We write to you today as Jefferson County farmers and dedicated members of Central Oregon’s community. Our region stands at pivotal crossroads where decisions made today will shape our future for generations to come.

Central Oregon has grown tremendously over a century. Our water infrastructure, which served us well for much of this time, faces new challenges. Greater demands on our water resources, from cities, towns, and the environment, make collaboration and innovation crucial.

Our region resembles a complex jigsaw puzzle, where each piece represents an essential part of our community. Farmers, ranchers, and irrigation districts are important pieces of this puzzle, and our success depends on our unity. Partnerships between districts like Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID) and North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) demonstrate how we can work together to build a more robust future for our region.

COID and NUID have embraced this collaborative spirit, working together to enhance water reliability, restore fish and wildlife habitats, and invest in infrastructure supporting the Deschutes Basin. We’re finding numerous ways to conserve water, including piping old irrigation canals to reduce evaporation. We’ve done this by establishing a framework for sharing the water created by our piping projects. These efforts have led to substantial investments, totaling over $53 million, in our region’s infrastructure and long term viability.

The stakes in this endeavor are high, and this is where the Deschutes Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) comes into play. It’s the outcome of over a decade of scientific research and community collaboration, offering a practical approach to conserve and safeguard our water supplies over the next three decades. COID and NUID are dedicated to implementing the HCP, ensuring a future where water sustains us all, our economy thrives, and our commitment to the environment is evident in every drop conserved.

COID’s Pilot Butte Canal piping project is a prime example of this collaboration. Replacing 21 miles of open canal with pipes saves water, where losses can reach up to 45% due to seepage and evaporation. Piping this canal will save 156 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water, and it’s projected to enhance on-farm efficiencies, saving an additional 69 cfs. This equates to an astounding 12 billion gallons of water saved annually.

The impact of this endeavor is multifaceted, benefiting COID landowners with increased water reliability, operational efficiencies, and opportunities for pressurized water delivery. Meanwhile, it would also significantly benefit Jefferson County farm and ranch families, particularly those who rely on junior water rights like us. Water savings from COID’s conservation measures will be shared with NUID and other junior water right holders, ensuring water availability even in dry years. NUID will then be able to make Wickiup Reservoir water available, increasing winter flows in the Upper Deschutes River, helping to meet HCP requirements, and benefiting Oregon spotted frog and other fish and wildlife.

Unfortunately, some people seem to oppose piping these older canals. Efforts to halt COID from piping the Pilot Butte Canal would negatively impact all Jefferson County farmers and our region. It would also reduce the amount of future instream flows for fish and wildlife. We need organizations to support COID’s efforts and promote collaboration rather than pitting irrigation districts against each other.

Halting COID’s conservation measures would hurt our businesses and lead to an economic fallout causing significant hardship.

To secure our farming tradition, our agricultural economy, and our way of life, it’s essential for irrigation districts, farmers, elected officials, and our communities to unite. Together, we can enhance drought resistance, improve irrigation efficiency, and increase instream flows for fish and wildlife. Our effort is crucial, akin to fitting the pieces of a puzzle together to complete the picture.

Please support projects like COID’s piping initiative and keep the spirit of collaboration alive. We are, after all, partners in progress, tirelessly working to secure a sustainable future for Central Oregon.

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