SALT LAKE CITY, UT - On July 2, the Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $4.7 million contract to pipe 6,800 feet of the Farson Lateral canal near Farson, Wyoming, to MD Nursery and Landscaping of Driggs, Idaho. In its current state, the canal, operated by the Eden Valley Irrigation and Drainage District, is an unlined earthen ditch. Piping will considerably improve the efficiency of the canal by eliminating losses from evaporation and seepage.
"Ensuring that our water infrastructure is operating at maximum efficiency is one of the best ways to fight the droughts that threaten the West," said Commissioner Brenda Burman. "By providing funding for projects such as this, Reclamation can help our local partners provide reliable and economical water for years to come."
The bulk of the work to be completed under the contract includes the installation of high-density polyethylene pipe and valves. The contract also provides for the installation of water measurement instruments, data collection equipment, and rotating drum screens, as well as the associated electrical components required to operate these facilities. Reclamation’s Provo Area Office will provide technical advice and generally oversee the completion of the project.
This contract is the first phase of a multi-phase canal-piping project completed on behalf of the Eden Valley Irrigation and Drainage District. Funding for the project is provided by the power revenues of hydropower plants along the Colorado River.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
