North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) has begun construction on Segment 3 of its Lateral 43 canal piping project, with work underway this month and scheduled to continue through April 2027. The project replaces the last stretch of aging open-air earthen canal with buried high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, completing a multi-year infrastructure overhaul designed to deliver water more efficiently from Haystack Reservoir to Jefferson County farmland.
Drivers in the construction zone should expect lane restrictions and traffic delays near SW Ford Lane, Old Culver Highway, SW Elbe Lane, and SW Franklin Drive, south of Madras. NUID has advised residents and commuters to allow extra travel time and watch for flaggers and heavy equipment in those corridors through the spring of 2027.
Phases 1 and 2 Already Complete
The Lateral 43 project has been years in the making. Phase 1 wrapped up in winter 2024. Phase 2 — which included installation of nearly 6.5 miles of new HDPE pipeline ranging from 6 to 63 inches in diameter — earned a Best Small Project award from Engineering News-Record for its engineering and execution.
NUID paused new construction in 2026 to allow for planning, permitting, and landowner coordination on Segment 3 before resuming work this fall. With Segment 3 now underway, the district is on track to complete the full Lateral 43 pipeline by spring.
Why It Matters: Cutting Water Loss
Open earthen canals along the Lateral 43 corridor have historically lost an estimated 37% of delivered water to seepage — a significant inefficiency in a region where water rights are tightly managed and drought conditions have strained agricultural supplies in recent years. Enclosing the canal in buried pipe essentially eliminates that seepage loss, meaning more of the water allocated from Haystack Reservoir actually reaches fields.
For Jefferson County growers — who raise mint, wheat, carrot seed, peppermint, and other specialty crops — that reliability is critical, particularly in dry years when every acre-foot counts.
Groundwater Recharge Questions Emerge
The pipeline improvements have also prompted a broader regional conversation about groundwater. The City of Redmond recently raised concerns that eliminating canal seepage — which has historically recharged underlying aquifers — could gradually lower groundwater levels across Deschutes and Jefferson counties.
Redmond officials are exploring aquifer recharge programs that could offset natural seepage losses as canal piping projects are completed across Central Oregon. Hydrologists estimate groundwater effects could become apparent over a three- to five-year window.
NUID and agricultural water managers maintain that modernizing the delivery system is essential to the long-term viability of Jefferson County farming, particularly as climate variability makes conservation more critical each year. The district has indicated it is open to coordination with downstream communities on recharge strategies as the project moves forward.
For updates on road impacts and construction progress, residents can check the North Unit Irrigation District's website at northunitidor.gov.