control structures in its system. The first controllers used were industrial-rated computers. The technology now employed has evolved with the industry and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) have replaced the computers for control functions. The SCADA system was developed with Wonderware's Intouch graphical user interface. This interface is used to extract data from the PLC's and display it graphically as well as provide central trending and call out alarms. Operators can connect to the system via the Internet using a password protected remote control program, or call in using a touch-tone phone and retrieve the latest flow and level data. The EID recognized the need to provide Internet access to the local area, and therefore started operating as an affordable Internet Service Provider (ISP) to district water users. Being an ISP allowed the EID to provide a unique communications backbone for their SCADA system. Recently the EID has teamed up with a wireless Internet provider (IP Plus Wireless Corp.). Existing control structures are in the process of being upgraded to take advantage of this infrastructure to allow secure, cost effective, collection of data and structure monitoring.
Description
Presented at SCADA and related technologies for irrigation district modernization: a USCID water management conference on October 26-29, 2005 in Vancouver, Washington.