“Irrigation” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report

The following is an excerpt from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Part II, History of the Walla Walla District, 1970-1975, 180

IRRIGATION

The authorizing studies for the John Day project found that about 150,000 acres of arid lands around the reservoir area could benefit from the reduced pump lift to make them potentially irrigable. These lands lie primarily in the upper half of the reservoir reach and their owners have begun to take advantage of these potentials. To date four major units are under operation.

Unit Permit Date Acreage

Desert Magic – Morrow County 1971 10,000 (under development)

Columbia Power District – Benton County 1967 10,000

Mercer Ranch – Benton County 1968 3,000

D & M – Umatilla County 1967 – 1968 2,000

In addition, a major unit in Oregon near Boardman and a second one across the river in Washington near Paterson, each possibly involving as much as 20,000 acres, are under active planning. With the proper economic atmosphere during the 1970s for land use development, the desert around the project may bloom with a variety of agricultural crops.
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