Water conservation has been a success in Sisters

The Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) has proven that conservation is a virtue that can also be profitable. The conservation efforts expended by the TSID are already making a significant difference in Sisters.

When director Marc Thalacker inherited the leadership of the TSID, it was bleeding water. Approximately 55 percent of the irrigation water was being lost through seepage and evaporation. In addition, the methods of irrigation that were being used were inefficient and wasteful.

Thalacker started casting about for ways to make a change.

The ground work for the conservation had been laid long before Thalacker arrived on the scene. The first big push for improving the system occurred about 40 years ago.

Thalacker said, "In the old days when everyone flood irrigated, we would divert 50,000 acre feet and deliver less than 25. When everyone went to sprinklers in the '60s and '70s, that dropped the diversion down to around 35,000 acre feet because not as much water was being lost to seepage out on the ground."

When Thalacker arrived, there were still some farmers who had not converted to sprinklers from flood irrigation. Thalacker's first priority was to assist these farmers to make the conversion. He went after grant monies to fund the conversions.

John Hicks was part of a small group of farmers who Thalacker organized to go after federal funds.

"We were the first federally supported project in the district," Hicks said.

These farmers converted to sprinklers and buried pipe. It has been a win-win situation for all but particularly for Hicks who has about 22 acres that he is able to put into production. Previously, he could water only about half of that; now he can irrigate anywhere he wishes, and his production is way up.

However, Hicks said that this is only half the story.

"I now routinely crop 16 to 17 acres and use half the water," he said.

Thalacker continued his fight to fund these conservation projects, obtaining matching funds to complete them.

"Federal, state and granting agencies come in and buy the materials, and my farmers do all the installation work to match those funds," he explained. "It benefits the whole district not only by putting water instream permanently for the fish, but the farmers end up getting more water."

The farmers also get a portion of the water that is saved through conservation projects.

Thalacker realized that he could use the system's gravity to save electricity, and this would make the funding of the projects more attractive to organizations and governmental agencies.

"The nice thing is that probably 2 million kilowatts will be saved that can go to feed the growth in Sisters," Thalacker said. "From a conservation measure, it is the ultimate; you are not only conserving water, but you are also conserving electricity."

To date a little over 20 miles of the 60 miles of district canals have been piped.

Thalacker finds it surprising how proactive and cooperative every one has been and states that Sisters is a community that actually functions like a community should. The volunteers and community support have made everything work to everyone's benefit.

Not that all is sugar and roses.

"There are still some bumps in the road, like the save our canals group," which regularly objects to the installation of the piping, he said.

Hicks said, "I have been associated with the district in one way or another since 1977 or 1978. I have seen a lot of transitions. … His (Thalacker's) presence is very beneficial to the district."

For his part, Thalacker hopes conservation will serve both farmers and the environment.

"This is the last area of commercial farm ground in Deschutes County," he said. "These farmers will be able to farm for the next 100 years, as well as maintain habitat for the other terrestrial species that get ignored, like bald eagles, golden eagles, cougars, the elk, the deer and coyote."