As fall harvest gets underway across Jefferson County, local farmers and ranchers are tallying a season of significant losses — the consequence of an Oregon drought unlike anything the region has endured in years.
The damage began before the first irrigation pump turned on this spring. Oregon's 2026 winter delivered historically low snowpack alongside some of the warmest temperatures recorded in decades, triggering multi-year precipitation deficits that set up a summer crisis for water-dependent agriculture across Central Oregon.
When supplies fell critically short, Oregon's prior appropriation water law — "first in time, first in right" — required state water managers to issue curtailments. Holders of junior water rights were first to lose access. The result: hundreds of farmers and ranchers in Deschutes and Jefferson counties received curtailment notices, some for the entire growing season.
A Third of Jefferson County's Irrigated Land Went Dry
The scale of the impact in Jefferson County was stark. Farmers here stopped cultivating an estimated one-third of the county's irrigated acreage this season. Fields that in past years grew alfalfa hay, potatoes, pasture grass, and seed crops sat fallow or were converted to dryland conditions with little to harvest.
The Deschutes River itself dropped to roughly a third below normal flows at the height of the drought, triggering broader curtailments across multiple irrigation districts in the basin. Irrigation districts that serve hundreds of Jefferson County patrons faced impossible triage decisions about where limited water could go.
"Oregon farmers are not alone," noted Brad Rippey, meteorologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as conditions worsened in July. Comparisons are being drawn to Oregon's devastating 2015 snow drought, which affected 25 of the state's 36 counties.
Limited Relief From Emergency Declarations
Governor Kotek issued drought emergency declarations covering multiple Oregon counties, unlocking some access to emergency resources. But producers noted that declarations do little to put water in empty canals. The curtailment priority system remained in effect, and junior right holders stayed shut off.
Harvest this fall looks markedly different for Jefferson County's agricultural community. Reduced yields, altered crop mixes, and the cumulative financial hit of a compressed growing season are adding up for farm families whose livelihoods depend on reliable summer irrigation.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 drought has renewed conversations among water managers, irrigation districts, and agricultural advocates about long-term resilience in Central Oregon. Infrastructure investments — piping open canals to reduce losses, modernizing delivery systems, and building water banking capacity — are among the tools being discussed as the region looks ahead to a potentially drier future.
Farmers and ranchers with questions about water rights, curtailment appeals, or available assistance programs can contact the Oregon Water Resources Department at oregon.gov/owrd or reach out to their local irrigation district for information specific to their operation.