HISTORY

Wickiup Reservoir

Early homesteaders to Jefferson County ranched and practiced dry-land farming techniques, with wheat becoming the dominant agriculture commodity in the area by the early 1900s. Despite being one of the most successful dry-farming areas in Central Oregon, local farmers began to experience a moisture shortage after 1925. Hit hard by the dry-spell, coupled with the arrival of the Great Depression, many dry-land farmers left. Those that remained realized that to exist, they needed a reliable source of water.

Construction on the North Unit Project began on July 21, 1938, but was stalled due to the arrival of World War II. With the completion of the North Unit canal in 1946, water was delivered to 17,000 acres during 1946 and 1947. By the spring of 1949, all 50,000 acres were receiving water. North Unit was the largest unit of the Deschutes projects in Central Oregon. Created by the Bureau of Reclamation, the irrigation project was operated by the agency until 1955, when the North Unit Irrigation District took over.

1902
Push to Settle the West
The Congress of President Theodore Roosevelt passed the Reclamation Act of 1902 which created the U.S. Reclamation Service (later becoming the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation), focused on developing irrigation projects to serve small family farmers and stabilize settlements in the arid west.
1913
Creating the Deschutes Project
The first draft of the Deschutes Project consisted of four units within the Deschutes watershed: the East Side Unit (35,000 acres), the South Unit (48,460 acres), the West Side Unit (20,325 acres) and the North Unit (99,330 acres). This whole project required two reservoirs to support: the first at Crane Prairie and the second proposed at Benham Falls (later moved to Wickiup to avoid loss to lava tubes).

1913
1916
North Unit Irrigation District Established
Landowners within Jefferson County establish North Unit Irrigation District to vow their commitment to the construction of the the Deschutes Project North Unit. Though as a result of World War I and constrained funding offers, a good option for funding became hard to find.
1921
Name Changed to Jefferson Water Conservancy District
North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) changed their name to Jefferson Water Conservancy District under the impression that a new name would help the irrigation district sell their bonds without stigma of the failed NUID scheme. This cycle of farm failure and abandonment accelerated in the later 1920’s and early 1930’s as drought conditions in the west grew even more extreme and the Great Depression spread worldwide.

1921
1932
Federal Funding Arrives
President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented his “New Deal” emergency relief program which brought a tide of agency funding. With this funding, the Bureau of Reclamation revived the Deschutes Projects and began feasibility studies for Crane Prairie Reservoir and Wickiup Reservoir, and reconfigured the designs for the North Unit Irrigation District’s and (now) Central Oregon Irrigation District’s main canals to divide them into two separate operating systems.
1938
Commence Construction
Construction on the North Unit Project began on July 21, 1938, but was stalled due to the arrival of World War II.

1938
1939-1949
Construction of Wickiup Reservoir
Construction began on Wickiup Reservoir in 1939 but was not completed until 1947 due to the national call for manpower and resources for World War II. The first fill in 1947 revealed many leaks in the reservoir but after 2 years of repairs, the reservoir was complete and ready for full service in 1949.
1946
Water First Delivered
With the completion of the North Unit canal in 1946, water was delivered to 17,000 acres during 1946 and 1947.

1946
1949
All acres received water
By the spring of 1949, all 50,000 acres were receiving water.
1957
Haystack Reservoir Construction
Rather than waiting two days for water to arrive from Wickiup Reservoir, Haystack Reservoir was constructed to give the District re-regulating control over its distribution system. What had once been a prosperous farm was converted into one of the Districts most pivotal means of water management.

1957
1968
Installed Pumps on the Crooked River
Post-construction of the Deschutes Project, the District funded its own connection to a supplemental water source. Pulled from the Manhattan Project, 9 450-horsepower pumps were installed on the Crooked River to help the District endure water shortages felt from its primary Deschutes source. The pumps push water 125 ft up out of the Crooked River Canyon and into the North Unit Main Canal

Jefferson County Cultural Coalition Grant

North Unit Irrigation District would like to express our appreciation to the Jefferson County Cultural Coalition (JCCC) for the grant they provided the district to assemble historical photos of the irrigation project into story boards. The story boards will be framed and displayed in the district office and a second traveling set of story boards will be used for educational purposes at public events. For additional information about the JCCC please visit their website at www.jeffersonculture.org or find them on Facebook. In addition the Oregon Cultural Trust provides statewide visibility for JCCC programs and projects. You can find more information about the Oregon Cultural Trust by visiting their website at www.culturaltrust.org. Please click on the links below to view the story boards.

#1 North Unit Irrigation District #2 Construction Period 1939-1949 #3 Wickiup Dam & Reservoir #1 #4 Wickiup Dam & Reservoir #2

#5 Bend Headworks – Main Canal #6 Canals, Laterals & Structures #7 Tunnels & Siphon #8 Crooked River Crossing 1944-1946

#9 Willow Creek Siphon 1947-1948 #10 Haystack Dam & Equalizing Reservoir #11 Water Festival #12 Farms & Business 1944-1952

#13 Weed Holiday 1952 #14 Project Lands 1945-1949

HISTORY

1902

1913

1913

1916

1921

1921

1932

1938

1938

1939-1949

1946

1946

1949

1957

1957

1968

Jefferson County Cultural Coalition Grant