Addressing water waste in Central Oregon
Climate change and drought are driving a set of significant challenges for water distribution and availability in Central Oregon. How we manage water could help mitigate these challenges and create a brighter future for our farms, rivers, and communities.
In order to better understand how local irrigators feel about water management practices, Central Oregon LandWatch, the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance, and Owen Murphy, professor of Health and Human Performance at Central Oregon Community College, implemented a joint survey to Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID) patrons in February 2023.
We believe that the best ideas for improving water management will come from irrigators themselves – the people most directly affected by the problems. Analysis of the 465 responses revealed that, while some patrons were satisfied with water management in the district, a number of priority issues are common concerns for many COID irrigators. These are detailed below and illustrated by anonymized quotes from COID patrons who responded to our survey.
Monitoring water delivery and use
Respondents reported a lack of monitoring infrastructure for quantifying the amount of water delivered to and used by patrons. This has led to uncertainty amongst irrigators and systemic challenges to conservation.
Patron Perspectives:
“To my knowledge, there is no push to meter water in COID like they do in the North Unit, leading to business as usual practices. Piping canals is all well and good – assuming the aquifer remains where it is – but we should be doing more to help individual patrons conserve water.”
“Water usage is not measured in any way. We could leave our water on 24/7 for months and no one would ever know.”
Improving irrigation infrastructure
Significant amounts of water are lost during transmission in open canals through seepage and evaporation. Irrigators also reported open canal maintenance issues (clogs, etc.) hindering efficient delivery of water. The promotion of canal piping projects emerged as a popular potential solution.
Patron Perspectives:
Credit: Deschutes River Conservancy
“There is significant opportunity to better conserve water by landowners from delivery to point of use. Having an incentive to encourage landowners to pipe small ditches and line their holding ponds would be a potential area of emphasis.”
“I wanted to participate in the water banking program, but was told that my area was ineligible because COID could not continue to deliver water to my neighbors if it didn't also deliver to our property. I think this was because of the delivery system; the canals and laterals need a minimum amount of water in them to be able to move said water. I know that COID is piping the main canals, but if the private laterals aren't also piped, then we still have the problem of having to keep a minimum amount of water flowing. This makes it impossible to only deliver what is demanded by patrons like myself.”
“The system that delivers water to my street is ancient and needs improving. It is a huge waste of water.”
"From discussions with COID staff, it appears they are aware of the local challenges and are applying for state and federal funding to upgrade and improve water delivery and efficiency. It appears they don't have the resources they need, but I think they are trying."
“Piping is a giant step forward. COID also needs to manage delivery, so all patrons receive the water they are allotted – no more or less.”
Addressing wasteful irrigation practices
Many survey respondents reported observing neighboring patrons routinely relying on inefficient irrigation methods (such as flooding) to use up the full amount of their water rights.
Patron Perspectives:
Credit: Caitlyn Burford
“I have seen flood irrigation in neighboring pastures that is so excessive, marsh grasses compete with forage. I see pivots and wheel lines watering 24/7 and frequently spilling over onto the road.”
“Flood irrigation seems very wasteful, and several of my neighbors do not engineer their ditches properly, such that at least 50% of their allotted water overflows off of their property every week during their water cycle.”
“There is a patron above us that uses flood irrigation that is constantly flooding into our street, and another patron downstream of us who does the same.”
“It doesn’t seem right that those of us who have a sprinkler system get the same time per acre as those who use flooding. Flooding is a lot less efficient and uses so much more water than those of us who use sprinklers.”
Reforming existing water policy
In order to alleviate existing policy pressures that often compel water right holders to use more than they need (“use it or lose it”), patrons reported a need for water policy reform to facilitate easier redistribution and conservation without jeopardizing water rights.
Patron Perspectives:
“The old water rights are out of date and allocated more water originally than was ever possible. The use it or lose it rule causes people to use more than they need and water unnecessarily. I know these rules are extremely difficult to change but it needs doing.”
“There is no incentive to conserve water so property owners don't. COID only tells us when we haven't used enough to maintain our water rights, but not when we're using too much.”
“I’d love to be rewarded for conserving water and I’d love knowing that the water I conserve goes back into the river. Right now if it bypasses my pond it goes to the neighbor’s, and then the rest goes into oblivion from what I know.”
“I realize it's hard, but truly, the water should be allocated to farms that actually produce something, regardless of where their property lies in the hierarchy of water rights.”
“I sincerely hope that there is a concerted effort among all stake-holders (which I believe includes city-dwellers too!) to address the real and urgent crisis of drought and climate change and to work quickly and cooperatively towards lasting solutions to save our local farms.”
It’s clear there is an appetite amongst patrons for solutions to wasteful irrigation practices, improved irrigation infrastructure, and policy reform to allow easier reallocation of water to those who need it the most.
As the impacts of climate change and drought put additional pressure on Central Oregon, water managers must continue to invest in innovative solutions to water waste to meet the needs of our agricultural producers, communities, and ecosystem.