Federal money should help prevent Tri-City canal breaks
.JPG "Columbia Irrigation District had a massive canal break on the north side of Columbia Park Trail in Richland in 2010.")
The Columbia Irrigation District in Kennewick has received a federal grant for work that should reduce canal breaks.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded the district $68,485 from its WaterSMART conservation program.
The district will use the money to install two new gate structures and two magnetic flow meters to automate its main canal.
The work should not only reduce canal breaches, but also help regulate flows and reduce labor costs.
The Roza Irrigation District also received $75,000 from the same federal program.
The money will be used to seal a half mile of concrete canal liner in its main canal to reduce water loss from seepage.
The grants to both districts require a 50 percent cost share.