Amazon invests in irrigation upgrades

Amazon is investing in three irrigation efficiency projects in eastern Oregon that are expected to save more than 500 million gallons of water annually when completed. 

Working with the West Extension Irrigation District in Umatilla and Morrow counties, the projects target water losses from open canals and aging water use measurement systems. Eight new flow meters will provide real-time monitoring along the district’s main canal to more efficiently align river diversions with demand, which is expected to save 171 million gallons of water. 

More than 2.5 miles of open canal will also be converted to buried pipeline, while 178 acres of farmland will transition from flood irrigation to pressurized sprinkler systems. Combined, these upgrades are anticipated to save 100 million gallons. A 24-year-old metering system at customer delivery points will be replaced with modern equipment to improve water-use measurement and save an estimated 260 million gallons. 

Combined with funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program and the irrigation district, the projects are collectively expected to save more than 1.2 billion gallons when fully completed in March 2028.