Glen & I were escorted at 7:15 am through Kabul traffic to the Afghan Water Ministry’s Offices where we arrived a bit before 8 am.  After introductions to the local staff, we met with a basin director and later the Deputy Minister of Water to discuss our planned trainings that will begin on Monday.

Between our meeting, Glen told the staff that everything was “clear.”  I looked at him curiously, he reported “there was an incident near here at the Ministry of Defense about 9 am.”  I learned later from our driver on the way home that a suicide bomber on a bike caused the death of about 30 people.  Apparently, we were on “lock down,” at the Ministry, meaning no one was allowed to move until we received the “all clear” sign.  Glen said that the lock down was about 4.5 hours.  Interesting, the whole event happened without the least disturbance. I understand why Glen (the guy goofing around with the orange on his head) has a lot of trust in our security team.  It is deserved.

Many, if not most of the ministries or sections have their own kitchens and cooks.  The cooking staff for the water team made a fabulous lamb dish today with Persian rice along with a delicious soup and homemade Afghan bread.  It’s about dinner time here at the compound–and even though our food is very good, I can’t imagine that it will top lunch!

I took pictures on the way home.  As Glen pointed out, this is the only sight seeing we are allowed.  This picture shows the vegetable carts in front of the small, stall style shops along the road.  Gives “strip mall” a whole new meaning!

The most fascinating view on the way to and from work was the Kabul city ancient, historical wall to the south of Kabul at the tail end of the Kohi Sher Darwaza Mountain. This structure is believed to have been built in the 5th century. The wall of Kabul is made of mud, and is a staggering 20 feet high and 12 feet thick.  It creates a natural fortress which follows the mountain ridge in a sweeping curve down to the river.  Unis, the Deputy Chief, said that as a child he used to walk along the wall over the mountain.  At lunch, he also shared his story of living and growing up in Afghanistan during his early years, and the suffering that his family endured.  Out of the 11 brothers and sisters, only he and 5 others have survived.  His mother is still living and in her late 70’s so I have to imagine that Unis isn’t much younger than me.  His continued committment to Afghanistan’s development is amazing.

Another interesting site is the homes that are built into the mountains that we could view along the route.  I imagine them as a desert version of the housing Scott and I saw in the Greek Islands.  Imagine if they were painted?

We also drove through the old city along the Kabul River.  In this stretch the water is channeled through beautiful stoneworked walls.  The city was bustling as we returned home about 4 pm today.

 Enjoyed a quick one and a half hour trip with security to Chicken Street.  I didn’t take any street shots but it could be best described as a back street in China pre-Olympics except that the cement gutters were more like small six inch culverts that ran open between the walks next to the shops and the dirt street.  Glen (in the fur hat) helped me with the bargaining.  The most sophisticated shop owners were found in the carpet store where one could find museum quality rugs.  Beautiful!

Friday is Holy Day in Kabul, Afghanistan so the cooking and cleaning staff at the compound have the day off. We’ll have a brunch at 10 am this morning, but cold meats and cheese later according to the ex pats living here with me. The dining room is adjacent to my living quarters (bedroom with corner, window office and bath) so while I put up with a little extra noise, I have the boiling water (tea being the drink of choice), frig stocked with bottled water and sodas, and snacks including cold cereals, bread and peanut butter a door away. Luckily, COSTCO had Starbucks VIA on sale, and I stocked up, coffee being my personal drink of choice!

The jet lag (12.5 hours ahead) has subsided a bit. Up at 5:30 am today instead of the usual 3 am. Imagine it had something to do with being up late last night with Glen and Azad completing a two hour briefing! Glen said I looked like I was fading at 9 pm though we went until almost 9:45 pm.

At 10:30 am this morning, Glen arranged for a security transport so that we might enjoy a trip to “Chicken Street.” This shopping location is secure and a place to “haggle” for such things as carpets, azurite, and leather goods. We’ll be out for about an hour and a half. Should be interesting! I will take my camera though I don’t know if I will be allowed to take pictures?

