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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2019)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 LOCAL & STATE BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A Irrigation and aggravation ■ Modernizing irrigation systems in Oregon isn’t always a simple process of replacing open canals with pressurized pipes recharge, because if those canals weren’t there, that recharge wouldn’t occur any- way,” said Britton, manager of NUID. Such unintended impacts have led some irrigators to believe government policies in the past have been overly zealous in promoting the piping of canals and urging farmers to abandon fl ood irrigation. By Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press BEND — Though prevent- ing leaky canals from losing water doesn’t seem like a par- ticularly controversial idea, irrigators in Central Oregon have found out otherwise. The plan appears to be a quintessential “win-win” for agriculture and the environ- ment: replacing open canals with piping will save 40% of the water that would other- wise seep into the ground, enhancing the aquatic habi- tat of the threatened Oregon spotted frog. Changing the traditional way of doing things is often complicated, however, and modernizing irrigation sys- tems across the arid West is no exception. More effi cient systems have clear benefi ts but can cause disruptions, such as reducing the amount of irrigation water that previ- ously recharged aquifers or returned fl ows to rivers late in the summer. One of the obstructions for the Central Oregon Irrigation District has turned out to be the scenic value created by a 1.5-mile stretch of open canal that runs through a well- heeled neighborhood of Bend. “If you want to talk hurdles, I’ve got a lot of them,” said Craig Horrell, the managing director of the district, which provides water to 45,000 acres in the region. Neighbors intent on preserving the canal have nominated it as a historic site, potentially triggering a land use fi ght that could cost mil- lions of dollars in litigation. The irrigation district plans to bypass that stretch of open canal by burying the pipe along another path, though the dispute has yet to be fully resolved. In other historic areas, the district will bury piping for irrigation in the ground while still allowing water to course through the open canal as a circulating water feature to avoid upsetting local sensi- bilities. “Actually laying the pipe is easy. It’s getting to that point,” said Mike Britton, manager of the North Unit Irrigation District, which provides water to nearly 59,000 acres in the region. Unintended consequences Open canals in more remote areas are unlikely to encounter such aesthetically based objections to piping, but projects aimed at irrigation effi ciency may nonetheless have unintended consequenc- es for other irrigators and river hydrology. In the Deschutes River Basin, irrigation overhauls are not only being driven by effi ciency but also by regula- tory necessity. Winter fl ows that are stored in a reservoir by the North Unit Irrigation District are being released to improve habitat for the Oregon spot- ted frog, which is protected under the federal Endan- gered Species Act. Those irrigators will instead rely on summer fl ows from water conserved by piping canals in the Central Oregon Irrigation District. Natural cycles Historical fl ood irrigation mimics natural cycles that benefi t irrigators as well as the ecology of a watershed, said Fred Otley, a rancher in Diamond, who draws water Mateusz Perkowski / Capital Press from the Donner und Blitzen Wes Morgan, manager of the Burnt River Irrigation District, stands next to the Unity River system in Eastern Reservoir from which downstream irrigators draw their water. Oregon. “When regulators and policy makers say that’s the methods. “When regulators and policy makers say that’s the “If that runoff stops, they’re thing to do without looking thing to do without looking at the whole picture, at the whole picture, it can kind of out of luck from a it can have a very negative impact. The move to have a very negative impact,” water rights perspective,” Otley said. Liljefelt said. “You can’t force sprinklers can be fi ne as long as it doesn’t replace Flood irrigation serves a people to irrigate more to fl ood irrigation.” provide runoff, or to irrigate “capture, storage and release” — Fred Otley, Harney County rancher differently to provide runoff.” function, as water can remain A similar dynamic can oc- in the soil for three weeks to “The canals people have individual growers can be cur if an irrigator who draws three months before re-enter- ing the stream, he said. enjoyed walking along are defused or resolved equitably groundwater from a deep, That delayed water boosts going to change because they because the system is man- confi ned aquifer shifts to a stream fl ows during late have to,” said Horrell, COID’s aged as a whole. more effi cient method, such summer, prolonging ir- managing director. as drip or micro-irrigation. Impacting neighbors rigation season while also Less water will then fl ow Transformative change In the Eagle Point Irriga- into a nearby stream or river cooling the water for fi sh and For the Powder Valley tion District, which delivers enabling the growth of ripar- — potentially affecting sur- Water Control District in water to more than 8,000 face water irrigators — even ian plants for wildlife habitat, Eastern Oregon, invest- acres in southwest Oregon, a as the underground aqui- Otley said. ments in piping and reservoir planned change in irrigation fer benefi ts from curtailed “Water in this system is development made more than practices requires a $1,250 used over and over again,” he pumping. four decades ago have proven