Solving the Water Distribution Problem in the Deschutes
Part 2 of our new series, as we dive into U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s conservation plan for the Deschutes River Basin.
Last week, we began our analysis of the HCP final draft. We outlined the significant discrepancies between our recommended flow rate improvements for the Deschutes, compared to the insufficient enhancements they propose for the next 30 years. It simply is not enough.
The irrigation districts claim that it’s not feasible to do more. We argue that if, in addition to district canal piping, they were more open to a combination of market-based strategies and on-farm improvements, the irrigation districts could meet our proposed goals.
How do we get there?
The fastest way to help both farmers and the river is to combine water conservation projects and market-based incentives in an integrated strategy.
Private laterals (small irrigation ditches on private land) can be piped at a low cost and significantly reduce water delivery problems. As private laterals are piped, and turnouts to landowners are metered (currently un-measured), landowners can be offered financial incentives to use less water. These transactions could include temporary leasing or permanent transfer of water rights under the State of Oregon’s transfer statute and diminishing water use through contract (offering landowners money to use less water in a particular year).
The state’s water rights priority system currently favors landowners with senior water rights. These include thousands of properties in COID that are hobby farms or irrigated land inside the Urban Growth Boundary. Most farmers whose livelihoods depend on farming income are in NUID, but they have the most junior rights and are last in line for water from the Deschutes. Shifting the priority to NUID farms can be accomplished through water conservation projects (eliminating waste) and financial incentives that reallocate water rights.
Oregon Spotted Frog - Photo by Brome McCreary
The Oregon Spotted Frog requires 600 cfs in the winter and the summer-flood flows that scour the banks of vegetation must be reduced to 1200 cfs. Currently, minimum flows for native fish are around 300 cfs. Models project that when 600 cfs is released from Wickiup all winter, NUID could experience a water shortage of approximately 110,000 af in dry years, considerably less in normal years. To protect against the dry year shortages (2 out of 10 years), COID and NUID could implement an integrated conservation strategy that prioritizes piping private laterals and using financial incentives to reduce irrigation demand.
Bottom line: We believe that with a strategy that combines market-based solutions and infrastructure improvements, we should be able to see summer flows reduced to 1200 cfs and winter flows increased to 600 cfs.
We can’t compel the irrigation districts to implement these changes, but we’ve recommended tested and proven market-based strategies that could get to work today. It’s a shame they’re ignoring these suggestions and are instead taking the longer, more expensive route with few, if any, near term benefits for our farmers or fish.
Do you know your Water Lingo?
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is an enforceable agreement between irrigation districts and federal agencies meant to reduce the harmful effects of irrigation.
Cubic Feet per Second (cfs): a unit of measure, the rate at which water flows
Acre Feet (af): one acre foot equals one foot of standing on an acre of land
In our area, there are eight irrigation districts, all competing for water resources from the Deschutes River Basin:
1. Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID)
2. Lone Pine Irrigation District (LPID)
3. Arnold Irrigation District (AID)
4. North Unit Irrigation District (NUID)
5. Swalley Irrigation District (SID)
6. Tumalo Irrigation District (TID)
7. Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID)
8. Ochoco Irrigation District (OID)
Deschutes Basin Board of Control (DBBC) is an association of the eight districts
Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)