Skip to main content

Larson Irrigation Project Phase 1

The Larson Irrigation Project provided cost-share funding to design, bid, and construct the consolidation of two gravel push-up irrigation diversions and a portion of a third, located on Berry Creek, and a single diversion located on Canyon Creek into a pump station located at the confluence of Canyon Creek and Berry Creek.  The pump station will deliver irrigation water into a buried pipe system distributed to the water righted lands.  This pump station will retain the original sources of water which means it will draw from both Berry Creek and Canyon Creek with separate metering systems to insure the respective volume of water is being withdrawn from each source.

The three diversions located on Berry Creek and the diversion on Canyon Creek were rock push-up dams that use a combination of rock streambed material and rubble to divert irrigation water into an existing ditch system.  None of the diversions met current fish passage criteria during all flow conditions making the diversions a substantial fish passage barrier.

The water right that is withdrawn to operate the system is a split season right.  The water right withdrawn in the early season at a rate of 1/40 cfs. per acre is 1.125/0.563 cfs will be withdrawn from Berry Creek and 0.115/0.08 cfs will be withdrawn from Canyon Creek.

May contain: ground, soil, nature, slope, outdoors, and land
View of the project looking to the south.  This shows the delivery pipeline laid in the trench on the south side of Berry Creek.  Canyon Creek and Highway 395 South are in the background.
pipes dug into ground under snow
Shown is the 6" Tee installed in the line on the south side of Berry Creek.  A thrust block is being installed on the pipeline which prevents "pipe creep" from irregular and pulsated pressures in the pipe caused by the unbalanced opening of irrigation risers and extreme elevation differences in the pipe profile.
pipe in trench
View of the 6" pipeline laying in the trench on the North side of Berry Creek.  This portion of the pipeline contains pressurized irrigation risers, one of which can be seen in the center of the picture.