Tumalo Feed Canal Piping Project Environmental Assessment and FONSI

The Bureau of Reclamation has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact and final environmental assessment for the Tumalo Feed Canal Piping Project.

The environmental assessment describes the proposed action and potential environmental effects of enclosing open ditches with a piping system northwest of Bend, Oregon.

The purpose of the proposed project is to reduce risks to public safety from open canals, improve water delivery efficiency, and reduce operation and maintenance costs. The proposed action calls for replacing about six miles of open ditch in the Tumalo Feed Canal with pipe ranging in size from 78 inches to 90 inches in diameter.

The enclosed piping would conserve about 20 cubic feet per second of water by eliminating seepage and evaporation losses. This water savings would equal a total annual water volume of 6,664 acre-feet. The State of Oregon would receive the water rights to the conserved water for use to enhance instream flows in Tumalo Creek and the Deschutes River.

Construction of the $18 million project will be implemented in phases spanning five years, depending on the level of annual appropriation. Funds will come from Reclamation, the Tumalo Irrigation District, and non-profit organizations interested in increasing stream flows. Once the pipe is installed and backfilled, the area will be planted with a seed mix of native grasses and flowering plants.

Documents
07/2010 Tumalo Feed Canal Piping Project FONSI PDF 83 kb
07/2010 Tumalo Feed Canal Piping Project Final Environmental Assessment PDF 3.32 mb
03/2010 Tumalo Feed Canal Piping Project Draft Environmental Assessment PDF 1.53 mb

Contact

Candace McKinley
(509) 573-8020
cmckinley@usbr.gov

Bureau of Reclamation
Columbia-Cascades Area Office
1917 Marsh Road
Yakima WA 98901-2058


Last Updated: 5/22/20