ODA Asking Producers To Submit Drainage Maintenance Requests

Did you know the Oregon Department of Agriculture is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of agricultural drainage channels.  The Agricultural Drainage Channel Maintenance, better known as the ADCM Program, is a free way to maintain field drainage.  The Program gives landowners the ability to legally maintain drainage channels through permits, or Notices.  After a landowners sends in their application, the Notice will be approved or denied within 45 days.

Once the ODA has approved a Notice, it’s valid for five years, meaning a landowner could have a Notice validated in 2025 and do maintenance work on their channels outlined in the application until 2030. 

To be eligible for the ADCM Program, a channel must: 

• Be routinely maintained and provide drainage in the last five years
• be dry at the time of work
• not be designated as Essential Salmonid Habitat (ESH)
• not be in a wetland 

Maintenance work must be done during a pre-determined work window.  A landowner can check online with the Department of State Lands (DSL) or contact ODA to determine if their channel is ESH or wetland designated. If a channel doesn’t qualify for the ADCM program, landowners can still go through a DSL permit process.

If you have questions, Email Program Specialist Brittany Mills or call (971) 218-1409.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com