Show your support
Write Your Letter
Share your thoughts on your support of our continued work with irrigation district partners by submitting a letter.
We urge you to write to your policy-makers with messages of your support of the importance of irrigation piping. We have provided several letter prompts below to help inspire your writing.
U.S. House of Representatives
Congressman Cliff Bentz
(202) 225-6730
U.S. Senate
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
(202) 224-3753
Urgent Need for Modernization
Stress the immediate need for updating irrigation infrastructure to increase water reliability and restore habitats in Central Oregon, emphasizing the joint efforts of the Deschutes River Conservancy and local irrigation districts.
Inefficiency of Current Systems
Highlight the fact that current irrigation systems in the Deschutes Basin, being over 100 years old, can lose up to 50% of water due to leakage, making them highly inefficient and wasteful.
Benefits of Upgrading to Closed Pipes
Explain how replacing open canals with closed, piped systems can conserve water, reduce evaporation and seepage, and eliminate the need for costly pumps, thus benefiting both farmers and the environment.
Environmental and Community Impact
Outline the positive impacts on wildlife conservation and the community, with saved water staying in the rivers to support fish and wildlife and the introduction of new clean energy sources through hydropower generated by the pressurized pipes.
Support for Irrigation Modernization
Declare support for the canal piping project as a critical step towards balancing the needs of agriculture with environmental conservation in the Deschutes Basin, urging others to also support this vital initiative.