fee plus charges for staff said. Conversely, piping canals transformative for individual time, which pays for a review and curtailing fl ood irrigation Without fl ood irrigation, irrigators. that’s intended to prevent can reduce the infi ltration of water would travel down- Water delivered through harm to other patrons from stream during spring until water into aquifers in some pipelines is pressurized, so modifi ed water fl ows. collecting in an inland lake, areas, potentially drying up growers could switch from “The district has more wells or forcing groundwater and would eventually be lost fl ood irrigation to center piv- control over what individuals irrigators to dig deeper ones. to evaporation, he said. “It ots and wheel lines without are doing within the district,” primarily happens due to “It’s really artifi cial spending money on electric- said Sarah Liljefelt, an attor- ity for pumps. The system ney specializing in water law. has also allowed farmers to When irrigation prac- irrigate more land — about tices are changed outside a one-third of the district’s district, however, growers are 15,000 irrigated acres grew directly subject to the “prior drylands crops before the de- appropriations” system of velopment of reservoirs and Western water law under piped canals. which junior users may “We conserve a whole lot lose the ability to irrigate of water and we can irrigate so that fl ows to senior users additional acres with the with older water rights are gravity pressure also,” said preserved. Lyle Umpleby, the district’s Under this doctrine, a manager. “We’ve increased senior water right holder the crop production im- may request that state water mensely.” regulators shut down irriga- Aside from agronomic tion by a junior user. considerations, the pressur- Also, if a farmer invests in ized pipes may someday be sprinklers or other effi cient outfi tted with hydroelectric technology and stops fl ood turbines to generate renew- irrigating, it’s possible to re- able power. allocate much of that saved To an extent, investments water to additional acre- - ON A SET OF 4 SELECT LIGHT TRUCK AND in effi ciency made by individ- age — potentially reducing ual irrigators were prompted return fl ows to a river. by the altered fl ow of water Senior users can then issue across the district. a “call” to protect their access When most of the acreage to water, but it may or may was fed by open canals that not be the irrigator who in- farmers used to fl ood irrigate vested in effi ciency who ends their fi elds, excess water up “regulated off.” traveled from one property to “It’s not a direct correlation another. to a specifi c water user who As some growers moved has made changes,” Liljefelt away from fl ood irrigation, said, adding that shut-offs however, their downhill are decided based on the neighbors could no longer priority date of water rights. count on those fl ows and “The water master won’t pick had to tap into the pipelines and chose.” themselves. 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Portland recently,” Baker City Mayor Loran Residents can take pictures with the Blaz- Joseph said. ers’ 1977 NBA championship trophy and win Main Street will be closed between Wash- game tickets and other prizes. ington and Court avenues from approximate- In addition to the community event on ly 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday so offi cials can Main Street, the Rip City Rally will visit set up a basketball court, City Manager Fred Baker City schools, including an assembly at Warner Jr. said. Brooklyn Primary and “PE class takeovers” at Residents are invited to play basketball Baker Middle School and Haines Elementary. with former Trail Blazers during the free Rip Other stops on the tour include La Grande City Fair from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Sept. 10) and Hermiston (Sept. 11). SALE $ SAVE 152 UP TO • Mud & snow rated BLAZERS well-intentioned policy.” Otley said he doesn’t op- pose investments in irriga- tion effi ciency as long as it’s supplementary to the more traditional method. “The move to sprinklers can be fi ne as long as it doesn’t replace fl ood irriga- tion,” he said. In the Burnt River Irriga- tion District that supplies water to about 20,000 acres in southern Baker County, irrigators rely on a mix of traditional fl ood irrigation in lowland areas and sprinklers in upland areas. There’s more interest in investments in effi ciency, including center pivots and wheel lines, above the dis- trict’s Unity Lake reservoir, where canals carry water to more distant fi elds, said Wes Morgan, the district’s manager. Below the reservoir, where fl ood irrigation is dominant, farmers are wary of pip- ing and other changes that would jeopardize the return fl ows they rely upon, he said. “All the fl ood irrigation comes back to the river,” Morgan said. Ultimately, though, major disruptions to the district’s ir- rigation system are unlikely due to the region’s agricul- tural economy. The soil and climate are most suitable for raising hay that’s fed to cattle, rather than more valuable crops that would warrant replac- ing open canals and buying expensive irrigation equip- ment. “You just couldn’t put a pencil to it and justify a pipe,” Morgan said. “It’s tough to make money putting hay through a cow.” • Designed for comfort SUV TIRES - Back Country MT •Cut and chip resistant • Outstanding mud and snow traction • Severe duty applications • Durable 3-ply sidewall We gladly make appointments. 210 Bridge Street, Baker City 541-523-3679 After Hours: 541-518-7100 View prices and book an appointment at www.LewSchwab.com Off er valid September 1st - October 31st, 2019 Limited time off er. While supplies last. Discount depends on the tire size & type. Cannot be combined with other off ers.