When Irrigation Season Ends
Once the irrigation season ends, typically around mid-October, District crews begin the maintenance of the canal system for the upcoming irrigation season. This work includes cleaning and repairing the canals, roadways, and equipment; installing new head gates and headwalls; along with installation of canal lining and conversion from an open canal to enclosed piping.
Canal lining and piping are major elements of the District’s Enhanced Water Conservation Program which began in 2015 and helps the District meet its goal of providing clean, reliable irrigation water to its customers, while improving environmental concerns in the area.
Enhanced Water Conservation Program
In 2015, SMID began its Enhanced Water Conservation Program (EWCP) by completing a Feasibility Study to evaluate water conservation measures and infrastructure upgrades. This work includes piping SMID canals and the Yakima Ridge tunnel; canal lining; and constructing automated flow control facilities with instrumentation and telemetry. The infrastructure upgrades and conservation efforts will improve water delivery efficiency and increase reliability for SMID customers. At the same time, the planned improvements will benefit the environment through decreased water diversions, improvements in water quality and temperature, and improved instream flows in the Yakima River. To fund these upgrades, SMID plans to leverage a portion of its conserved water savings to generate the needed revenue, pursue grants from public funding sources, and seek other funding opportunities.
Completed Projects
| Location | Description | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Moxee Ditch Postma | Canal Piping: Postma Pipe Line Phase III (Railroad to Canal End) 21″-12″ PVC | 2014 |
| S-M Canal end Gam-Upper | Canal Piping: 1300 LF of 18″ & 24″ PVC | 2019 |
| S-M Canal End Upper | Canal Piping: 1500 LF 24″ PVC | 2020 |
| L-M Canal Ekelman | Canal Piping: 2450 LF 30″ PVC | 2020 |
| S-M Canal End Lower | Canal Piping: 1300 LF 18″ PVC | 2021 |
| S-M Canal at Sheep Ranch | Canal Lining: 700 LF canal liner | 2022 |
| S-M Canal at Pamona | Canal Lining: 1700 LF canal liner | 2022 |
| S-M Canal Rob-Gamache | Canal Piping: 860 LF 30” PVC | 2022 |
| Moxee Ditch Mieras Phase A | Canal Piping: 1200 LF 30″ PVC | 2022 |
| Hubbard Intertie | Canal Piping: 200 LF piping and water measurement | 2022 |
Future Projects
| Location | Description | Proposed Completion |
|---|---|---|
| S-M Canal Siphon 2-3 | Canal Piping: 1300 LF 60″ PVC Pipe | 2023 |
| Moxee Ditch Mieras Phase B | Canal Piping: 800 LF 30″ PVC Pipe | 2023 |
| East Selah | Canal Lining: 1,000 LF Canal Lining | 2023 |
| S-M Tunnel Entrance Piping | Currently in Design. Canal Piping: 1300 LF 60″ PVC Pipe | 2024 |
| S-M Rob-Gam Piping Ph C | Canal Piping: 3500 LF 30″ PVC Pipe | 2024 |
| Moxee Ditch Morrier Piping | Canal Piping: 4300 LF 30″ PVC Pipe | 2025 |
| S-M Diversion | Update SCADA Systemr | 2026 |
| S-M Canal | Design: Canal pipeline designs | 2024-6 |
Planning
East Moxee Black Rock Groundwater Marketing Phase II Study
Recently, the Bureau of Reclamation provided SMID with another grant to continue to explore options for expanding service to users east of SMID that currently depend on a declining groundwater system for their water supply. Helping our neighbors (some of whom are also SMID customers), supporting agriculture, and being a good water steward are key parts of SMID’s mission. Additionally, these users can also create a revenue stream to offset Enhanced Conservation Program projects, which benefits existing SMID customers.
What does the Study entail? Starting in the fall 0f 2021 SMID began the following aspects of the study:
- Conduct in-depth Landowner outreach, primarily with smaller domestic water users in the East Moxee area that are at risk of loss of their groundwater supply, to improve participation in a future water market.
- Evaluate how water from the Yakima River can supply these users through SMID canals.
- Perform an Economic Analysis to evaluate the value of the basin and economic impacts from loss of groundwater.
- Develop a Water Banking Interlocal agreement.
- Develop a groundwater model to determine safe sustaining yield of the aquifer.
- Initiate an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
- Conduct an easement and access study for future infrastructure.
- Advance engineering design for future irrigation infrastructure
We welcome your input on these initiatives that will help ensure a high quality of service in the future. Please contact the District Office with any questions.
Project Photos
Selah-Moxee, Pamona Canal Lining – Project Completed Fall 2022
Selah-Moxee Canal End Piping – Project Completed Fall 2020
Unloading Pipe – 2020
Duffield Canal Lining – Project Completed Fall 2020
