Photo courtesy Taylor Northwest

With the project alignment crossing Highway 97, the team had to acquire additional permitting and carry out detailed planning and traffic control. To install a 78-in. casing to pull 63-in. HDPE pipe through it, crews installed a shoofly bypass detour to safely maintain two-way traffic during the day and single-lane closures overnight to limit disruption. At the end of the alignment is an energy dissipation structure featuring a 48-in. throttling butterfly valve, perforated HDPE piping and riprap to safely dissipate approximately 65 PSI of hydraulic energy before returning flow to the canal.

This modernization effort not only conserves a precious and limited water resource in the Deschutes River Basin, but also ensures more reliable and efficient water delivery to nearly 60,000 acres of farmland.

The project endured several weather delays and dealt with mud up to 3 ft deep on service roads, severely hindering mobility and production. Crews were shut down for several days, placing immense pressure on the timeline to ensure spring irrigation readiness.

The deliberate decision was made to pause all trucking operations for several weeks, prioritizing safety over schedule. Crews demonstrated exceptional resilience, working extended hours in challenging conditions to regain lost time.