160 Acres in Harney County With a New Well
Most undeveloped acreage in Eastern Oregon is sold without any answer to the water question. This 160-acre tract has one. A well was drilled in July 2024, and both the well report and the water quality testing are already on file. In a county where water access often decides what a piece of ground is worth, that is the headline.
The terrain runs flat to gently rolling, which leaves several workable build or camp sites while keeping the long views open across the surrounding country. Neighbouring development is minimal. Harney County is among the largest and least populated counties in the western United States, and the dark skies and wildlife that come with that are much of the appeal.
Malheur Lake and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge are nearby, and the wider area holds deer, pronghorn antelope, upland birds, waterfowl and small game. That suits a seasonal hunting basecamp or an outdoor retreat as readily as a homestead.
Taxes ran $199.61 for the year, which is a modest carry on 160 acres. Power is the line item to plan around. Harney Electric Cooperative quoted roughly 4,900 feet of new overhead line running south from pole F123, with a 15 kVA transformer for a 200 amp service, at $66,779 payable upfront. That estimate is dated 3 June 2024 and has expired, but it is published below so the development question can be priced rather than guessed at. An adjoining 40 acres at the northwest corner is also available separately.
What stands out
- 160 acres in Harney County
- Well drilled in July 2024 with water quality test on file
- Power is costed, not guessed at: the cooperative's 2024 line extension estimate is published
- Flat to gently rolling with multiple build sites
- Near Malheur Lake and the National Wildlife Refuge
- 2026 taxes of $199.61
- Adjoining 40 acres available separately
Where it is
17 mi from Burns · Boundary from the county parcel map
⚲ Open in Google Maps 🚶 Street view of the property
The details
| County | Harney County, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Zoning | EFRU-2 (Exclusive Farm and Range Use), Harney County |
| 2026 taxes | $199.61 |
| Water | Well drilled July 2024, quality test on file |
| Power | Not at the boundary. Harney Electric Cooperative quoted approximately 4,900 ft of new overhead line from pole F123 at $66,779 upfront, 3 June 2024; that estimate has expired |
| Documents on file | Well report, water quality test, electric utility quote |
| Parcel number | 23222 |
| Tax lot | 25S32E000002000 |
| Access | Existing road off Ruh-Red Road; surveyor opinion on file that it is a public way |
| Survey opinion | Kenny Delano, OR PLS 49865, 19 March 2026, with a 20-foot easement description |
| Mineral, gas & water rights | Minerals not established; a domestic well was drilled July 2024, and commercial use would need a water right |
Well report and power estimate
The state's record of the well on this land, and the cooperative's estimate for bringing power to it. Each opens as a PDF.
- Well log, OWRD HARN 53168 (well tag 149544)Oregon Water Resources Department water supply well report: drilled 29-30 July 2024, 77 ft deep, static water at 19 ft, 27 gpm on the pump test, with the state's well location map. PDF · 1.7 MB
- Line extension estimate, Harney Electric CooperativeDated 3 June 2024: approximately 4,900 ft of new overhead powerline from pole F123 heading south, a 15 kVA 120/240 V single-phase transformer for a 200 amp service, and a total job estimate of $66,779 - material $20,138, labour $37,842, transportation $6,699, engineering $2,100, right of way $0. PDF · 181 KB
Before you buy this parcel
- Access has a surveyor's opinion behind it. Kenny Delano, Oregon PLS 49865, examined the road on 19 March 2026 and concluded it should be considered a public way: it leaves Ruh-Red Road, a county road, near the northeast corner of Section 29 and runs south across federal land to serve more than one private owner, and it is visible on aerial imagery back to 1994 - at least ten years before the adjoining patent issued in 2004. He notes it appears to be the only access to this land. His report includes a 20-foot wide easement description. An opinion is not a recorded easement, so verify it for your own purpose, but it is a good deal more than nothing.
- The power estimate has expired and is published as a record, not as a price. The cooperative's letter states on its face that it expires 30 days from 3 June 2024, that $66,779 is over its line extension policy maximum and is required upfront, and that the figure excludes any cost or fee for a right of way or easement for the new line, which would cross a non-member. Ruh-Red Road, where the nearest line runs, is about half a mile north of this parcel's north boundary - measured from the county parcel outline and the road centreline, not surveyed - and the ground between is not the seller's. Treat the number as two years old and ask Harney Electric Cooperative on (541) 573-2061 for a current estimate before you rely on it.
- Zoning is EFRU-2, Exclusive Farm and Range Use. A dwelling is not permitted as of right in that district: Harney County requires an approved Farm Dwelling, Non-Farm Dwelling or Lot of Record Dwelling application first, and approval is not guaranteed. Treat any reference to building here as subject to that process and speak to Harney County Planning on (541) 573-6655 before you rely on it.
- Commercial use would require applying for water rights.
- No mineral examination has been made for this parcel. The well serves domestic use; a commercial use would require applying for a water right. Treat mineral ownership as unverified unless you check it.
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Questions about this parcel?
812-241-5653Ask about terms, request the documents on file, or arrange to walk the property.