Global InformationSwalley Irrigation District information
 Bridge over the Swalley Canal | |
| Predecessor | Deschutes Reclamation and Irrigation Company (DRIC) (1899) |
|---|---|
| Formation | September 1, 1899 |
| Founder | (DRIC, 1899) Eight families of homesteaders including two families named Swalley |
| Type | Municipal Corporation - ORS 545 |
| Legal status | Active local government duly organized under ORS 545 |
| Purpose | Water distribution |
| Headquarters | Bend, Oregon |
Region | Central Oregon |
| Methods | Canal & Pipeline Conveyance |
| Website | www |
The Swalley Irrigation District supplies water to irrigators through a network of pipes and canals fed by the Deschutes River near Bend in the U.S. state of Oregon. The network, begun in 1899, is a closed system with an intake behind North Canal Dam in Bend and a main canal, the Swalley Canal, that runs north from the city for about 13 miles (21 km). The only covered bridge east of the Cascade Range in Oregon crosses the Swalley Canal.
The district diverts about 82 CFS from the river during the irrigation season, April through October. Water requirements for Swalley have fallen by about 43 CFS over the years due to major water conservation projects and other efficiency projects and programs. Water savings from conservation projects means that more water stays in the river, where increased flow improves conditions for redband trout and other biological species. The district operates a small in-conduit hydroelectric plant that generates renewable energy from the water it diverts for irrigation purposes.