The Harney Water Collaborative Forms
Groundwater in the Harney Basin is a vital resource. For decades, the state permitted more groundwater use for agriculture than the basin can sustainably supply. By the early 2000s, water levels in parts of the basin began dropping quickly. Today, the Harney Basin is a designated Critical Groundwater Management Area (CGWA), with state rules that will require reductions in groundwater use, and a Serious Water Management Problem Area (SWMPA), with rules that will require flowmeters to be installed on all irrigation wells by March 2028.
The Harney Water Collaborative was formed to meet this challenge head-on, through a model of community-led cooperation rooted in Harney County. Bringing together agricultural producers, Tribal nations, local governments, state agencies, conservation organizations, and community members, the Collaborative is working to communicate about the issue, answer questions, and find lasting, practical solutions that keep agriculture viable, protect ecosystems, and sustain the Harney County way of life.
In 2026, the Burns Paiute Tribe, Harney County, the City of Burns, and the City of Hines issued a joint groundwater resolution and requested an Oregon Solutions project to formally scope and launch the Collaborative. Governor Kotek designated this as an Oregon Solutions Project. Through the Oregon Solutions process, parties worked together to identify and agree on potential actions, or suites of actions, that can collectively achieve successful project outcomes, including determining who should take specific actions, how those actions will be implemented, and when they will occur. This process completed June 18, 2026 and the Harney Water Collaborative formed and is convened by High Desert Partnership.
To find out how to get involved with Harney Water Collaborative, contact High Desert Partnership at 541-573-7820 or director@highdesertpartnership.org.