It’s cloudy here today, the ground damp so it looks like there was a little rain last night. Snow flurries are predicted for the weekend. Sun is shining now.

Yesterday I accomplished work on my training materials by starting the Power Points for the Public Administration workshop. We are still in a state of flux as to when the classes with occur given we are still trying to build attendance. Azad made a call to a Minister last night to rally a few more people. I think we’ll start the Governance training on Monday so I need to spend the majority of my day on those materials and through the weekend.  This topic is much more interesting to me personally.

I am learning alot just by sharing meals with the group of ex pats living here on the EQUALS compound.  So many of these ex-pats are here with real committment to the people of Afghanistan with many making a real difference in individual lives.  The Afghan locals working here  have taken their wages to send their children to school, buy homes, and change their futures for the better.  As it is here, my experience is that development happens best one relationship at a time.

Safi Airlines required me to arrive at the Dubai airport 3 hours before my flight today leaving at noon–time to do additional reading in preparation for my governance and public administration facilitation! The flight from Dubai to Kabul was a little over 2 hours and now I’m another half hour time zone distant from Portland, Oregon–a total of 12 1/2 hours now ahead of Scott and Schroeder Law Offices Portland team.

There was a moment of hesitation as I boarded the plane today, thinking about what I was exactly preparing myself to do: Fly to Kabul, Afghanistan! Luckily, I didn’t miss a step.  Unexpectedly, the flight was closer to the ground than I expected so I saw the desert landscape along the way. As we approached Kabul for landing, the snow covered mountains surrounding Kabul were amazingly picturesque.  The “drop” into Kabul not as dramatic as expected.

“Pilgrims” security team met me at the airport. Inside Ahmad Shah greeted me just past passport inspection. The Kabul airport does not look that much different that Moscow’s airport looked in 1995 or so when I was there: dark with a lot of metal and marble floors! Ahmad Shaw helped me complete my registration card, and move the rest of the way through the arrival process inside the airport.

Once we left the airport, the sun was shining–a very pleasant day here, weather wise.  Crisp air—a few piles of snow in dark corners.  Wondered why I bothered bringing my Armenian down winter coat?

Walking me quickly across the parking lot, Ahmad Shah, delivered and quickly loaded me into the armored Humvee where Steven took over. Steven showed me the emergency procedures–including the panic button that was between he and the driver in the front seat. I sat behind him, a real body guard! Leaving the airport gates in the Humvee, Steven jumped out to retrieve his pistol which he was required to leave with the airport guards on entering. It took us about 20 minutes to arrive at the EQUALS compound where the security team gave me a tour and further briefing. They have procedures fine tuned for any kind of emergency including fire and earthquake. In security ops, there is a wall of screens monitoring the entire perimeter of the compound with 3 or more men watching the screens.

Following the security briefing, I met my long time family friend and expert hydrologist, Azad Mohammadi, who gave me a status of class preparations, dates, and other relevant details. He took me to dinner at the “mess hall” where shrimp, lasagna, and another dish with assorted vegetable sides were laid out. Nice to have meals together and meet all the people here working in the IRD project.  They have already invited me to play basketball, use the workout rooms (they have two), go bowling (yes in Kabul) and visit some shops—either with a body guard or with their approval, of course!

Glen Hearns, my supervisor on this mission, ate dinner with Azad and I advising us of the likely class size and potential learning structures. After dinner, Glenn and I talked longer about my work. Looks like the class with start Sunday or Monday with combined governance and public administration topics.

My apartment comes directly off the mess hall and common lounge area. It is very, very similar to the apartment I used at PA Consulting in Armenia. In fact, Kabul reminds me of Armenia with the marginal streets (paved on the main and unpaved every where else), garbage piled up in corners, half empty cement apartment buildings, open air shops sitting along the highway, and unfortunately the sad fact of war and poverty, people begging in and along the streets.

