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The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Oregon State Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Central Oregon Irrigation District
(COID) Pilot Butte Canal (PBC) Project in the proximity of Redmond and Bend.
The EIS process will examine three alignment alternatives for replacing the existing PBC with a piped and pressurized system. The purpose of the new system is to promote irrigation water conservation on approximately 21 miles of COID-owned infrastructure, improve water delivery reliability to COID patrons, and reduce long-term operation and maintenance costs.
NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues and potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals, Tribes, and Federal, State and local agencies and jurisdictions.
The need for watershed planning is established and implementation of management actions are authorized under Public Law 83-566, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, as amended, and Public Law 78-534, the Flood Control Act of 1944.
The public meeting scheduled for July 19, 2022, is part of the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS. The NOI formal scoping period closes July 18, 2022, however with the publication of this Notice Of Availability, the closure of scoping has been extended to July 26, 2022, to accommodate the public scoping meeting on July 19, 2022, and comments received based on information provided at the meeting.
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INFORMAL SCOPING VIRTUAL MEETING
COID hosted a virtual informal scoping meeting on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.
DURING THE ONLINE MEETING, THE PROJECT TEAM COVERED:
Pilot Butte Canal
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Optimization of water use in the Central Oregon basin is critical to maintaining the balance of water use as societal and environmental needs continue to change over time. Modernization of the District’s conveyance system is critical to secure instream flows in the Deschutes River system and provide associated benefits to threatened and endangered species and provide operational and pressurization benefits that result from modernization.
The proposed project, located in Deschutes County, is a continuation of COID’s modernization of the main stem of Pilot Butte Canal, 25 miles from current improvements in Redmond, Oregon to its diversion in Bend, Oregon. The Pilot Butte Canal conveys water to 17,338 acres and experiences approximately 156 cfs or 50,625 acre-feet of loss due to the volcanic nature of Central Oregon’s geology.
Beginning in October 2021, crews will be conducting exploratory work to gather information about existing conditions, including the built and natural environment.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (“NCRS”) serves as the lead Federal Agency on the Project, and federal funding is being provided through the PL-566 program. NRCS will be responsible for providing technical direction during the preparation of the EIS and related documents.
WHAT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)
The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is prepared when it is anticipated that a proposed project could significantly affect the quality of the human and natural environment. Adhering to NEPA is required on any project that would receive any federal funding.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Submitting comments is the most effective way to make your voice heard in the EIS process. Please feel free to send comments at any time during the process.
Comments may be:
PROJECT ALTERNATIVES
NEPA requires analysis of alternatives, including a No Action Alternative.
No Action Alternative – District would continue to operate and maintain its existing canal, lateral, and pipe system in its current condition. However, even in the absence of federal funding, the District would pursue other funding sources to begin piping the Pilot Butte Canal.
ACTION ALTERNATIVES
One Build Alternative with three alignment options between Yeoman Road and Cooley Road.
ALIGNMENT OPTIONS
Pilot Butte Canal Option
ALIGNMENT OPTIONS
NE 18th Street Option
ALIGNMENT OPTIONS
Old Deschutes Market Road Option
COID Piping Canal
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Consistent with its System Improvement Plan and Capital Plan, COID has developed a Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment for piping the north end of the Pilot Butte Canal (Phase I) ; fully piping the G-4 Lateral; partially piping the J-Lateral; and 2 constructing the L-Lateral crossing of the North Unit Irrigation District Canal.
Watershed Plan and Final Environmental Assessment: https://oregonwatershedplans.org/central-oregon-id
Due to the nature of open canals, COID must withdraw nearly double the amount of water needed to compensate for the seepage loss. COID is focused on large-scale piping projects, which can be combined with voluntary efforts by landowners who undertake on-farm improvements. Water saved from seepage below and evaporation above can now go to the farm or stay in the river to help support wildlife conservation.
In the spring of 2022, COID completed Phase 1 of the Pilot Butte Canal Piping Project, immediately conserving 30 cfs and creating operating efficiencies for over 300 patrons. Additionally, over time the project will save an additional 30-40 cfs.
Click image for larger view
*Percentages are approximate. Information based on COID’s 2018 On-Farm Water Conservation Report.
Why is COID piping canals?
Piping is critical for a modern irrigation district. During the irrigation season, COID loses up to 50% of water to evaporation and seepage from canals and laterals. By piping the Pilot Butte Canal, COID can conserve a significant portion of this water to benefit fish and wildlife in the Deschutes River ecosystem, support sustainable agriculture, save our patrons money, and help Central Oregon better manage its water resources for the future.
