This article was published on: 03/21/13 4:56 PM
The native fish habitat found in Whychus Creek plays an integral role in steelhead reintroduction efforts underway in the basin. Through a series of instream flow restoration projects, the Deschutes River Conservancy, in partnership with Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) and local landowners, has been able to restore year-round flows in Whychus Creek to 20 cfs.
The latest in this series of projects is currently underway along TSID’s main canal. In an effort to modernize the district, restore flows and deliver water more efficiently to farmers, the district has been involved in a multi-phase project to pipe 9 miles of the main canal for a total of 14 cfs, or 9 million gallons of water per day protected in stream. This fourth phase of the nine phase project will pipe one mile of the canal, restoring 1.33 cfs instream.
Our goal for Whychus Creek is to restore flows to meet the minimum instream target of 33 cfs set by the State of Oregon. We will be able to accomplish this through a combination of water conservation projects, water rights transfers and instream leasing.
