Annual Leasing Program

The DRC works with districts and landowners to lease water rights that are not currently being used.

When water is leased instream, it is protected with the same priority date as the original water right – providing significant instream benefits. In addition to the instream benefit, the lease satisfies state beneficial use requirements that the landowner or district needs to prevent the water right from being forfeited. Some water right holders are paid $7.00 per acre-foot to lease, but half of the DRC's instream leasing participants donate their water.

You may lease all or part of your irrigation rights.

The lease options available to you include:

• 5 year opt out lease - water rights are leased for 5 years. The lessor can opt out of the lease each year 30 days prior to the start of the irrigation season.
• 1-year standard lease - water rights are leased for one irrigation season instream.
• Split season lease - water rights are used for part of a season and leased for part of a season in the same year.

Instream leasing protects water rights, provides economic benefits, and helps to restore the Deschutes River and its tributaries.

Interested in leasing your water rights? Please contact us.