Oregon snow drought raises irrigation fears
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Farmers in some parts of Oregon could be forced to leave up to a quarter of their land unplanted as water shortages loom. Photo: George Rose/Getty Images
Oregon's near-record low snowpack is raising fears of severe irrigation shortages ahead of farms' summer growing season.
Why it matters: Agriculture makes up roughly 13% of the Oregon's gross product — with around $5 billion in annual production — so water shortages will have ripple effects across the state's economy.
By the numbers: Snowpack in Oregon was just 10% of normal as of early May.
- Mountain snow acts as an important water source for farmers, melting into streams, rivers and reservoirs, which then feed into irrigation systems.
- Around 70% of the state was already in moderate to severe drought as of Wednesday, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Threat level: "People are anxious and exploring strategies for trying to get through what is obviously going to be a really, really tough year in the state," Greg Addington, executive director of the Oregon Farm Bureau, told Axios.
- "I don't think anybody is expecting to get a full supply of water this year."
Zoom in: Farmers in the Klamath Basin, in southeast Oregon, are likely to see about half the water they usually see, Addington said.
- The Ochoco Irrigation District, near Prineville, is expected to get about two-thirds of its usual water supply, according to Addington.
- To compensate, farmers in the Klamath Basin are looking at leaving roughly a quarter of their 200,000 acres unplanted, Addington said.
- Others are looking at planting fewer water-intensive crops or tapping groundwater reserves.
Friction point: But there's frustration among some farmers that agriculture often becomes the "default water supply" taken for other competing needs, including fish protections and municipal use, during dry spells, Addington said.
- "Fish need more water. Cities need more water. Well, where does it come from? And we know where it's coming from now," he said.
Yes, but: Farms, cities and ecosystems "are going to face challenges this season," Jason Cox, a spokesperson for the Oregon Water Resources Department, told Axios, noting that agriculture represents about 78% of the state's water use.
- But Oregon's water rights system works on a complex and regional "first in time, first in right" principle.
- The people who claimed rights to use water earliest — senior rights holders — generally get priority over more junior users, so the state has limited flexibility to help those facing shortages.
- Cox encouraged water users to contact the department to help them "understand their options."
The bottom line: Oregon farmers are heading into summer with limited water supplies and that could reverberate through the state's economy.