Water & Environmental Technologies completed a preliminary design of the irrigation system at the Canyon River Development. The upscale development is located around the Canyon River Golf Course. An irrigation system was needed for watering of residential yards, boulevards and common areas. The irrigation system was modular in design to be constructed as multiple phases of the subdivision were developed.
The current surface water right on the Clark Fork River needed to be changed to reflect a change in use, points of diversion and points of use. The current water right allowed for direct diversion of surface water from the Clark Fork River. This application requested a change in the point of diversion from direct surface water removal from the river to diversion by means of ground water wells. This application also requested a change in the points of diversion from five locations along the river to diversion by means of five ground water wells, located on the property. The change in use was requested because the irrigation use for this water changed from irrigation of hay fields to watering of residential home sites around a golf course.
The change would allow the irrigation system for the residential properties to be streamlined and simplify the operation by decreasing the needed pipeline from the river to the irrigation system and consolidating the points of diversion nearer to the place of use, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the system. The movement of the PODs from pumps directly in the river to ground water wells increases their usability by protecting the pumps from debris and erosion during high river flow. The change was implemented by manifolding the extraction wells together into an underground irrigation piping system that allows for electronically controlled irrigation of the home sites and maintenance areas on the property. The system was coordinated to allow for watering in the evenings, nights and early mornings to minimize irrigation evapotranspiration losses and maximize system efficiencies.
Well construction design, drilling and development were required tasks of this project. Four high volume irrigation wells were designed and drilled at optimal locations to provide water for the irrigation system. Design parameters included well location, drilling method, borehole diameter and depth, construction material, screened interval, screen design, and development procedures. Specification of recommended pump parameters was also included.