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WaterSMART – Vale Oregon Irrigation District

County: Malheur

Resource Concerns: 

  • Water Quality – Nutrients transported to surface water, Inefficient irrigation water use
  • Soil Quality – Soil organism habitat loss or degradation

Project Description
This project proposes to implement on-farm irrigation system improvements that will improve water quantity and water quality along the Vale West Bench area in the Vale Oregon Irrigation District (VOID). VOID has implemented and will implement open ditch lateral conversions to pipelines delivering pressurized irrigation water to farm fields. This project complements those conversions completed previously and yet to be finished. Projects of this type that have been previously implemented in other areas of the county have greatly improved irrigation efficiency and water quality.

Conservation Practices: 

  • Conservation Cover (327)
  • Cover Crop (340)
  • Irrigation System, Micro-Irrigation (441)
  • Irrigation Pipeline (430)
  • Nutrient Management (590)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till (329)
  • Structure for Water Control (587)
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)
  • Field Border (386)
  • Sprinkler System (442)
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)
  • Pumping Plant (533)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345)
  • Soil Health Testing (216)

Project Partners:

  • Vale Oregon Irrigation District
  • Bureau of Reclamation
  • Oregon Department of Water Resources
  • Malheur Watershed Council
  • Malheur Soil and Water Conservation District
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Ranking Questions:

  1. Using the Irrigation Water Savings Estimator Tool, what percent annual water savings will result from the planned practices or from an irrigation system that has been installed within the previous 5 years?
    a. Annual water savings of 30% or greater
    b. Annual water savings of 20%-29%
    c. Annual water savings of 19% or less                                                                       
  2. Will the conservation treatment improve wildlife habitat, food, and or cover? (Use Wildlife Habitat Evaluation  Guide)                   
  3. Is the applicant currently working with the local partner to install a complimentary project that increases the magnitude of conservation benefits or improves existing conservation practices or systems that are already in place?
  4. Will the conservation treatment include one or more of the following practices: 
    a. 329-Residue and Tillage Management, No Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed 
    b. 340-Cover Crop 
    c. 345-Residue and Tillage Management\Mulch Till 
    d. 386-Field Border 
    e. 449-Irrigation Water Management 
    f. 590-Nutrient Management