Sponsor: Dickey-Sargent Irrigation District

DRAFT WATERSHED PLAN - ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

The purpose of the proposed project is agricultural water management. 

The need for the project is that seepage and evaporation losses from the existing irrigation canal currently average 402 ac-ft a year and if no project to address seepage is undertaken total seepage and evaporation loss by 2038 would average 673 ac-ft/yr, by 2048 would average 1,001 ac-ft/yr, by 2058 would average 1,512 ac-ft/yr, and by 2078 would prevent canal operations entirely.  Operation and maintenance costs are high, requiring significant labor and herbicide application, due to heavy algal growth in the over-sized canal which was designed for an irrigation district 10 times the size of the current one.    

Current Status

A public scoping meeting was held on January 9, 2025 to seek input on a Watershed Planning Effort. Planning is currently underway for the Watershed Plan/Environmental Assessment.   The slide presentation and link a recording are available below.  Scoping comments may be sent to Acting State Conservationist Jonathan Petersen: jonathan.petersen@usda.gov 

A link to the meeting recording may be found: HERE