What wasn”t the same as Armenia, was all the security both up and down the street and at/in out compound. It sounds like tomorrow may involve a visit to the Ministry of Energy and Water which is where are official office site is located!

The history of Dubai begins in the mid-1800’s with a tribe settling here for fishing and pearls. Later organized as the United Arab Emirates, tribal leaders of the collected provinces worked together to build their future. Desalination plants now provide 97% of the water used in Dubai, a City whose wealth is moving from oil to an international business center.  Water attracts and Dubai Creek is no exception, attracting businesses from around the world.

Arrived in Dubai after a four hour flight from Portland to DC, a short layover, and a thirteen hour flight. Warm here at 83 degrees until the sun went down shortly after I arrived at my hotel.

The long lines as passport control (visa on the spot) gave me a view of a very mixed middle eastern culture with every kind of head dress and clothing. The majority of the women did not have their heads covered as a suspected that they would.  Many more men wearing full length robes (I need to learn the correct name for this attire) and white head coverings with braided black crown piece–perhaps that’s what the government people in Dubai wear?  Will learn more tomorrow.

On the landing approach, one views many mansions, obvious in the desert climate, with a swimming pool, lawns, palms, and impressive entrances. With advice from my Afghanistan security contact, Daryl made me reservations at the The Le Meridien, which as part of its club membership, sent a luxury car for my pick up at the airport, provided me fruit, sparkling water and ice in the room, and a happy hour (though I am not drinking alcohol during Lent).

Tomorrow, I will enjoy breakfast with my club membership, continue reading and preparing for the workshops on governance and public administration, enjoy one of the four pools, some sun, and take a short tour of Dubai (which I need to arrange).

While I slept pretty well on the ride from DC to Dubai, a shower and a horizontal sleep seems very inviting now!

Preparing for deployment for a USAID consulting mission to Afghanistan provides a few additional challenges than the usual international work. These included security briefings, determining and purchasing culturally appropriate clothing, and considerations of appropriate teaching methods.

The US State Department/USAID contractor that I am working for is IRD: http://www.ird.org/  My introduction toIRD came through Azad Mohammadi, my former expert witness for river modeling, and former City of Portland Water Bureau engineer.

Consultant to the firm, William F Schroeder, introduced me to Azad while we prepared for hearings in the Klamath Adjudication. Azad is now IRD’s Regional Director for the Mid-East.  To find out about some of the work that IRD is doing in Afghanistan check out http://www.ird.org/our-work/success-stories/recovering-from-loss-caused-by-conflict

John, IRD’s security chief stationed in Afghanistan, was extremely helpful to ease my concerns and perhaps some of the concerns of my family? I found the advice pretty consistent with international travel in general. A new helpful tip was a link to http://eurotalk.com/en/store/learn/dari/talknowdl/dl  which I will download in order to follow the security rule to memorize important local phrases in Dari!

As to “what to wear,” I met early on with women who were roommates with, friends of, or married into the conservative side of the Moslem faith and culture. I was also advised by men dealing with security and completing long term assignments in Afghanistan. Interestingly, the women and men had different advice. While the men said, “Just cover your head,” the women told me that I may be in danger of arrest for indecency if all my hair, skin from neck to wrist, and skin from neck to ankles was not covered! What to do?

Trusting the women on this and knowing that it will be easier to wear less than more, I searched the internet to complete some online shopping for culturally appropriate clothes. Confusion reigned! The clothing names, sizes, and how to wear the various items were all unfamiliar. Finally, I just “went for it” at” http://www.eastessence.com/ Later, I found out that I might have shopped in Portland, Oregon at http://www.al-ikhlas.com Maybe there is still time!

