Skip to main content

McKay Creek On-Farm Modernization

McKay Creek On-Farm Modernization

Counties: Crook

Primary Resource Concern: 

  • Aquatic habitat - Aquatic habitat for fish and other organisms
  • Source water depletion
  • Weather resilience

Project Description
The McKay Creek On-Farm Modernization project is the on-farm portion of the McKay Creek Water Rights Switch project, funded primarily through PL-566 and other match funders. The McKay Switch will return up to 11.2 cfs instream to McKay Creek, north of Prineville, Oregon. Historically, McKay Creek was a breeding ground for steelhead, salmon, and other native species, but due to private water diversions and climate conditions, the middle reach of the creek runs dry by late summer, and as early as June. As part of the McKay Switch, landowners may exchange their privately held water rights for more reliable Ochoco Irrigation District (OID) water rights, and in turn permanently transfer their private water rights instream. The OID water will be pressurized and delivered via a pipeline and pumpstation, to be built in 2024, utilizing PL-566 funding. This RCPP proposal will provide participating irrigators along McKay Creek with the irrigation infrastructure necessary to utilize pressurized water, thereby completing the McKay Switch and maximizing conservation benefits of the project. The dominant form of irrigation along McKay Creek is flood irrigation. A major goal of this project is to increase irrigation efficiency by providing irrigators with the ability to make efficient use of the pressurized water. Adoption of more efficient methods will result in water conservation and will allow landowners to take advantage of the pressurized water. Through the combined benefit of the McKay Switch and the on-farm modernizations, steelhead, salmon, and other species will have access to their historic habitat. Further, the overall hydrograph of McKay Creek will improve, benefiting surrounding riparian habitat and other sites relying on McKay Creek, such as the Ochoco Preserve. Finally, through on-farm modernization and increased instream flows, partners will be able to take future actions to further restore the creek.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Pond Sealing or Lining (521)
  • Pond (378)
  • Irrigation Pipeline (430)
  • Sprinkler System (442)
  • Irrigation System, Surface and Subsurface (443)
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)
  • Obstruction Removal (500)
  • Pumping Plant (533)
  • Structure for Water Control (587)

Collaborating Partners

  • Deschutes River Conservancy
  • 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. Does the applicant currently have irrigation water rights from McKay Creek within the RCPP boundary?
  2. Will the application result in irrigated acres being converted from flood to a pressurized irrigation system?
  3. Does the application include an irrigation water management plan?