MERRILL, Ore. (AP) — The Klamath Basin town of Merrill is without water until the weekend.
Brenda Bateman of the Oregon Water Resources Department said Thursday that wells pumping groundwater to irrigate farm fields have drawn down the aquifer below the pumps in the city’s wells, and it will likely be Saturday before the pumps are lowered and the system is running again.
Farmers in the area have been drawing on groundwater more than usual this summer since the region’s federal irrigation project had to cut back surface water supplies due to drought and the needs of endangered fish.
Bateman says there is plenty of water in the city wells, but the pumps were not deep enough to reach it.
Meanwhile, two water tankers have been parked to serve the town’s 900 residents.
