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I have seen zero media outlets report on one of the true reasons for unaffordable housing: municipal permit mandates. The biggest ones are utility main extensions which can run upwards of $1,000/LF to install (ie, an 8" ductile iron main pipe w/ seismic). If a developer wants to put an affordable project on a street that doesn't have a sewer/water/stormwater main (which is about 50% of every block face w/ 4-sides as very few cities are fully gridded), the city will mandate it to be installed to service the denser housing proposed. The cities will also use the opportunity of having to replace the road once the main is installed to mandate upgrades to sidewalks, curb and gutters, ADA ramps and other road standards that they want. It can be anywhere from $100k - $1MM+ per project just to add infrastructure. And the city makes the developer pay for it. This is called an "unplanned extension mandate" and it kills projects before they are even started. It's really one of the underlying factors as to why housing is not affordable and scarce. The city has no programs or plans to help pay for it. They require private funding by the developer.

Hi Jack, thanks for this informative write-up. If COID/AID are so concerned about conservation, why do they allow precious water to dump in the desert at Mayfield Pond, Reynolds Pond and Zell Pond? How much unused water ends up at the end of the canal near Lake Billy Chinook? Why don't they pipe the dirt-lined sub-laterals first? That wouldn't be as expensive and farmers might welcome that.

Seems like excess water rights could be given to North Unit if COID wanted to, but they aren't. It's predicated on this pipe project only. Also, what is COID doing about the excessive water drawn/diverted out of the Deschutes because of an antiquated water rights system? Couldn't they reform these rights and divvy them up more equitably? They are only willing to share the "saved" water??

"Unlined" canals are leaky, but the area next to the river isn't unlined, it's volcanic rock and definitely not losing 50% water there, so why do the irrigation districts focus on the area losing the least-amount of water?

Finally, if this canal is piped against the wishes of the property owners, are the irrigation districts promising to divert LESS water from the river? It sounds like they won't, but still make statements that this is healthy for the river. How is that the case when they divert the same amount of water they have rights to?

I would love a reporter to get to the bottom of these questions. For years local reporters just regurgitate COID talking points which are well-crafted to make us think that developing a piped system (paid for by public $$ and gives COID hydroelectric power revenue) helps the Deschutes river, but I'm just not seeing it?? Would be great to understand this.

I don't think ppl understand what they're asking for when they say, "go ahead and pipe through my yard!". For one, you pay taxes on the land that COID will pipe. Two, that land will look like a moonscape; nothing can grow on it for min. widths so roots don't damage the underground pipes. It's a seriously ugly easement when they're all done. Three, the size of pipes needed to route the amount of canal water needs to be 20' in diameter which will rise out of the ex. canal bed and put a moonscape hill in your backyard. Four, if there is ever a break in the pipe (and it's happened) prepare for your back yard to be flooded and damage to your house. There is no immediate "shut off" valve other than shutting down the whole canal which takes hours (meanwhile your house is flooded). Five, enjoy the construction project in your back yard!

The COID is greatly misleading the amount of water saved by piping. Only the unlined laterals and sub-laterals lose water and those could easily be lined for a lot less than piping. COID wants to become a hydro-electric company and wants gov't to pay for that infrastructure. In the meantime recapturing real water in Deschutes is small until water rights reform happens. We will spend $100s of millions on piping canals and not retain the water needed in Deschutes. Everything needs great study to ensure we're getting the most sustainable solution for the least money (value). Piping everything is the most expensive solution with the least return.

If you want to get to the real problem, go back to the water rights issue. You guys were almost there, then got distracted by piping and leaking canals, which is exactly what COID wants you to be distracted by.

COID is obligated to service water rights owners first and foremost; and currently those owners are diverting a certain amount of water each year from the Deschutes River. After the canals are piped, they will continue to divert the *same* amount of water that they currently do, nothing will change.

COID has environmentalists wringing their hands over water leaking that has ALREADY BEEN DIVERTED from the river...how does that help the Deschutes? COID is saying that it will save X cfs from leaking, but again, that's water already taken out of the river and running through the canal. Why so much emphasis on this point? Because they want that water to flow through pipes to create "head" (pressure) for their hydropower plans. There isn't any other reason they care about.

But they got us all caring about it as if that will save the Deschutes. Read everything COID says: they're not promising to divert *less* water from the Deschutes after piping. They're hoping we forget all that and go through a divisive, angry, expensive, complicated process that pits property owners (yes, private property owners own the canal property, COID just owns easements) against environmentalists on their behalf.

And COID DOES dump water. Check out Reynolds Pond, Mayfield Pond, Little Houson, Big Houston Lake, Zell Pond and see how much water COID is dumping to "use" their water rights. It's Deschutes River water just being dumped into the desert...but hey, the duck hunters appreciate it.

If you've heard the term "useful idiot", that's how COID treats us. This was a good start, but I suggest you go back and do a follow-up article actually looking into the issues I mentioned above.

What was the setlist? Loved, loved the show!