5/2/2024 

 Dear Patrons:

We have removed several cubic yards of pine needle and pinecone debris from the end of piped section of the main canal near Horse Butte.  The butterfly valve at the end of the pipeline is once again functioning as expected.  We have also checked and cleaned other critical sections of the pipe, the Barrett Siphon in particular. These checks revealed additional debris above the siphon and that debris has been removed as well.  To further guard against debris in the pipe a crew has removed debris accumulations from the open sections of the main canal.

In order to have greater assurance that when we next start up there will not be further blockages, we will inspect as much of the main canal pipe as possible before we restart. We intend to use remote video equipment for these inspections. If we find, as we hope, that the pipe is now clear of significant debris, we plan to reopen the main canal headgate at the Deschutes River Tuesday morning May 7th.  We will notify you if there is any change to this schedule.

Our engineers recommend that we start with a low flow to flush the pipeline and then ramp up the flow.  While we believe we will have taken the necessary steps to ensure a smooth restart, it isn’t possible to inspect every section of the pipeline; therefore, it is possible that some un-detected debris may again cause a blockage.  We will keep you informed of the progress of the restart and when you can expect to see water at your delivery point.

Once again, our apologies for the delays and thanks for your patience.  Thanks also to the Arnold employees, contractors, and consultants, for their rapid response and hard work in helping to resolve these issues.

Colin Wills

District Manager