Imnaha Parks Ditch Water Conservation

Take a look at pictures of this project

Project Summary

The Imnaha Parks Ditch Water Conservation project, completed in 2002, provides a more efficient delivery system for water diverted from the Imnaha River, which in turn contributes to improved crop yield, reduced diversion of water from the river, and thereby increased streamflow. This benefits the ESA-listed chinook and steelhead runs. Prior to the project, a 3.5-mile earthen ditch was used to irrigate 200 acres of land. Because of the rocky soil and terrain, only about half of the water diverted was available for irrigation. The project replaced the ditch with 4.5 miles of PVC pipe and installed a flow meter, headgate and drop box. The project reduced irrigation labor requirements for the landowner and improved irrigation efficiency. The 2006 project monitoring and performance evaluation report for this project can be viewed by clicking here.

Project Actions

Replace 3.5 miles of earthen irrigation ditch with 4.5 miles of main line pipe.
Install headgate, drop box and flow meter.

Project Partners

Private Landowners
Wallowa Resources*
OWRD
Wallowa Co. NRCS
OWEB
Wallowa Co. SWCD
Pendleton Grain Growers
BPA
GRMW

* Project Lead

Project Objectives

Increase instream flows
Improve operation and water efficiency of irrigation system

Project Pictures

Imnaha Parks Ditch

(Click photo to view enlargement)

Old headgate and earthen ditch (right side of photo). Photo courtesy of Wallowa Resources.	New headgate and pipeline enables irrigators to stop diversion of river flow for short periods of time (e.g. during haying) further increasing water remaining in the river. Photo courtesy of Wallowa Resources.

Prior to project showing earthen ditch running along the slope above the Imnaha River. Photo courtesy of Wallowa Resources.	During project, burying irrigation pipeline. Photo courtesy of Wallowa Resources.

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