As Jefferson County's harvest season winds down under a smoky late-August sky, local farmers are tallying the costs of what many are calling the hardest growing season in years — a perfect storm of drought, heat, reduced water allocations, and months of fire activity.
The Water Crunch
The challenges were apparent well before the first seed went in the ground. In March, the North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) board approved significantly reduced water allotments for the 2026 season, giving farmers just 1.30 acre-feet per acre from the Deschutes River and 0.65 acre-feet per acre from the Crooked River — well below what most crops need in a normal year.
Jefferson County entered the 2026 season with 94% of its land area under severe drought conditions, with the remainder in moderate drought. Governor Tina Kotek formally declared a drought emergency for Jefferson County in April, unlocking state resources and enabling the Oregon Water Resources Department to expedite water right transactions.
"It's a year where you manage for survival, not profit," one local grower said earlier this spring. "You plant what you think can make it on the water you've got."
What's Being Grown — and What Got Cut
Carrot seed, wheat, hay, and specialty crops are the backbone of Jefferson County agriculture. In a drought year, farmers make hard choices: fallowing fields, shifting to lower-water crops, or selling water rights temporarily to neighbors in greater need.
The NUID serves roughly 55,000 irrigated acres across Jefferson County — one of the most productive agricultural counties per irrigated acre in Oregon. Reduced allocations ripple through the local economy, affecting equipment dealers, agricultural suppliers, and farmworkers as well as growers themselves.
Fire Season Made It Worse
On top of the water stress, July and August brought relentless wildfire smoke and, at times, active evacuation orders. The Rowe Creek Complex alone burned nearly 374,000 acres across the region, and smaller fires kept fire crews and agricultural operations on constant alert.
Smoke can damage crops directly through particulate deposition and by reducing the photosynthetically active radiation plants need to mature. For seed crops in particular — which require precision timing — a smoky August can affect germination rates in future seasons.
Looking to Fall and Winter
Water managers are watching closely for any early-season precipitation that could help rebuild reservoir storage before the 2027 irrigation season. The Deschutes River Basin has seen multi-year precipitation deficits, and one good winter — while welcome — is unlikely to fully offset accumulated losses.
NUID encourages farmers to contact the district office in Madras at (541) 475-3625 for information on 2026 season-end water accounting and early planning resources for next year.