BEND, OR -- Arnold Irrigation District continues to face criticism over a planned piping project. A group called Save Arnold Canal is moving forward with a federal lawsuit to stop the work. Irrigation District General Manager Steve Johnson told Deschutes County Commissioners this week there is a lot of misinformation going around, especially about the impact of construction, "I’d heard the comments about somehow expanding the easement or driving closer to people’s homes, or whatever, and that’s just not the case. It’ll be within the area that we operate now. And the footprint after restoration will actually be 30’ instead of approximately 45." He says that’s because the new access road will be on top of the pipe.
Johnson also said opponents’ claims that lining the canal would be cheaper and less invasive are false, "The initial cost for piping is less than the canal lining, and over the course of 100 years, the canal lining will have to be replaced two to three times. So, piping is more or less a ‘one and done,’ economically. We have that funding from the federal government, we’re going to put that in the ground, we’re going to find our match, and it’ll last several generations."
After previously supporting the district's piping project, County Commissioner Patti Adair now questions whether it’s an effective way to conserve water. During this week's presentation by the district, Adair said she’s heard from people worried about well water, "Because we’ve done all this piping, we’re really losing the seepage and a lot of wells have been impacted in Deschutes County." She also wants to do more for Jefferson County farmers struggling under drought conditions.
Johnson told her each piping project helps, "All of the projects being piped with the conserved water placed in stream during irrigation season, that is flowing to North Unit." Commissioner Phil Chang followed up, "So, it’s really important to understand, if we care about the North Unit Irrigation District and we want to help them, supporting projects in Deschutes County … one of the best things we can do."
