Bend Bulletin - Conservation projects in the wings as irrigation districts prepare to shut off water
As cooler weather begins to settle in and farmers harvest their final crops for the year, irrigation districts across Central Oregon are preparing to wind down operations.
Patrons are planning for water shut-offs and some districts are preparing for infrastructure projects to convert their antiquated canals into closed pipes.
Kate Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Deschutes River Conservancy, a non-profit, said her organization is helping to facilitate $6 million worth of projects during the upcoming construction season, including piping and on-farm conservation work with Central Oregon Irrigation District.
One of the largest infrastructure projects this winter is phase two of Arnold Irrigation District’s canal piping project. This winter the district, which serves land on the east side of Bend, plans to pipe around 3.7 miles of canal, adding to the 3.8 miles piped last winter.
When the project is complete — expected during the winter of 2025-2026 — Arnold Irrigation District’s $35 million project will feature 12 miles of pipe and conserve 32.5 cubic feet of water per second in the Deschutes River.
The piping is expected to help Arnold extend its irrigation season. The district has been chronically short of water in recent years — it was forced to shut off water to patrons mid-season between 2020 and 2023.
Colin Wills, the general manager for the district, said this irrigation season marks a turnaround for patrons.
“Piping phase one helped extend the season but increased precipitation and snowfall also helped. It was a combination of things,” said Wills. “As of the end of August, we still had 4,800 acre-feet of storage (in reservoirs) that has not happened in five years.”
Wills said the district will cease water deliveries to patrons on Sept. 30 so it can begin its piping work in October.
Elsewhere in the Deschutes Basin
• Lone Pine Irrigation District: Water deliveries will end on Oct. 15. Construction will start on phase two of the district’s piping project. This phase will conserve 1.5 cubic feet of water per second by installing 4.2 miles of pipe on its main canal and laterals.
• Ochoco Irrigation District: General manager Bruce Scanlon said a water shut-off is likely to occur in the first week of October and a set date should be announced within days. Scanlon said over the winter the district will install approximately 6,000 linear feet of pipe in its canal network.
• Swalley Irrigation District: The district began ramping down its water deliveries to 50% of peak levels this week, said general manager Jer Camarata. More reductions will be made to 30% of peak levels over the next two weeks. Shut down is expected to occur in the fourth or fifth week of October. About 1.5 miles of the district’s main canal will be piped this winter, conserving 4 cubic feet of water per second.
• Three Sisters Irrigation District: General manager Marc Thalacker said the district plans to finish deliveries of water at the end of October. Peak deliveries occurred in August and are now at 40% of peak levels, dropping to 30% next week. Thalacker said his district will pipe the final two miles of the Cloverdale Ditch this winter, marking 65 miles of district-wide piping. Piping allows the district to increase its water conservation of Whychus Creek, the primary source of the district’s water.
• Tumalo Irrigation District: Water will be turned off on Sept. 23, which is average for the district, said general manager Chris Schull. This winter the district will conduct general maintenance. This will be the first in eight years that piping will not occur because of pending funding decisions. Schull said this has been the best irrigation season in five years, mainly due to improved natural flow in the Deschutes River and Tumalo Creek. A 12.5-mile-long piping project completed last year has also helped improve the district’s control of its water resources, he said.
• North Unit Irrigation District: This year the district began the season with an allotment of 1-acre-foot per acre from the Deschutes River and 0.5-acre-foot from the Crooked River. The patron allotment increased over the season (due to favorable weather conditions and water availability) to 1.2-acre-foot from the Deschutes and 0.6-acre-foot from the Crooked. Despite the increases, farmers across the district are still fallowing around half their land due to chronic water shortages. The district has set Oct. 11 as its cut-off date for water delivery (patrons can order water on Oct. 10). The district may continue to divert water after Oct. 11 to refill Haystack Reservoir.
• Central Oregon Irrigation District: District patrons did not incur any drought-related curtailments this year. The district plans to start its season ramp down on Sept. 15 when flows will drop to 75%. Tentative season shut off is Oct. 15. The district is working on a draft environmental impact statement for its Pilot Butte Canal piping project. A draft of the statement is expected to be made available in the first quarter of 2025 for review and comment period. In August the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Central Oregon Irrigation District was one of 18 districts to be awarded federal funds to invest in water conservation projects. The district was awarded $15 million.
