Barkley Irrigation Company: Under Pressure

This project was s a large-scale restoration effort in the Methow to improve ESA-listed salmonid productivity in the mainstem Methow River in what is known as M2 Reach. This was accomplished by moving the Barkley point of diversion (POD) downstream approximately 4 miles. This project also eliminated mortality to listed fish species by moving the Barkley diversion downstream and pumping water from below the MVID diversion into the historic Barkley ditch which was piped for piped for the Barkley Irrigation District. The project completed project includes:

Elimination of a major irrigation diversion on the Methow River.
Elimination of mortality of ESA listed species from annual excavation of the Barkley side channel and mainstem push-up dam by moving the point of diversion.
Elimination of fish stranding and mortality in the upper 0.5 miles of the Barkley ditch annually by moving the point of diversion and decommissioning the headworks.
Increased instream flow by over 26 cfs for approximately 4 miles of the mainstem Methow River and side channels by moving the POD downstream.
Permanently enhancing instream flows by 10 cfs for approximately 6 additional miles by improving the efficiency of the Barkley irrigation system.
Enhance instream flows up to an additional 16 cfs through savings from the wedded full pressure-on demand MVID/Barkley eastside diversion system.

To improve irrigation efficiencies, thus saving water for instream flows to benefit ESA-listed salmon and steelhead.