It has been a punishing summer for agriculture across Jefferson County. A combination of low winter snowpack, above-average summer temperatures, and state-mandated curtailments of junior water rights has left many local farmers making difficult decisions about their crops and herds as the growing season heads into its final stretch.
Jefferson County officials pursued a drought declaration earlier this year as conditions deteriorated, part of a broad push by Central Oregon counties to unlock potential financial relief for struggling agricultural producers. Drought declarations can activate federal assistance programs and low-interest loans, though officials acknowledged at the time that the scope of western drought made competition for resources fierce.
Water Curtailments Take Hold
The Oregon Water Resources Department has issued curtailment orders affecting junior water rights holders across the Deschutes Basin — the river system that supplies much of Jefferson County's irrigation water. When stream flows fall below the level needed to satisfy all valid water rights, the state curtails junior (newer) rights first, giving priority to senior rights dating back to earlier settlement-era claims.
For many Jefferson County farmers and ranchers who hold younger water rights — often purchased when land changed hands in the 20th century — the curtailments have meant reduced or halted deliveries during the crop's most water-intensive months. Row crops, hay fields, and livestock operations have all been affected.
A Systemic Problem
A recent ProPublica investigation highlighted the Deschutes River's complex water rights structure, noting that during drought years, large volumes of water are diverted to senior-rights holders in wealthier agricultural regions even as downstream junior-rights farmers face cutoffs. The report amplified a long-running tension in Central Oregon water politics that local agricultural advocates have raised for years.
Jefferson County's farming economy — centered on wheat, hay, mint, potatoes, and cattle — depends heavily on reliable irrigation. When summer deliveries are curtailed, the losses can cascade: hay producers can't carry their herds, potato yields drop, and perennial crops like mint face long-term stress.
Looking Ahead
With September approaching, some crops are nearing harvest and the pressure on irrigation will ease naturally. But farmers say the experience of 2026 has made clear the need for longer-term water storage solutions and policy reforms to the Deschutes Basin's allocation framework.
The Jefferson County OSU Extension office remains a resource for farmers dealing with drought impacts, including guidance on soil health, alternative crops, and emergency livestock feeding assistance. They can be reached through extension.oregonstate.edu/jefferson.