Project Summary
- The Crooked River Water Quality and Supply Reliability Project would include a pumping plant on Lake Billy Chinook, a pipeline, and associated features to deliver water to Deschutes Project facilities. A Phase 1 design study was completed in 2020.
- The project allows NUID to utilize water rights in or transferred to Lake Billy Chinook (LBC).
- Future water supplies would consist of:
- NUID Crooked River water rights with point of diversion relocated to LBC, increasing streamflow in the Crooked River by up to approximately 30,000 acre-feet per year.
- Prineville Reservoir storage releases supplied by USBR to NUID. Under P.L. 113-244 NUID can contract with USBR for up to 10,000 acre-feet per year from Prineville Res.
- ESA/HCP-related off-season (winter) releases of Wickiup stored water for fish and wildlife purposes, that collect in Lake Billy Chinook.
- Conserved water from COID piping projects delivered via the NUID Main Canal. Studies have estimated savings available to NUID at 35,000 acre-feet.
- Diversions at Bend into the NUID Main Canal, including NUID live flow water rights.