Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden recently announced that the Bureau of Reclamation is sending a total of $37.4 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to three irrigation districts in Central Oregon for piping projects that will boost drought resiliency, conserve almost 5,000 acre-feet of water annually, and create stronger aquatic ecosystems in the Deschutes River Basin. Ochoco Irrigation District is one of the districts, receiving $8 million for its project to convert more than eight miles of open canal to buried pipe.
“OID is excited to hear this news,” said Bruce Scanlon, Ochoco Irrigation District Manager. “This project will provide multiple benefits to the Crook County community. Improved efficiency in water management will create conserved water and improve drought resiliency. We are thankful to those who have made this funding possible.”
The funds come from the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $550 million for the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to implement domestic water supply projects and $4 billion for water conservation and ecosystem projects in the Colorado River Basin and other basins experiencing similar levels of long-term drought. BOR has announced more than $3.2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for 223 drought mitigation projects, 39 domestic water supply projects, seven emergency relief projects for Tribal communities and four canal improvement projects.