Our first stop on the tour today was the Central Oregon Irrigation District, Swalley Irrigation, and Lone Pine Facility at the fish passage and screening facility located on the Deschutes River just upstream of the Riverhouse Hotel.  For those of you who would like to find out more on what COID has been working on here in the Deschutes, you can visit their website at: http://www.coid.org  We were joined here by Steve Johnson Manager of COID, who gave us a run-through on how the facility has been operating up to this point in time and also some insight into why they feel it is important as a company to be involved in the issues faced with our native fish:

“It works that way, it isn’t just that here’s that one obligation and then you’re done – especially in this basin.  It’s a 100 years of history with 100%  appropriation of surface flows.  So we’re trying to become more efficient and do the things that are necessary to co-exist – to bring things into balance.  The more assistance we can get the better it’s going to be for everyone.  We are working with Swalley, COID, and ODFW on the design of the upstream fish passage at this site – passage is the goal and there is an agreement in place.  Historically the Upper Deschutes was Bull Trout habitat, and now they are no longer present.  There is discussion with NFWS and ODFW for an experimental population of Bull Trout reintroduction through this region.”  - Steve Johnson COID Manager

“It is important to note the conservation of water aspect of this project.  Tumalo Irrigation has piped both their the entire Bend Feed Canal and a portion of their Tumalo Feed Canal which has improved connectivity by providing about 8-10 CFS of permanent water in the Creek by participating with the Deschutes River Conservancy leasing program.”  Andy Fischer DRC

“Until this passage and facility was put in a few short years ago, no water would be going downstream at all.  We killed Tumalo Creek at this site from here to the Deschutes River.  Normal operations of the district would not allow this to happen historically.”  “With the work that was Columbia Southern Canal elimination in the 1970’s this would not have been possible and I believe is still one of the greatest conservation projects that has been built in Central Oregon.”  Bob Varco TID

“This project allows fish up to the National Forest and is a great place to talk about The Wyden Amendment that allows the us to use Federal dollars to work off the National Forest if there is a direct benefit to the resources in the National Forest.  Most of this has to do with habitat restoration and connectivity where the lands we are managing are directly affected and this is where we were able to help in an area outside of The Deschutes Forest.”  Dan Rife USFS 

“This is an irrigation dam that used to be just a flash board system, where people would insert and take out boards to regulate the flow of water downstream and hold water upstream for agriculture needs.  Now we have a open wire weir with an automated air bladder system that is automatically controlled and linked to the fish passage system.  This automatically adjusts the level of the dam in high and low flow events to keep the fish passage at a nominal level at all time.  So now all purposes are ultimately served, the agriculture behind us has plenty of water throughout the year, and fish can pass through this region without issue any time of year.  This is especially important with the re-introduction of the Salmon and Steelhead that were planted upstream in the past years.”  Craig Carr CRWC

• Agriculture interest:  So you are a farmer of various consumables on your land.  You could be a cattle rancher, or an alfalfa farmer - or anything in between.  For you the answer is the improved channeling and flow of water you depend on, it will make sure there is no loss of water for those times when you need it.   With a more efficient use of the water coming and going to your property with less maintenance needed to provide it - your products become easier and cheaper to grow and maintain.  Nutrients that are provided by a healthier water system have a direct impact on the bottom line because the more diverse the species that are present in proximity, the more your land benefits from their deposit by predators, insects, and birds in the region.
   
• Outdoor enthusiast (not necessarily a fisherman) interest:  Those of you who enjoy wildlife viewing in the region, and perhaps in your own backyard - but might not live right next to the river, here's what fish passage does for you.  So you enjoy wild flowers, song birds, mule deer, elk, fox, or any of the other various critters and plants that make the area beautiful.  All of the previously mentioned flora and fauna need two basic things to enjoy life - water, and air.  I know they also need food and sunlight, but let's focus on the water.
  
  Without a healthy water system those riparian areas, desert regions, and forests cannot produce and sustain life.  When the water is healthy and it supports a wide variety of nutrients, the insects will thrive which birds and fish use as their main source of food.  When the mouse takes the insect as a food source, along with seed and plant, it becomes a healthier animal and allows for a more robust population.  When the eagle takes a trout out of the water and eats it, the remains are left to become part of the soil.  When the fox or other predator takes the mouse for food, it also needs clean water for it to thrive - thereby putting back into the environment in the form of remains and droppings, nutrients which are vital to the soil.  The nutrients that are deposited in that soil then make the grasses and plant matter richer and able to support a wider variety and healthier population of wild species of flora and fauna.  The bottom line is that without a healthy water system, all of them suffer.
   
• A shut-in:  Yes even those of you out there who don't really care to take advantage of the wonderful outdoor activities here in the basin benefit from this.  The water you use, and the money you pay are directly impacted by projects of this type.  A healthy and clean water system with an efficient use of the resource means less prep time and filtering of the water you drink, bathe, landscape and wash with.  The more projects and facilities that are needed to deliver the water to you, the more expensive it becomes, and the higher your bill is.  So by creating a better delivery system and enhancing the quality of the water by reducing the loss and introduction of outside variables, the health of the water is improved in it's natural delivery to you requires less work.
   
• Fisherman/Hunter interest:  C'mon, do I really need to explain this to this group?  Isn't everything I have said above made you realize how many more fish and critters to hunt there will be with better fish passage?  OK, well here's a couple things to remember...  If you have ever fished below Tumalo Falls, the only reason there are fish is because of passage.  If you want to see steelhead and salmon return to areas above Billy Chinook in the Deschutes, Metolius, and Crooked River systems, it happens with fish passage.  If you have Hunted for deer in the Deschutes or Ochoco's, the reason why those populations are getting healthier and larger is because of a healthy water system and of course fish passage.

Well I think I have ranted long enough.  If anyone wants to comment on this article, or if you have any questions - please feel free to contact me whenever you like.  I almost fit the "Shut-In" described above with all the time in front of this computer, but don't ever doubt how much I love to fish and be in the outdoors.