The overall proposal seeks to design gain the necessary approvals and construct the roughly 3200 foot pipeline that would allow montague water conservation district water to be delivered to big…

This Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.664 - Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance) provides $400,000 to the Siskiyou County Farm Bureau to design and obtain permits for a pipeline that would allow water from the Montague Water Conservation District to be delivered to the Big Springs Irrigation District. This project aims to reduce groundwater and surface water pumping near Big Springs Creek, thereby increasing flows in the Shasta River and benefiting resident salmon populations. The pipeline could also potentially provide stored water from Dwinnell Reservoir to other priority surface and groundwater users in the Big Springs area. The award includes funding for stakeholder outreach and engagement with regulatory authorities regarding the project's impact on the management of the Shasta River for salmon and agriculture. The project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2026.

The overall proposal seeks to design gain the necessary approvals and construct the roughly 3200 foot pipeline that would allow montague water conservation district water to be delivered to big springs irrigation district in lieu of pumping ground water and potentially surface water for irrigation near big springs creek. This proposal scope would connect montague s main canal to big spring s upper ditch. However this project could be expanded to provide storage water from dwinnell reservoir to other higher priority surface water and groundwater users in big springs area that are assumed to effect big springs creek. This project could be combined with montague s efficiency commitments where water conserved with improvements in montague s infrastructure is provided as replacement water in the big springs complex resulting in reduced diversion and expected increased flow based on state water board s most recent opinion. The first and current phase of the project is to design and obtain the necessary permits to construct the pipeline.up to 20 cubic-feet-per-second (CFS) could be transported through the pipeline resulting in reduced pumping which will yield proportionally increased flows in big spring creek per the state water board. The pipeline could continue to provide stored water from dwinnell to other water users in big springs area that are assumed to affect big springs creek. Other priority surface and ground water users in the big springs area could also potentially have access to montague s alternative source of water providing even more benefit to big springs creek and the shasta river. This proposed project would provide a major benefit to salmon residing in the shasta river. The most valuable water contributing to the flow of the river is from big springs. IT is cool and clean. Warm water is considered to be a limiting factor for the health of the salmon populations. This project will increase the amount of cool water that flows into the river providing an important benefit for the health of the resident salmon populations and helping to secure agriculture water. The proposed project also includes significant outreach to community stakeholders to gain their input to the project design and to regulatory regulatory authorities to about the impact of the project on overall management of the shasta river for salmon and agriculture. Additionally the proposal will fund capacity for the farm bureau to meaningfully engage partners and regulatory authorities in finding a long term solution for salmon and agriculture in the scott and shasta valleys.