U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have introduced the Urban Canal Modernization Act, a bill designed to allow Bureau of Reclamation funding to be used for repairs on urban canals that face extraordinary maintenance challenges.
“Failure to address and repair many urban canals could pose substantial danger to the communities that have been built around them,” said Risch. “My Urban Canal Modernization Act is a commonsense fix to allow these much-needed infrastructure repairs to move forward. Maintaining these canals will protect our property and our way of life in the West.”
Merkley noted the age and importance of canal systems such as the A Canal in Oregon’s Klamath Basin, which was constructed in 1906. “The A Canal in the Klamath Basin was first constructed in 1906 and, like many of the canals running through our cities and towns, is aging and requires ongoing maintenance for all who rely on it,” said Merkley. “Our bipartisan bill unlocks federal grant dollars to help make badly needed repairs to these aging infrastructure projects and ensure that they can continue to serve our agricultural economy and communities for years to come.”
In recent decades, western cities have expanded around what were once rural irrigation canals. For example, Idaho’s New York Canal now runs through one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States after originally being surrounded by farmland.
Urban canals remain important for both agriculture and municipal water needs. However, those located on land converted from agricultural use often struggle with securing funds for major repairs due to their proximity to urban development. The proposed legislation would enable Reclamation funding for certain maintenance needs specific to urban canal systems.
