Jefferson County farmers and ranchers are facing a water crisis this summer as irrigation districts begin cutting off deliveries to junior water rights holders — the earliest such curtailments on record for the Deschutes Basin.
"This is going to be the earliest shutdown on record. The last one was July 23 of 2022. That was also due to a drought, but this one is going to be 20 days earlier," said Chris Webb, manager of the Arnold Irrigation District.
The crisis is driven by a dismal winter snowpack and plummeting reservoir storage levels. When water supplies fall during drought, Oregon water law requires that junior water rights — those with more recent appropriation dates — be curtailed first, so that senior rights holders can receive their full share.
How Bad Is the Drought?
"After years of prolonged drought, the Deschutes River is running approximately a third less than it normally does," said Jeremy Giffin, Deschutes Basin Watermaster for Oregon Water Resources. "What that means is we are curtailing users with priority dates that are after 1900. That's most of the water rights coming out of the Deschutes River."
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has already declared drought emergencies for the tri-county area, which allows farmers and ranchers who lose their surface water supplies to switch to groundwater — but only if they have wells already in place.
Local Ranchers Adapting
Near Terrebonne, rancher Ryder Redfield manages 2,000 acres of irrigated cropland and says the situation is forcing a rethink of what he grows.
"We've already taken 400 acres out of hay production and are doing some fescues," Redfield said. "What I'm most excited about — it's kind of a gamble — but there's a lot of interest in trying to commercially grow native grass seed."
Redfield noted that even his groundwater sources are being restricted as drought conditions deepen and the water table drops.
What This Means for the County
Agriculture is the economic backbone of Jefferson County. Hay, grain, mint, and cattle operations depend on reliable summer irrigation, and a dry year can ripple through the local economy for years. Farmers who lose crops this summer face hard choices: fallowing fields, selling livestock early, or taking on debt to survive until conditions improve.
Residents with questions about water rights and curtailments can contact the Oregon Water Resources Department. Jefferson County farmers experiencing drought-related hardship may also be eligible for federal agricultural assistance programs through the USDA Farm Service Agency office in Madras.