As to facilitation methods, I am expecting it will be a challenge. Not knowing the culture or my class make-up, I am still struggling with the workshop outlines in governance and public administration.  I have about a week to go before the actual workshops begin!  As my office manager, Ms. Daryl Cole advises frequently, “There is still time to panic!”   My Afghanistan IRD contact, Glen Hearns, the trans boundary water specialist has been working with me on SKYPE for the past month to assist me.  After arrival in Kabul, I expect that we will have intense work ahead of us.

Stay tuned!

Relationships of organizations are important in this week as Laura seeks to obtain approval of changes to assist farmers in Armenia. The organizational chart provides that once Laura’s work with Armenian’s attorneys in completed and implementation legislation is ready for government adoption, it must be approved first by Armenia’s Governing Council of the Millennium Challenge Account-Armenia (GC).

Friday’s highlights at the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) office included confirmation that the contractor developing the agricultural policy and legislation, AVAG Solutions, would indeed complete a further draft of its interim strategy in time for consideration by the GC at its meeting scheduled for next Friday, September 8, 2010.

The GC is chaired by the Republic of Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. It’s Chief Executive Officer is Laura’s in-country MCA contact, Ara Hovhannisyan who is head of the MCA. The GC’s scheduled meeting on September 10th will consider AVAG’s proposed agricultural water strategy document and the implementing legislation that Laura has been working on during this summer’s trips to Armenia for the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to attend a summit in New York on 20-22 September 2010 to accelerate progress towards the MDGs Visit the Summit website!

Laura’s work with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) hopes to assist in reaching the MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty & Hunger by increasing agricultural production in Armenia, a country which imports almost 80% of the food its people consume. Because of its continental climate, irrigation is essential to agriculture. The agricultural strategy and legislation that Laura is working on is targeting government reforms that will directly improve farmer access to sufficient irrigation supplies at a reasonable costs while seeking to be both financially and environmentally sustainable.

By a second trip in less than two months, Laura hopes to accelerate the government approval of the agricultural strategy and legislation to improve the irrigation sector in Armenia.

Alex Russin, MCC’s resident country director in Armenia, met with Laura Schroeder on Wednesday providing a status of he Armenian government’s adoption of agricultural policy and legislation.

Later, Laura met with Arusyak Alaverdyan, the World Bank Rural/Irrigation Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit for the Europe and Central Asia Region, to discuss the possible development of irrigation federations in Armenia. Ms Alaverdyan and the World Bank had previously been instrumental in developing Water User Associations in Armenia.

Approximately 27 hours after leaving the River House in Portland , Laura Schroeder arrived in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenia is in the Causus Mountain range with a continental climate much like that of eastern Oregon, southern Idaho and northern Nevada. Similarly, the climate dictates that water is THE issue when it comes to meeting the Millennium Challenge goal related to food security in this country.

A Millennium Challenge-Armenia sponsored study tour will begin in San Francisco, California on August 12, 2010 with a delegation of 19 individuals who have various roles in the Armenian irrigation sector.  California was the likely choice for this tour since the largest population of American Armenian Diaspora is located in the Los Angeles, California area where the tour will end.

The irrigable land in Armenia is 420,000 hectares (1,037,842 acres); however only a third of the irrigable area is cultivated (300-305k hectares or 741,300 acres) as a result of small plots that were designed following Armenia’s independence from Russia which utilized large collective farms.

One of the first sites that the tour will view on August 13, 2010 is the San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority which totals 2,100,000 acres or 849,839.8 hectares. This Authority manages water over twice the total irrigable acres in Armenia. Two member districts of SLDMWA will be visited by the Armenia irrigation sector tour delegation on Friday afternoon including the Firebaugh Canal Water District, which has made news for its water transfers to larger districts, as well as the San Luis Canal Company.

On August 13 the Armenian irrigation tour delegation will visit the Merced Irrigation District. MID’s irrigable acres includes approximately 164,314 acres or 66,495 hectares. Thus, MID provides irrigation service to approximately an area equal to 6% of the total irrigable acreage in Armenia. MID engages in a variety of activities in addition to irrigation such as producing hydro power. Unfortunately, profit making activities such as the production of hydro power are not legally possible for Armenian irrigation districts, called Water User Associations (“WUA”).   Armenia is currently divided into 44 WUAs.

