Oregon’s First Floating Solar Array
The Medford Irrigation District floating solar project demonstrates how innovative partnerships can deliver multiple benefits for irrigation districts, local communities, and the environment.
In Summer of 2026, Medford Irrigation District celebrated the installation of Oregon’s first floating solar array. By generating renewable energy on an irrigation reservoir, the project reduces evaporation while cooling the water beneath the array, creates a new source of revenue to help fund irrigation modernization, and expands access to affordable community solar for Jackson County residents and businesses—including low-income households. The collaboration among irrigation districts, agency partners, and community organizations, the project serves as a model for how stakeholders can work together to build long-term resilience in rural communities.