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Catherine Creek Mid-Elevation Irrigation Efficiency

County or Counties: Union

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: 

  • Source water depletion - Inefficient irrigation water use
  • Livestock Production Limitation - Inadequate livestock water quantity, quality and distribution

Project Description
The primary goal of this conservation implementation strategy is to improve irrigation efficiency by 20 percent on 1,300 acres that are irrigated using Catherine Creek water. A secondary goal is to reduce nonpoint source pollution to surface waters from agricultural sources through implementation of conservation plans on 5,500 acres.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Irrigation Pipeline (430)
  • Pumping Plant (533)
  • Sprinkler System (442)
  • Irrigation System, Microirrigation (441)
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)
  • Spring Development (574)
  • Livestock Pipeline (516)
  • Watering Facility (614)
  • Fence (382)
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)
  • Prescribed Grazing (528)
  • Water Well (642)
  • Water Control Structure (587)

Project Partners

  • Union Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Oregon State University Extension Service
  • Grande Ronde Model Watershed
  • Oregon Department of Agriculture
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Application Questions

NRCS uses prioritization questions to evaluate applications for this initiative. See the list of workload prioritization questions on the Oregon EQIP page. Ranking questions below will also apply.

Ranking Questions

  1. Will the applicant develop a conservation plan to meet quality criteria for cropland?
  2. Is the project proposed conserving surface water or ground water?
  3. How much is the increase on the irrigation index?
  4. Will installed practices reduce energy use or is a flood to sprinkler conversion?  
  5. Is the applicant willing to enter into a riparian easement or improve a stream or riparian area? 
  6. Is the applicant willing to install livestock practices to improve riparian condition? 
  7. Are inventory, evaluation, and draft designs complete for the proposed activities? 
  8. Based on CIS cultural overview, are the proposed activities likely to NOT affect cultural resources or cultural properties?