Public Law 83-566 Watershed Project
Public Law 83-566 Watershed Project
Rogue River Valley Irrigation District (RRVID) is pursuing federal funding to improve agricultural water availability and management within the District. RRVID experiences periodic irrigation water shortages that reduce reliability for irrigated agriculture and create economic uncertainty for farms and rural communities. RRVID is exploring a range of project alternatives, including consideration of recycled water produced by the City of Medford.
RRVID is the project sponsor and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the federal agency administering the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (Public Law 83-566). The City of Medford is a project partner.
NRCS is initiating public scoping under the Watershed Program, Public Law 83-566, to help identify issues, concerns, and opportunities related to the proposed project. Information gathered during scoping will inform the development and evaluation of project alternatives and associated environmental, economic, and social considerations.
Members of the public are invited to attend the public scoping meeting on April 7, 2026, to provide input to help guide planning efforts. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn about the proposed project, ask questions, and submit comments, ideas, and concerns. The public scoping meeting will take place at the Rogue Community College Table Rock Campus, Room 184, located at 7800 Pacific Ave, White City, OR 97503.
Following the public scoping period, project partners will use input received to prepare a Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) or, if required, a Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS). The public will have an opportunity to review the Draft Plan-EA or Plan-EIS and provide additional input before any final decisions are made.
If approved, the completed Watershed Plan would allow RRVID to seek construction funding through the NRCS Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program, authorized by Public Law 83-566. Through this program, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to local sponsors for watershed projects that address natural resource and related economic needs within a defined watershed. Eligible purposes may include agricultural water management, watershed protection, flood prevention, public recreation, public fish and wildlife, municipal and industrial water supply, and water quality management.

Head to the comment page on this website to submit your comment here.
Write an email to rrvid.comments@gmail.com
Call (541) 716-6085 to submit your comment via phone.
Write to FCA, Attn: RRVID Scoping, 102 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031
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