Before any water was diverted from the Deschutes River, appropriations to divert had to be filed with the State of Oregon. The filing had to identify where the diversion would occur and how much water would be diverted. Today, those very same appropriations are still in force. But the ranch at the start of the canal must conserve and husband the use if there is to be any water for a ranch at the end of the canal. That same philosophy still holds sway today.
Clean water is a resource to share and respect.
By 1907, the Central Oregon and Pilot Butte Canals had been constructed. In 1910, as a result of foreclosure and ensuing reorganization, the Central Oregon Irrigation Company was created. The transition was not without rancor and was finally resolved by the courts on July 9, 1921. The construction of canals and dams continued. 1912 saw the completion of the North Canal Dam and connection to the Pilot Butte Canal.