The next day, the Armenian irrigation tour group will tour Friant Dam. The Friant Dam is owned by power concerns and the water stored provides irrigation to over a million acres in San Joaquin Valley. Thus, Friant provides water service to approximately 404685 Hectares which is equivalent to 96.4% of the entire irrigable acreage of Armenia. Similarly the Pine Flat Dam is owned by power concerns with a secondary use for irrigation by such entities as the Fresno Irrigation District.  The Fresno Irrigation District comprises 245,000 acres which is equivalent to 26.4% of the entire irrigable area of Armenia.

Following visits to various filtration system and water infrastructure supply companies on Monday, August 16, 2010, the Armenian irrigation delegation will tour the Alta Irrigation District that services approximately 111,000 cropped acres or approximately 44,920 hectares. This acreage is equivalent to approximately 10.7% of the total irrigated acres in Armenia. Alta’s water supply is provided from the Pine Flat Dam via the Kings River.

On Tuesday, August 17, the Armenian irrigation tour will visit the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District. (KDWCD) KDWCD and the Tulare Irrigation District (TID) formed a joint-power authority in 1982 – the Kaweah River Power Authority (KRPA). The KRPA filed for a license to construct a 17MW hydroelectric plant at Terminus Dam and Lake Kaweah. KRPA proceeded with design and construction of the plant, and the plant went on-line in 1992 delivering power to Southern California Edison Company.  TID delivers water to approximately 70,000 acres or 31,160 hectares equivalent to 6.7% of the total irrigable area of Armenia.

Completing Tuesday’s tour, the Armenian irrigation tour will visit the Friant Waterusers Authority otherwise known as the Friant Division of the Central Valley Project (CVP).  The Friant Division provides water to more that a million irrigated acres (404,685 hectares) equivalent to 96.35% of the total irrigable acres of Armenia.

The tour will end on August 19th after visits to gates, drip equipment, the California Training Facilities at California State Poytechnic University at San Luis Obispo and a water management demonstration site.

Laura Schroeder left the USA on Thursday, July 22, 2010 arriving in Yerevan, Armenia over 24 hours later. Her mission is to review the priorities for the development of agricultural policy legislation to meet the priority goal of the Millennium Challenge: to end poverty and hunger.

The United States worked with the Republic of Armenia to decide that the best ways to achieve this goal was to improve agricultural production and markets. A necessary component of increasing agricultural production in Armenia is to improve irrigation systems and management. In 2009, Laura assisted in the drafting of the agricultural policy which was adopted by the RA. Her mission for 2010 is to assist in the drafting of legislation related to the 5 identified priorities of the agricultural policy.

Laura began her work on Monday, July 26, 2010 to participate in the tour of MCC accomplishments with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, and the US Ambassador to Armenia, Marie L. Yovanovitch.

The tour included (1) A visit to the community of Merdzavan to see the lower Hrazdan main canal that was rehabilitated by funds from MCA-Armenia;
(2) A visit to the community of Artimet to see the rehabilitation of third level (near farm) ditches also rehabilitated by funds from MCA-Armenia;
(3) A visit to the community of Gridoedov to see the irrigation/agricultural development site funded by MCA-Armenia. This farm is owned by Sevan Jamalyan; and
(4) Finally a visit to a water user association,  Vagharshapat, whose director is Surik Sedrakyan.

Click here for more news of MCA

Laura is meeting with government officials from the Public Services Regulatory Commission to discuss the legislation.

In addition, she has already met with contractors assisting the implementation including AVAG Solutions, Ltd, and VISTAA.

The first goal of the Millennium Challenge adopted by United Nations declaration in 2000 is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml

The three targets for this goal are: (1) halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day; (2) achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people; and (3) halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

In Armenia this goal has translated into improving agricultural food production which in Armenia requires improved irrigation facilities and methods.

