The bill, which passed the Senate three weeks ago and still has to be signed by President Bush, also reauthorizes the Deschutes River Conservancy to receive federal funds in coming years.

A group of local artists now wants to give something back to the river that needs some help.

The straws are drilled deep underground, sucking more water to satisfy the thirst of development across Central Oregon. Yet at the same time, there’s more water flowing down the Deschutes River during the dry summer months when once it ran low.

Nearly $13 million could flow into the Deschutes River Basin to aid fish under a recent $900 million agreement between the Bonneville Power Administration and four Indian tribes.

After more than a year in limbo, federal legislation that will clear the way for the lining of irrigation canals between Bend and Madras lurched back into gear Thursday after a senator from Oklahoma dropped his procedural hold on the bill and allowed a vote to occur.

On Monday, the first of eight irrigation districts that distribute water to nearly 150,000 acres of land in Central Oregon began to divert water to canals in the region.

I’ve got this secret spot on the Middle Deschutes where time stands still and the fishing can be a thing of beauty.

Across Central Oregon, irrigation districts are replacing open canals with underground pipes to save water.

The Deschutes River Conservancy has brought farmers, irrigation districts, anglers, power producers, developers and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs together to restore some of the historic stream flow

Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden both support a bill that would enable a six-mile canal piping project from Tumalo Creek to Tumalo Reservoir to qualify for federal funding.