Hi David,
I am writing to update you on several issues related to Section 1 of the Coleman property.
First, we wanted to follow up on your 7/8 site visit observations. City personnel inspected the irrigation handline being used in Section 1 of the North Coleman property immediately after speaking with you in the field and observed that there was a broken head (where the handline attaches to the main irrigation line). City staff immediately shut off irrigation to the handline in that vicinity. Once this action was taken, City staff inspected the area and confirmed that there was no water from the broken irrigation line flowing into the drainage. The City has not irrigated Section 1 of North Coleman since the day you were out, and will not do so until it receives written confirmation from Coleman that the header at issue has been fixed. In addition, we have included a requirement in the irrigation compliance checklist for that area that City staff shall visually observe the area any time it is irrigated by the City (including checking equipment regularly) to ensure that no recycled water is running off into the drainage.
Second, I was notified today that Coleman began irrigating Section 1 on the north side with river water from the Molalla River under his private rights this morning. There is a check valve that separates his private river irrigation line from our recycled water lines. Prior to the startup, Jake Ehredt was on site to verify the check valve was closed and no recycled water flowed to the hand lines in Section 1. This test was conducted while we were irrigating other areas of Coleman’s fields. Jake next verified that when Coleman started his river water irrigation system, water began pumping to and flowing from the hand lines in Section 1. As of now Coleman is only planning to irrigate Section 1 to green the pasture up for his calves. He informed Jake he will be operating the hand lines in Section 1, 24 hours a day. We wanted to let you know about this in case you observe or hear reports about run-off in that area so you can be assured it is not connected with City irrigation activities.
If anything changes with Coleman’s irrigation location or if the City begins irrigating in Section 1 again, I will notify you. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Regards,
Jennifer Cline, P.E.
Public Works Director
117 N Molalla Ave.
PO Box 248 *
Molalla, OR 97038
O: 503.759.0218
F: 503.829.3676
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