Joe Kline/The BulletinWater for irrigation flows into the North Unit diversion canal after being released on Wednesday morning in Bend.

The fish screens at the head of the North Unit Irrigation District canal have been in place since around the end of WWII. Now the district, which delivers water from the Deschutes River to farmers in Jefferson County, has raised the funds to replace them.

North Unit has patched together $10 million from various sources to purchase and install the screens, which primarily serve to keep fish out of North Unit’s canal. The screens also help with water efficiency and management by reducing the amount of debris that can clog or enter the canal system.

“The screens ensure a consistent and reliable flow of water by preventing blockages,” said Mike Britton, North Unit’s executive manager. “Screens also keep out other aquatic species, other than fish, that may be in the water.”

Britton says once the new screens are installed, normal operations and maintenance activities can be reduced, allowing crews to focus on other areas of the North Unit irrigation system.

“Given our current screen’s age, we perform multiple repairs, sometimes significant, each irrigation season,” said Britton. “The new screens will be self-cleaning screens that will reduce the need for manual maintenance and cleaning, saving … time and resources.”

The project includes installation of flat-plate screens and a traveling-screen cleaning system at the head of the canal on Bend’s north side.

The traveling screens help the filtering process and prevent debris from collecting in one location. It does this with the use of an automated brush that moves up and down the flat panel screen. The new system will also reduce debris and sediment that can clog up pipes further down the system.

The system replaces one installed during project construction in 1945. Funding for the project includes a $5.9 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, announced in 2023.

Recent approved non-federal funding includes $750,000 from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, $1.97 million from Oregon Water Resources Department and $1 million from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Another $750,000 from the department of fish and wildlife is pending.

When North Unit first began looking into replacing the fish screens in the early 2000s the expected cost was $3 million. After a reevaluation in 2015 the cost increased to $6 million. The most recent estimate is $9.7 million, Britton said.

With funds for the project in place, North Unit now begins the process of hiring a contractor to do the work. Britton says he expects work to start in the fall. A timeline for completion depends on contractor and materials availability.