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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Coast Guard calls off search for overboard Oregon man ... Wyden fields questions during Medford town hall meeting ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Coast Guard calls off search for overboard Oregon man ... Wyden fields questions during Medford town hall meeting ... OUR VIEW Our View: WISE project offers many benefits Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 6, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Jan 6, 2015 at 9:56 AM Posted Jan. 6, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Jan 6, 2015 at 9:56 AM » Social News It's been talked about for years, and today in Portland, business, industry and government leaders are set to talk about it some more: A major upgrade of the irrigation systems in Southern Oregon. This time, maybe all the talk will lead to some action. There are many reasons to find a way to complete what's known as the WISE project — Water for Irrigators, Streams and Economy — and all of them are compelling: Irrigation in this valley has traditionally relied on open canals and ditches, some lined, some not, and all subject to evaporation and leakage. Converting those canals and ditches to a system of pipes would save 30 percent of the water now wasted on the way from the source to the farmer. Another drawback of open canals is pollution from fertilizers, pesticides and other runoff from farm fields and pastures. Piping the system would protect the water supply from contamination. If climate change is of concern — and it ought to be — preparing to compensate for its effects so agriculture remains a viable industry here only makes sense, and saving 30 percent of the water now being used becomes a necessity. Constructing the system will provide jobs requiring less specialized training than the proposed gas pipeline. And, while the gas pipeline creates concerns about environmental impacts, an irrigation system upgrade would actually improve the environment by allowing more water to be left in streams and reducing contamination from runoff. As Ron Fox, executive director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., noted, the future of agriculture in this valley is the production of produce and row crops, which require more frequent water deliveries than are possible with the rotation schedule of flood irrigation. The Oregon Business Plan was a major backer of the Columbia River Crossing project to replace the Interstate 5 bridge connecting Oregon and Washington, but the deal fell through and the bottleneck created by the outdated span remains. That problem still needs to be solved. But meanwhile, the WISE project can be done for a fraction of the cost. It's still a lot of money — $300 million to $400 million — and there is plenty of competition for that kind of funding. That's why today's meeting is important: to get the attention of those who can help make the WISE project a reality. Local government leaders should be prepared to advocate for it as well. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 6, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Jan 6, 2015 at 9:56 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501