Emergency repairs could be done by Friday after lava tube breaches COID irrigation canal, creates 40-foot sinkhole

(Update: More details of canal breach, sinkhole, repairs underway)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Central Oregon Irrigation District shut off its Central Oregon Canal and water deliveries to over 1,800 customers for emergency repairs Sunday after a lava tube caused a “significant breach” in the floor of the canal, creating a 40-foot sinkhole. COID officials said Tuesday those repairs could be complete by Friday, if all goes well.

COID officials at first advised users Sunday morning that the canal, which delivers waters to users in Bend, Alfalfa and Powell Butte, would experience “a drop in flows” due to an emergency repair that would be completed “as quickly as possible.”

 They said they expected to return to the current delivery flow rates once repairs were complete.

However, in an update late Sunday afternoon, COID said the repair “will require the assistance of additional resources,’ so for now, “The Central Oregon Canal has been completely turned off.”

The breach between Ward and Gosney roads "is a significant hole," COID Managing Director Craig Horrell said.

Here's Tuesday's update from COID:

Over the weekend, an unforeseen issue occurred with the Central Oregon Irrigation District infrastructure. The Central Oregon Canal, which supplies water to COID users in Bend, Alfalfa, and Powell Butte, experienced a major breach. This breach, resulting from a lava tube collapse in the canal floor between Ward Road and Gosney Road, created a 40-foot sinkhole.

As a safety and conservation measure, water flow in the Central Oregon Canal was shut off on Sunday, July 28, at 8:20 a.m. The complete shutdown is impacting over 1,800 COID patrons, representing 55% of the district's users. The water that would normally be diverted through the canal, approximately 450 cubic feet per second (cfs), is instead flowing into the river, causing an increase in river flows and subsequently affecting the Bend Whitewater Park.

This incident highlights the need for modernizing irrigation districts' infrastructure, particularly the importance of piping century-old irrigation canals. Piping not only prevents such breaches and subsequent flooding but also improves water efficiency and conservation.

COID is actively working to assess and repair the canal's damage.

 We anticipate that these repairs will take approximately 3-4 days. Water service could be restored as soon as Friday.

In the meantime, we appreciate the public's understanding as we manage this situation and work to restore normal water delivery.