As hay is baled and irrigation pipes are pulled for the season, Jefferson County farmers and ranchers are taking stock of what has been a punishing year on the land.

Oregon entered 2026 facing drought conditions driven by historically low snowpack, one of the warmest winters on record, and multi-year precipitation deficits across the state. By spring, 94% of Jefferson County was blanketed in severe drought, with the remaining portion in moderate drought — conditions not seen in the region since 2015.

Governor Tina Kotek formally declared a drought emergency for Jefferson County as conditions worsened through the summer, unlocking state resources for impacted agricultural operations. The declaration noted that the county had experienced moderate drought since mid-July and severe drought through early September.

On the Farm: What Producers Faced

For many Jefferson County operations — particularly grain, hay, and potato producers in the Metolius Basin and around Madras — 2026 brought difficult choices at every turn:

  • Reduced irrigation water: Drought-reduced flows in the Deschutes River and its tributaries meant some irrigators received curtailed allocations earlier in the season than usual, forcing hard decisions about which fields to water and which to let go.
  • Higher feed costs: With pasture grasses struggling in dry conditions, livestock producers faced increased supplemental feed costs through the summer months, squeezing margins on operations already dealing with elevated input prices.
  • Below-average yields: Many dryland producers saw reduced yields on grain and grass seed crops that rely on spring precipitation — a resource that was in short supply across the region this year.

State and Local Resources

The drought emergency declaration opened access to several state assistance programs for impacted producers. The Oregon Water Resources Department has tools including emergency well permits and drought loans. The Jefferson County OSU Extension Service has also been working with local producers on conservation planning and cover crop strategies aimed at improving soil health heading into the 2027 season.

The Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative, which works across county lines on long-term water management, has ongoing programs to help producers adapt to the increasingly variable precipitation patterns that have defined recent years in Central Oregon.

Looking Toward 2027

The return of cooler temperatures and the reopening of residential burning season this week signal the welcome end of fire season. But for the county's agriculture community, recovery from a drought year takes more than one good rain.

Whether the 2026-27 winter delivers meaningful snowpack to the Cascade Range will go a long way toward determining how Jefferson County's farms look heading into next spring. Historically, above-average snowpack years have allowed the region's irrigators to fill their reservoirs and head into the growing season with confidence. Below-average years — like those that preceded 2026 — create cascading shortfalls that take seasons to work through.

For now, producers are doing what they always do: taking stock, making plans, and banking on a better year ahead.

Producers with questions about drought resources can contact the Jefferson County OSU Extension office at 541-475-7107.