DESCRIPTION
Clallam Conservation District will use this grant to continue assisting Dungeness River Water Users Association members with Dungeness River stream flow restoration projects. This phase includes piping of the remainder of the Dungeness Irrigation Group main canal – approximately 4 miles. The Dungeness Irrigation Group serves approximately 700 acres of farmland west of the Dungeness River in Clallam County. The overall goal of this project is to increase flows in the Dungeness River by reducing irrigation water withdrawals through improved irrigation water delivery efficiency. Completion of this phase of piping is expected to result in an estimated 1 cubic feet per second water savings by eliminating conveyance and tailwater losses. This amounts to an increase of over two percent in late summer river flows. Increased stream flows benefit all species and life stages of salmonids that use the Dungeness River, but increased late summer flows are most critical for Puget Sound Chinook. This project will nearly complete the piping of the entire Clallam-Cline-Dungeness Group irrigation water distribution system, resulting in an on-demand system whereby the only water withdrawn from the river is water that is actually used for irrigation. The Clallam Ditch Company, Cline Irrigation District and Dungeness Irrigation Group operate a shared diversion and fish screen at river mile eight on the Dungeness River.