NEW: OPB and ProPublica found that water from one of Oregon’s most iconic rivers, the Deschutes, is largely given away to wealthy landowners who are turning the high desert green with lush pastures and landscaping.

propublica.org/article/deschut…

#News #Oregon #Farming #Agriculture #Water #River #Drought #Law

Oregon Water Law Benefits Wealthy Landowners at Farmers’ Expense — ProPublica

In the high desert of Central Oregon, the Deschutes River is a lifeline for farmers and landowners — but a century-old water law entitles just a few thousand people to more than half of its volume.

^{Emily Cureton Cook (ProPublica)}