What is Phase I of COID’s Pilot Butte Canal Piping Project?
The Phase I Smith Rock area provides the greatest opportunity to make significant improvements to all facets of COID’s irrigation system. When piped, the Phase I will immediately conserve 30 cfs while creating operating efficiencies for over 300 patrons and save an additional 30-40 cfs over time.
Where is the project located?
The Phase I piping project will take place along approximately 5 miles of the Pilot Butte Canal, starting at Smith Rock Way. See map.
What is the cost of Phase I of the Pilot Butte Canal Piping Project?
The cost of Phase I is $30 million.
How will this project benefit COID patrons and the community?
During the irrigation season, the Pilot Butte Canal loses up to 50 percent of water to evaporation and seepage. Piping the canal will mitigate these losses and conserve a significant portion of this water, providing more efficient delivery to customers.
Why is the canal being piped rather than lined?
There are two main reasons COID chose to pipe over lining:
What happens to the aquifer when you pipe the canal?
Piping canals may reduce localized recharge to the aquifer, but at a small scale in relationship to the vast groundwater resource. Aquifer recharge from canals has been happening since the canals were built.
How will piping the canal impact wildlife?
In its current state, water is in the canal April through October. Wildlife is used to not having access to water six months out of the year and will continue to seek other water sources like ponds and natural water bodies.
How is this project going to affect my property?
COID is committed to working with property owners to address all concerns.
To learn how your property might be impacted by the conservation project, please contact COID at 541-699-4415.
Is COID going to be working on my property?
COID staff and our partners have thoughtfully considered the impact this project may have on residents and properties that border this section of the canal. COID will do its best to minimize impacts to adjoining properties and irrigation customers during construction.
What is the purpose of Central Oregon Irrigation District’s (COID) project?
The purpose of the Pilot Butte Canal Modernization Project is to improve water conservation in District-owned infrastructure, improve water delivery reliability to District patrons, and improve public safety on approximately 21 miles of the District-owned Pilot Butte Canal.
What are the benefits of the project?
What is the purpose of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program?
The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) manages the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program, authorized by Congress in 1954. The purpose of this program is to provide technical and financial assistance to public entities for planning and implementing authorized projects that:
What is a Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA)?
A Plan-EA is an official environmental review document required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for planning and carrying out projects under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (also known as Public Law 83-566) and to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A Plan-EA (or Environmental Impact Statement) is required for any project that applies for federal financial assistance through the NRCS Watershed Program.
The purpose of a Plan-EA is to determine the significance of the proposed project’s environmental effects and to look at alternative means to achieve the same objectives. Environmental effects to be considered include social, cultural, economic, and natural resources.
How is a Plan-EA created?
Prior to drafting a Plan-EA, the project sponsor is responsible for researching the resources that would potentially be affected by the proposed project (e.g., cultural resources, land use, water resources, wildlife). This is called the scoping process and can result in a Preliminary Investigative Findings Report (PIFR) describing the relevant resources in the vicinity of the proposed project. The scoping process allows other government agencies and the public to provide comments through a public scoping meeting and comment period. The lead federal agency uses the comments to develop a Draft Plan-EA for the proposed project.
What is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?
NEPA was the first major environmental law in the United States, signed by President Nixon on January 1, 1970. NEPA requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions. The goal of the NEPA process is to foster action that protects, restores, and enhances our environment. This is achieved through using Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) to provide public officials with relevant information and allow a detailed look at the potential environmental consequences of each proposed project. Read more about the NEPA process from the Council of Environmental Quality.
What is the role of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the proposed projects?
NRCS is the lead federal agency responsible for writing the Plan-EAs to ensure compliance with NEPA. Depending on the significance of the environmental effects of the proposed project, NCRS may issue a decision known as a “Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI) or will pursue additional review. NRCS will determine if the proposed projects provide sufficient watershed conservation net benefits to receive federal financial assistance.
What is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?
The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is prepared when it is anticipated that a proposed project could significantly affect the quality of the human and natural environment. Adhering to NEPA is required on any project that would receive any federal funding.
When does the EIS process end?
The EIS process ends with the issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD:
How can I submit comments?
Submitting comments is the most effective way to make your voice heard in the EIS process. Please feel free to send comments at any time during the process.
Comments may be:
What is the role of Parametrix?
Parametrix leads NEPA EIS consulting services in support of the Central Oregon Irrigation District’s Pilot Butte Canal project. Parametrix is responsible for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to assess the potential environmental impacts from improvements to the Pilot Butte Canal.
What is the role of the Farmers Conservation Alliance (FCA)?
