Rice County has recently stepped up its game in water management by appointing its first full-time ditch manager, a local farm boy made good, Jarett Spitzack. This position, traditionally contracted out part-time, now sits snugly within the county's Highway Department. As reported by Rice County's official announcements, Spitzack brings a hands-on approach to managing the 25-county ditch system, intertwined with the needs of local agricultural communities.
Spitzack's roots are deep in the farming culture of Walcott Township, which has supposedly prepared him well for his role overseeing ditches that are critical, though often overlooked, infrastructure for the area's landowners and farmers. According to his attire during high school, comprised of work boots and Carhartts, he's no stranger to the practical demands of rural life. The recent flooding in June demonstrated the importance of this role, with Spitzack stepping confidently into the breach to conduct inspections and offer support to affected property owners.
In a statement made by Rice County, Highway Engineer Dennis Luebbe expressed confidence in the impact of transitioning to a full-time ditch manager: "this new relationship will be a significant improvement for the property owners along these ditches." Spitzack's education paints him as tailor-made for the job, having majored in rangeland sciences and with experiences ranging from goat-herding for land management to soil and water conservation.
Despite ditch management seeming a niche field, Spitzack's qualifications hint at the critical balance between agriculture and natural resource management. He has been busy, merging files and building databases to keep better tabs on the ditches – a blend of field boots on the ground and modern technology. “I want to be able to alleviate or help solve some of the issues they’re facing,” he reportedly told Rice County, detailing his eagerness to foster his relationship with local farmers.
