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.