Lifeblood of a Ranch

In this dry landscape, irrigation ditches fed by rivers, creeks, or steady springs made the rich floodplain soils productive. In the shadow of Sheep Rock, grazing livestock on native grasslands and cultivating irrigated fields began in the 1890s. Over the last century, these fields grew a variety of crops, primarily grass dried into hay for winter livestock feed, with orchards and gardens kept nearby. The James Cant ranch held specific water rights, and its ditches were carefully maintained to draw a set allotment of precious water from the river system and spread it across the bottomland to nourish crops. After the National Park Service purchased the ranch in 1975, it maintained the property's water rights, and under the Historic Property Lease Program, four irrigated fields were leased for hay production to preserve their historic use and appearance.

Dayville, Oregon · United States