About Us
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.