There’s water in the High Desert
By Mindy Gould on Thursday, June 5th, 2025 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
HARNEY COUNTY(Released from BLM Oregon & Washington)-Water in the High Desert? You bet. And it’s flowing thanks to over 200 miles of buried pipeline maintained by the BLM in eastern Oregon.
Every spring, BLM crews start up a massive water delivery system that supports livestock across 100,000 acres of public rangeland north of Diamond Craters.
“Once the season starts, we’re checking on parts of the system almost every day,” says Nathan, a BLM Equipment Operator whose primary duty is maintaining the pipeline. “When it’s hot and dry, even a small problem can turn into a big issue fast, so we stay on it.”
This one-of-a-kind system is a decades-long team effort between ranchers and BLM, built on partnership, cooperation, and a shared goal: Healthy lands that support livestock, wildlife and local communities.
Photo credit to BLM Oregon & Washington
