Bend Bulletin: ‘The worst drought on record:’ Deschutes County declares emergency
Photo: The snowmobiling area is mostly free of snow at Wanoga Sno-Park west of Bend. (Dean Guernsey/The Bulletin)
By Michael Kohn
Deschutes County has declared a state of drought emergency for the fifth time in the last six years.
The measure was taken so that county residents can tap into state funds to alleviate the financial burden brought on by the abnormally dry conditions.
In a resolution posted last month and signed by commissioners Tony DeBone and Phil Chang, the county announced a drought emergency that is endangering crops and livestock, while also threatening natural resources, recreation and tourism.
“I think it will be the worst drought on record,” said Craig Horrell, general manager of Central Oregon Irrigation District, the largest district in the county. Patrons will likely see water curtailed from normal amounts, he said.
The declaration notes that Deschutes County has record low snowpack — around 30% of normal — and most of the county is experiencing “abnormally dry conditions,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Area rivers are also running lower than normal.
“The Deschutes River is experiencing extremely low natural flow levels such that all irrigation districts dependent on water flows from the Deschutes River will be severely impacted … due to diminished supplies,” read the declaration.
Gov. Tina Kotek must approve the declaration before the county can apply for aid.
Deschutes County Watermaster Jeremy Giffin also anticipates trouble ahead for waterways across the region.
“In the next few months, this low snowpack will translate into near record low flows and will most certainly cause water curtailments on water appropriators on these streams,” said Giffin.
Giffin said springs in the Upper Deschutes basin are running at historic lows and the likely result will be a drawdown of area reservoirs, including Wickiup, which supplies most of the water to large commercial farms in Jefferson County.
Commissioner Chang said declaring a drought in February is unusually early in the year, but necessary due to low snowpack in the Central Cascades.
“Without a meaningful snowpack melting off through the spring and into summer, there will be less natural flow in rivers and creeks and there will be less refilling of reservoirs as they release the water they contain for agricultural supply early in the irrigation season,” said Chang.
With the exception of 2024, Deschutes County has declared drought every year this decade.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, all Western states with the exception of California have some level of drought. Colorado is the hardest hit, where around 11% of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought. In Oregon, around 25% of the state is in severe or worse levels of drought.
Read more at: https://bendbulletin.com/2026/03/12/deschutes-county-declares-drought-emergency-irrigation-cuts-likely/