NRCS is partnering with FCA to prepare Plan-EAs for each project and manage the public participation process. FCA is also advising project sponsors on effective modernization strategies and project design.
How does COID operate its system?
COID operates two main canals using water from the Deschutes River. The Central Oregon Canal (COC) serves the areas of Alfalfa, Bend, and Powell Butte; and the Pilot Butte Canal (PBC) serves the areas of Bend, Redmond, and Terrebonne; both are mainly unlined canals running water through heavily fractured basalt. The COC diversion is at the south city limits of Bend, Oregon. That canal runs from its diversion on the Deschutes River through the Siphon Power Plant. The Siphon Power Plant was commissioned in 1989 and produces an estimated average generation of 25 million kilowatt-hours per year. The water then travels from the Siphon Power Plant through canals to patrons.
The PBC is mainly an unlined open canal running 21 miles in length itself, much of it running through heavily fractured basalt. There is a small section of the PBC through the city limits of Redmond that was piped in 2005 for a Highway 97 reroute, a 2.5-mile section just north of Bend was piped in 2009/2010 to conserve water and a newly modernized 7.9-mile section in the Smith Rock area was completed in 2022.
Would the piping project devalue my property values?
There hasn’t been a decline in property values related to COID piping projects.
How can the federal government fund the piping project without sufficiently considering viable alternatives or a cost-benefit analysis?
NEPA requires that federal agencies consider a “reasonable range” of alternatives. COID and NRCS propose to look at three alternatives in the Watershed Planning Process.
How can the federal government fund the piping project without a cost-benefit analysis?
The Draft Watershed Plan-EIS will evaluate the environmental and related social and economic effects of the proposed action, including a cost-benefit analysis.
How right-of-way and maintenance work does COID have the right to perform?
Information about COID’s rights-of-way and maintenance can be found in the Patron Handbook.
When does the public get to review and comment on the Draft Watershed Plan-EIS?
The public meeting scheduled for July 19, 2022, is part of the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS. The NOI formal scoping period closes July 18, 2022, however with the publication of this Notice Of Availability, the closure of scoping has been extended to August 2, 2022, to accommodate the public scoping meeting on July 19, 2022 and comments received based on information provided at the meeting.
After the scoping period, information gathered during this period will inform the writing of the Draft Watershed Plan-EIS. The Draft Watershed Plan-EIS will then be published for public review and comment and another public meeting will be held.
Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID) is the second largest irrigation district in the Deschutes Basin of Oregon, currently irrigating approximately 42,133 acres from its river diversions (exclusive of direct river withdrawal systems). With over 3,700 users, COID has the greatest number of patrons in the Basin. Established in 1918, COID supplies water from the Deschutes River to the Bend, Redmond, Terrebonne, Alfalfa, and Powell Butte areas. There are two primary canals: the Pilot Butte Canal and the Central Oregon Canal, that, along with all the lateral and sub-lateral canals, form a network of over 370 miles of canals.
Central Oregon Irrigation District operates and maintains over 400 miles of canals that collectively deliver water to approximately 46,222 acres of productive land. The volcanic nature of the Central Oregon geology results in the propensity for seepage losses in many areas of the COID canal system. To become more efficient, COID has analyzed its entire system through a comprehensive System Improvement Plan (SIP).
There are two primary alternatives for the mitigation of seepage losses: lining our existing canals or replacing the open canals with buried pipe. In our study, a 50-year life-cycle evaluation of lining versus piping alternatives revealed that lining may be less expensive to implement in its first installation cycle than piping. Canal lining, however, requires significant maintenance and replacement cycles that ultimately cause it to exceed the cost of piping over time.
Coupled with the approximate 700 feet of elevation differential across the district, piping is the preferred choice for responsible water management because it supports the following:
In addition to pressurized deliveries, reduced energy consumption, power savings and reduced maintenance cost, this elevation differential will allow for potential hydropower opportunities to help fund our water conservation and restoration projects with the benefit of clean, renewable energy.
Conserve Acre-Feet of Water
Increased Flow Cubic Feet per Second
By piping COID’s two main canals, the District could conserve 82,752 acre-feet of water. This is a significant amount of water – equal to an increased flow of 276 cfs in the Upper Deschutes River the winter months.
Throughout our history, local, state, and federal agencies, agricultural and conservation groups and other stakeholders, have supported Central Oregon Irrigation District’s efforts to responsibly manage our water supplies. Their support has been invaluable. We plan to continue to work closely with these groups and many, many others as we implement our System Improvement Plan.
For COID’s Pilot Butte Watershed Plan/Environmental Impact Statement
Project Phone Line
541-699-4415
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