For Jefferson County farmers and ranchers, this summer has delivered a one-two punch: a devastating wildfire season on top of one of the worst droughts in recent memory. With no significant moisture in the forecast and irrigation deliveries cut well below normal levels, agricultural producers across the county are making hard decisions about livestock, crops, and the coming year.
Drought Emergency Declared in April
Governor Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency for Jefferson County in late April, along with Crook, Grant, Jackson, Morrow, and Wallowa counties, through Executive Order 26-07. The declaration unlocks emergency tools through the Oregon Water Resources Department, including expedited reviews for temporary water transfers and emergency water-use authorizations — but it does not create water that isn’t there.
At the time of the declaration, roughly 94 percent of Jefferson County was classified as being in severe drought, with the remainder in moderate drought conditions. Statewide, 2026 has been characterized by historically low snowpack, one of the warmest winters on record, and multi-year precipitation deficits — a combination last seen in the disastrous 2015 drought year.
North Unit Irrigation District Cuts Allotments
The North Unit Irrigation District — which serves thousands of acres of irrigated farmland in Jefferson County — approved reduced water allotments for the 2026 season. Farmers received just 1.30 acre-feet per acre from the Deschutes River and 0.65 acre-feet from the Crooked River, well below what producers typically need for a full crop season.
Water managers have explained that this year’s shortfall is driven less by reservoir storage than by a dramatic lack of natural inflow. Snowpack, which typically feeds rivers through the spring and early summer, was minimal — leaving irrigation systems increasingly dependent on stored water far earlier in the season than normal.
Junior Water Rights Holders Hit First
As summer progressed and streamflows declined, the Oregon Water Resources Department began curtailing junior water rights holders across the region under Oregon’s “first in time, first in right” system. Farmers and ranchers holding more recent water rights — often younger operations — have been among the first to lose access to irrigation deliveries.
Ranchers throughout Jefferson County have been watching pasture conditions closely, with many already selling off portions of their herds rather than paying premium prices for hay to make up for the shortfall in grass.
What Comes Next
With August typically being the hottest and driest month of the year in Central Oregon, conditions are not expected to improve before the growing season winds down. Agricultural extension agents have encouraged producers to document losses carefully for potential disaster assistance programs.
Irrigation districts are urging customers to report any unauthorized water use and to contact their district offices if they have questions about their current allotment or curtailment status. The Oregon Water Resources Department maintains a real-time water availability dashboard at oregon.gov/owrd.
For Jefferson County producers navigating drought-related financial stress, the Oregon State University Extension Service office in Madras is available as a resource. Contact the Jefferson County Extension office at (541) 475-4453.