Laura Schroeder’s July-August 2010 mission is to work with the Millennium Challenge group and its contractor to draft legislation that will adopt and promote the goals of agricultural water policy to achieve improved use of land and water resources in Armenia for food production.

As attorneys for the Oregon Ground Water Association (OGWA), Schroeder Law Offices was pleased to do the legal research that successfully overturned the Oregon Water Resources Department’s determination of fees. As a result of advocacy for OGWA, refunds of over $100,000 were paid back to Oregon citizens after the Oregon Water Resources Department was found to have erroneously “jumped the gun” and required payment of fees before the Governor had signed the fee increase into law. For details, see

http://www.capitalpress.info/content/ml-water-fees-101609

This comes from Terry Witt at Oregonians for Food and Shelter:

This is a new National Corn Growers Association video on the subject of increased sustainability in agriculture.  It debuted October 3 on the program This Week in Agribusiness. The short video features family farmers telling the story of how better management and modern technology spells good news for both consumers and the environment.  The video does a nice job talking about how responsible farm management is helping everything from carbon emission, to soil erosion, to food prices. Click here to watch the video.

Do you keep your deeds in the safe? A secure file?  If so, you surely know what water uses you are entitled to and have these records kept safe and secure reviewing them annually?

If not, you’re lucky that the state has records on the water uses related to your property.  However, it’s unlikely these records have not been reviewed in the recent past.  It is also probable that there are lurking “time bombs” in your water use records.  Such “time bombs” include:  (1) Permits or Transfer orders that need extensions; (2)  Permit Conditions that have not been met; (3) Final Proofs past due; (4)  Certificates yet to be issued.

For a fixed fee of $375 and a copy of your property deeds, Schroeder Law Offices, PC, will make a public records request to the proper agency, make a complete copy of your water rights providing you with either a paper or electronic copy or both, as well as one hour of free consultation to provide you an overview on the phone and a summary in writing of issues spotted in your water right files needing attention.

Email Ms Daryl Cole (d.cole@water-law.com) now to begin the process—and start the New Year out right knowing that your water rights are secure!

Federal Judge Robert C. Jones called Schroeder Law Offices attorney Laura Schroeder and others to court today to end 29 years of litigation related to over 200 transfer applications filed by various farmers in the Newlands Project, Nevada.  These transfers were tied up for years by the Pyramid Lake Indian Tribe appeals to Nevada State Engineer rulings on the issues of lack of perfection, forfeiture and abandonment.

Decisions on these transfers were complicated by two factors:

1. The United States issued individual contracts for the storage water in the Newlands Project rather than through an irrigation district (now the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District); and
2. The Orr Ditch Decree and Alpine Decree issued water rights to the Newlands Project farmers in a lump acres allocation rather than describing the allowed decreed water rights for irrigation to particularly described acres.

Today’s final order from the bench at last closed the matter.  Ultimately, a few farmers gained approved water right transfers, many farmers lost water righted acres, and some farmers simply withdrew as the transfer process became too costly over the many years.  A confirming written order will follow shortly.

Today- September 30, 2009, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals issued a major decision in favor of Stockton East Water District and the Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District determining that the US Bureau of Reclamation and the Districts have binding contracts for specified quantities of water to which Reclamation is obligated to provide.

The underlying trial court, the Court of Claims found, Reclamation failed to provide those specified quantities from 1990 to 2004.  Accordingly the Court remanded the case to determine the amount of damages owed by the US Bureau of Reclamation to the Stockton and Central San Joaquin districts.

Completing a teaching tour through Central Nevada, it will come as no surprise that the number one issue in the minds of participants are the duties of the Southern Nevada Water Authority to counties from which it intends to export water.  Emphasis was placed on the need for affected counties to be involved in the transfer and exporting process as provided by Nevada water law.