Jefferson County farmers are pushing through one of the most difficult growing seasons in recent memory, combining the effects of historic drought with weeks of wildfire smoke and the ongoing challenge of reduced water allotments from the North Unit Irrigation District (NUID).
By spring, Jefferson County was 94 percent covered by severe drought, with the remaining acreage classified as moderate drought, according to state data. That prompted Governor Tina Kotek to include Jefferson County in a statewide drought declaration, alongside a growing list of counties facing extraordinary water stress.
Reduced Water Allotments
The NUID board approved reduced water allotments for the 2026 season back in March, allocating farmers 1.30 acre-feet per acre from the Deschutes River and 0.65 acre-feet per acre from the Crooked River — significantly below normal allotments in a typical year.
The district supplies irrigation water to nearly 59,000 acres of farmland in Jefferson County, supporting the production of mint, potatoes, wheat, alfalfa, and other crops that define the county’s agricultural economy. With less water to work with, many growers made difficult calls early in the season: fallowing marginal acres, prioritizing higher-value crops, or shifting irrigation schedules to reduce evaporation losses.
Harvest Underway Despite Challenges
Harvest operations are now underway across the county, with wheat and early potato varieties leading the push. The combination of heat, drought stress, and smoke-reduced sunlight has created uneven conditions across fields. Some growers report yields running below average, particularly in dryland operations that had no supplemental irrigation to draw from.
Hay growers face compounding pressures: reduced moisture through the growing season limits tonnage, while wildfires and air quality advisories have complicated open-field curing operations. Livestock producers, meanwhile, are watching hay inventory closely heading into fall and winter.
Help Available
Federal and state agricultural assistance programs remain available to Jefferson County producers affected by drought. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Madras can provide information on the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), and other drought-related relief options.
OSU Extension has also been working with producers across the county on livestock water, range management, and accessing fire and drought assistance. Producers can reach the Jefferson County FSA office at (541) 475-3836 or visit fsa.usda.gov for program details.
Jefferson County’s agricultural community has weathered drought before. But the combination of a historically low snowpack winter, a summer of fire and smoke, and reduced water allocations makes 2026 a year that will be talked about for a long time.
The Oregon Water Resources Department continues to monitor streamflow conditions across the Deschutes Basin and will provide updated guidance to water rights holders as the irrigation season winds down in the coming weeks.