Klamath Basin Farmers Told to Idle Tens of Thousands of Acres as Water Crisis Deepens
KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — As the Klamath Falls Basin deals with low snowpack and limited water supplies, farmers have been asked to leave tens of thousands of acres idle, forcing them to abandon profitable crops.
Klamath Falls Basin Farmers Asked To Leave Land Idle During Drought
As water managers struggle to balance federal environmental requirements with agricultural survival, the Klamath Drainage District asked landowners to idle many acres through the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency.
The Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) confirmed that the Bureau of Reclamation allocated only 221,000 acre-feet of water to the Klamath Irrigation Project this year. As a result, between 40,000 and 50,000 acres will need to be idled across the Klamath Project.
Sources: Bureau of Reclamation 2026 Klamath allocation release / KWUA drought response notice
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But the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency has $19.1 million available for its 2026 program. Another long-term drought response program is scheduled for launch within the next month, but currently, the two main KUWA programs to help farmers through the drought are:
- No Irrigation Program (estimated to pay between $300 and $350 per acre, depending on enrollment numbers): For idled acres that will not receive any irrigation water from November 1, 2025, through October 31, 2026.
- Partial Season Irrigation Program (mainly for Klamath Drainage District lands that had water on them over the winter months): For idled acres that will not be irrigated from March 1, 2026, through October 31, 2026.
Applications will be accepted from April 15 through June 15 at 5 p.m. Workshops will be scheduled to help complete applications, likely on April 29 and May 29.