The Deschutes County Commissioners will be deciding in a couple weeks whether to allow the Central Oregon Irrigation District to pipe a section of canal in northeast Bend.

City Councilor Mark Capell made a point during this week's city council to show the commissioner's the council's support on this issue.

"So what I'm asking the council to do is to give support at the meeting on July 2nd.  If there are any councilors who want to go with me.  But I think a vote of support would be an advantage for the irrigation district to be able to do this.  If we really want to stand behind our intention to increase river flows, then we have to support this. Because if it fails, it is going to hurt piping projects up and down the basin."

Councilor Sally Russell agrees.  

"We have to make a decision on the greater good of the community to pipe these canals.  The long term health of our river and community depend on it and water conservation is going to be all the more improtant as we move forward.  So it's something we have to support."

The Deschutes County Commissioners will be deciding at their meeting on July 2nd whether COID can pipe the canal near Juniper Ridge.