Client story · Acreage and rural · Applegate / Murphy
A hobby farm whose water didn't match the listing
A 6-acre parcel advertised with irrigation and a strong well turned out to have an unused creek right and a 2.5 gpm well.
The situation
The buyer looked at a 6-acre parcel in the Applegate and Murphy corridor, advertised with irrigation and a strong well. The plan was to run pasture on about three acres.
What we did
We pulled the OWRD water rights records and ordered a sustained flow test during the inspection period. The records showed the creek diversion hadn't been used in more than a decade, putting the surface-water right at risk of cancellation. The well tested at 2.5 gallons per minute.
The outcome
That well works for a two-person household with a 1,500-gallon holding tank, but it can't irrigate three acres of pasture. The buyer made the decision with the real water picture in hand, before removing contingencies. Never rely on listing remarks for water.