As farmers across Central Oregon face a third straight year of drought, and wildlife in this regionâs rivers teeter on the brink of extinction, those who control the flow of water are primed to pump millions of dollars into infrastructure in a last-ditch effort to help both people and wildlife.
Central Oregon Irrigation District, the largest district in Central Oregon in terms of patrons, is at the vanguard of this effort and expects to pour $100 million over the next decade to pipe a significant portion of its open canals and ditches, said Craig Horrell, the districtâs general manager. Tens of millions more will be spent by other irrigation districts in the area.