Overview
OWRD is taking steps to reduce groundwater level declines within the Harney Basin. The Department will post all information about activities on this page as it becomes available.
News & Events
On June 9, 2026, the Oregon Water Resources Department will host a hybrid community meeting to provide information and answer questions on totalizing flow meter requirements for impacted groundwater users in the Harney Basin SWMPA. The meeting materials and recording are linked below.
Title: Harney Basin Totalizing Flow Meter Requirements Community Meeting
Date & Time: June 9, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.
Location: Harney County Community Center 478 N Broadway Ave, Burns, OR 97720
To attend virtually (Zoom) Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Contact Alexandria Scott for more information about outreach meetings at alexandria.i.scott@water.oregon.gov.
Event Flyer (Coming Soon!)
Agenda (Coming Soon!)
Meeting PowerPoint (Coming Soon!)
Meeting Recording (Coming Soon!)
OWRD Activities in Harney Basin
You can find information about allotment and the contested case process here.
Serious Water Management Problem Area
For more information about requirements within the Serious Water Management Problem Area, please visit the Harney Basin SWMPA Page.
Critical Groundwater Area
More information coming soon. Please visit the Division 512 Rules for more information on the CGWA.
Place-Based Planning
A product of OWRD’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy, the Harney Community-Based Water Planning (CBWP) Collaborative is undertaking a place-based approach to water resources planning. This group of farmers, ranchers, business-people, government officials, tribal members, landowners, conservationists and other interests have been working together to gather information, identify strategies, and determine in-stream and out-of-stream water resources needs to help develop solutions that will meet those needs now and into the future.
For more general information, click this link: https://harneyswaterfuture.com/.
Other