EPID canal repairs near completion
According to a report from the Eagle Point Irrigation District, canal repairs are moving rapidly to conclusion.
David Ford, Office Manager for the District, reports that good weather and the availability of materials in close proximity to the blow-out, means repairs have been moving along quite well.
The blow-out occurred on October 3, near the end of the irrigation season (October 14). Fortunate too, the incident occurred near Cobliegh Road, not in one of the more remote portions of the canal. Except for a few days of rain last week, the weather has been good, making repairs that much easier.
The District placed drains into the hillside, to siphon off excess water and to keep the hillside from further sliding. They placed steel reinforcing into the hill with cross members and keyed large boulders so that new fill would not be subject to slippage. Currently, the fill is nearly to original canal level. Once the fill is completed, Ford says they will place a canal liner into the canal, then slowly reintroduce water to make certain that the new fill will hold.
The liner is similar to a pool or shower liner, except made specifically for the purpose and is therefore much heavier and reinforced with fiber material that prevents ripping or splitting. Life expectancy of the liner is 10 years, though it will not be there for that period. Once the settling is done, the District will replace the liner with a concrete lining that Ford says will last “longer than my lifetime.” These repairs will likely be accomplished sometime after the next irrigation season.
EPID has a dual purpose in completing the repairs in a timely fashion. The canal is used by Pacificorp for hydro generation at a point before the main canal splits into the two main laterals above the valley floor. The District also generates power from a generation station above the office on Brophy Road. This offsets rates by patrons in the District.
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