Rogue Valley and the drought - wells, irrigation? (Medford, Ashland: how much, buyers)

[gray horse]

I'm planning a move to the Medford / Ashland area and I'm getting concerned about the drought. I will be moving to acreage dependent on a well and irrigation.

Those of you in the area, can you give me input on the status of things? Thanks!

[PNW-type-gal]

Haven't read about it being a problem in the local paper - although we're looking at record drought this summer, if spring doesn't get wetter. Most of the stories about potential drought have been about the various reservoirs and the low level.

I know you can go on line and get well records for drinking/residential records - I think, but am not positive, that applies to irrigation wells also.

You need to know township and range
Well Log Query

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I know that Mt. Ashland has barely any snow.

[PNW-type-gal]

I was actually there yesterday (nice sunny warm day so we drove up to get some pictures of Mt Shasta and Shastina from an angle you don't normally get to see). The ski area is closed and you can see bare patches on the ground, but the little bunny hill has snow on it and there were a lot of families there, sledding with the kids. Although it was probably 50 degrees out (61 in Medford).

But I don't know the geology in the valley well enough (yet) to know what the aquifer recharge is, at least as far as answering the question about irrigation wells. Doubtless surface drought will affect aquifer levels, but I am not sure what the extent is and how heavily used the aquifers are.

[Hawk J]

In past years I've seen us get snow in southern Oregon, through April, sometimes.

[Nell Plotts]

You really need to investigate your water rights. Start with the County, they should be able to tell you where to find that out. Often a land seller will simply tell buyers that there is a well on the property without spelling out how much water the well produces or whether or not there are any water superior rights.

Agricultural water rights, which include wells for irrigation, are documented. As they said in the old west, "Water is for killing, whisky is for drinking."

[gray horse]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

You really need to investigate your water rights. Start with the County, they should be able to tell you where to find that out. Often a land seller will simply tell buyers that there is a well on the property without spelling out how much water the well produces or whether or not there are any water superior rights.

Agricultural water rights, which include wells for irrigation, are documented. As they said in the old west, "Water is for killing, whisky is for drinking."

Thanks, I already have the well record for the property I'm considering, it is 6GPM. I have a copy of the initial construction and flow test (permit). Also it is in TID, Talent Irrigation District so I know the cost of that.

My question is are any wells getting low, are there talks about farmers having to cut back on irrigation from the irrigation districts if the drought continues.

Does anyone see a pattern in the Valley, that could lead to water problems in the future.

[Steve Pickering]

Call the well drillers. They would know.