Jefferson County farmers and ranchers who depend on the North Unit Irrigation District are keeping a close eye on a developing water dispute that centers in Redmond — but carries significant consequences for the agricultural heartland to the north.
The Redmond City Council voted this week against pursuing a legal challenge to the Central Oregon Irrigation District's plan to pipe 18.5 miles of the Pilot Butte Canal between Bend and Redmond. Instead, Redmond is shifting toward a collaborative approach to replenish the regional aquifer — and Jefferson County commissioners and North Unit officials are at the table.
Why the Canal Matters Here
The Pilot Butte Canal currently loses water through seepage as it winds through Central Oregon. That lost water percolates into the ground and recharges the regional aquifer — the same underground source that thousands of rural residents, and the city of Redmond, tap for drinking water. Piping the canal will make delivery more efficient but will eliminate that seepage, raising concerns about long-term aquifer decline.
North Unit Irrigation District, which delivers Deschutes River water to Jefferson County's wheat fields, pastures, and row crops, is a central partner in the unfolding discussions. What happens to the regional water table matters directly to the county's agricultural economy.
A Recharge Concept Takes Shape
In a letter to irrigation district officials, Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch outlined a proposed aquifer recharge concept: water that North Unit is already required to release during winter months to support Oregon spotted frog habitat in the Deschutes River could instead be redirected to areas where it would infiltrate the ground and replenish the aquifer.
An Oct. 13 meeting brought together Redmond, COID, and North Unit representatives. A city delegation later met with state legislators in Salem — a session Fitch described as positive — and the city has separately consulted with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and commissioners from both Jefferson and Deschutes counties.
"We are involved in ongoing discussions with basin partners. An application for this project has not yet been filed so we have not yet done the analysis needed to assess the project's feasibility." — Jason Cox, Oregon Water Resources Department
Next Steps
The Central Oregon Cities Organization and water consulting firm GSI Water Solutions are expected to work with irrigation districts to develop a memorandum of understanding. The goal is a framework that could support grant or legislative funding for a formal aquifer recharge feasibility study.
Fitch estimated that the full effects of canal piping on the aquifer could take three to five years to emerge — meaning the window for proactive planning is narrow. For Jefferson County's agricultural community, the outcome of these negotiations could influence water availability, domestic well levels, and long-term farming viability across the region.
The proposal remains in its early stages and has not been formally evaluated by the state. But stakeholders on both sides of the county line appear committed to finding a solution that works for farmers, cities, and the river system alike.