About Us

Farmers Irrigation District strives to promote ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable agriculture by providing energy and irrigation service for the common good.

Farmers Irrigation District is located in Hood River, Oregon, in the beautiful, culturally rich Columbia River Gorge. It is a nonprofit government agency founded in 1874, combining the original Farmers Irrigation District and the Hood River Irrigation District. The Board of Directors develops and upholds District Policy and is made up of 5 members representing the 5 divisions of the District. Each member is elected by the water rights holders from his or her division. The District Manager is responsible for all District operations.

We provide water to 5,800 acres of land and 1,722 users, both residential and agricultural. The Hood River Valley produces a large quantity of high-value pears, apples, and cherries. Some of these orchards have been in operation since the late 1800s and are the basis for Hood River’s economy and culture. We recognize the contribution farmers make to our society and do our best to serve their needs.

The evolution of Farmers Irrigation District is steeped in history. Many of the irrigation lines serving our users have been in existence for over 100 years. Today our system is being updated at a more rapid pace than it has ever experienced. Open ditches and antiquated wood stave pipes are becoming a thing of the past, as old, leaking, inefficient systems are being replaced with pvc pipes and pressurized systems. We strive to benefit our users with more reliable, constant pressure from centralized pump facilities, removing the need for old, energy consumptive, high-maintenance pumps at each property. Flow restrictors installed at each turnout make irrigation readily available up to the user’s individual legal water right, reducing waste and conserving water. We are also willing to help the user stay within these legal limits by offering efficient sprinkler heads through our sprinkler exchange program. Farmers Irrigation District also operates two hydroelectricpower plants to generate the cash flow necessary to advance our system.

Irrigation season may legally start April 15th and may continue until Sept 30th. During this time, staff is dedicated to allotting water as efficiently as possible and preventing interruptions in service. Throughout the rest of the year, we maximize flow to our power plants and complete projects and maintenance required for smooth operation in the summer.

 

The District Today

Farmers Irrigation District is located in Hood River, Oregon, in the beautiful, culturally rich Columbia River Gorge. It is a nonprofit government agency founded in 1874. Water is provided to over 5,800 acres of land, both residential and agricultural. The Hood River Valley produces large quantities of high value pears, apples, cherries, and wine grapes

Serving the Northern Hood River Valley since 1874.

 

Shutdown and Winterization Notice: Spray water delivery is over for the season. FID crews are draining and winterizing our infrastructure. Now is a great time to winterize your private irrigation system as well.

The Farmers Canal and penstocks will continue to run water throughout the winter for hydropower production. It is a violation of State Water Law to use this water for irrigation or any other purpose on your property.

Funding Notification: NRCS cost share is available for on-farm irrigation system upgrades. A minimum of 75% cost share is available in the 2024 funding round. Applications are due November 29th. Contact Carly at carly.heron@usda.gov or 541-352-1037 to learn more or start an application. Funding is available for irrigation efficiency upgrades, irrigation water management, automation, and more.

Payment Notification: Please disregard any emails about unpaid bills. Farmers Irrigation District does not send out bill payment notices via email.

Irrigation Season Notification: Irrigation season legally starts on April 15th and ends September 30th. The irrigation season for the Hood River Basin is set by state law and FID can not provide irrigation water outside of that season. It is a violation of Oregon water law and District policies to use FID water for irrigation before April 15th or after September 30th.

For Building Permits: Applications and site plans can be submitted for FID sign-off via email (megan@fidhr.org). Contact Megan at megan@fidhr.org or 541-387-5261 for questions or to set up an appointment.