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A
heavy snowpack's trickle-down theory
Lots
of snow is good news for irrigators, area fish
By Yoko
Minoura and Kate
Ramsayer / The Bulletin
March 26. 2008
 |
| A plentiful water supply helps keep fish habitat healthy, even after farmers and ranchers get their share. Bulletin Photo |
The heavy snow in the
mountains now means a good summer to come, local water managers say.
Spring snowmelt feeds the
canals that crisscross the
A healthy water supply is
also critical to fish habitat, and strong river flows can boost business
for rafting companies.
The weather might provide
one final boost to an already healthy snowpack, with roughly 2 inches of
snow anticipated today in
The snowpack in the
Deschutes and Ochoco river basins was at 147 percent of normal Tuesday,
according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the amount
of water contained in the snow at Santiam Junction was more than twice
the average.
“Given the snowpack and
the reservoirs, where they’re at now, it looks like we’re going to
have a decent water year this year,” said Kyle Gorman, region manager
for the south-central region with the Oregon Water Resources Department.
“It’s not as great as expected in February when we were getting all
that snow, but I can’t complain.”
The water year, a bit
like a fiscal year for irrigators, begins Oct. 1 and runs through Sept.
30 of the following year.
Wickiup Reservoir stood
at 97 percent of capacity Tuesday, according to the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation’s Web site.
While it might not hit
the full mark by April 1, which is the goal, it still should be a good
season for farmers and ranchers who use the stored water.
“For irrigators, it
projects an adequate supply of water for the summer,” Gorman said.
The supply at Crane
Prairie Reservoir was also strong, at 83 percent full Tuesday, according
to the bureau’s Web site.
Chuck Schonneker, interim
manager of the North Unit Irrigation District, said he believes there
might even be enough water to hold some in reserve for next year without
stinting irrigators.
The district delivers
water from Wickiup Reservoir to farmers in
Schonneker said the
plentiful water could hardly come at a better time. Surging wheat prices
means farmers may be looking to plant fields that would have otherwise
remained idle.
“We’ll probably be
watering quite a few more acres than we normally do,” he said.
He said it’s a relief
to see the heavy snowpack this year. While the snow was similarly
plentiful last winter, it was so low following the winter of 2005 that
Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared a drought in 13 counties, including Crook
and
Bob Houts, owner and
operator of Bob Houts Farms in
“I don’t think we
have to worry about water this year at all, and that’s exciting,” he
said. “It looks like we’ll be able to get our full allotment.”
Houts raises wheat and
alfalfa on roughly 1,500 acres.
“As far as snowpack,
we’re thrilled with what we have,” he said.
Don Boyle, who owns and
operates Boyle Family Farms with his son, said he sees a busy season
ahead.
“Most of
Plentiful water makes
that possible, Boyle said.
He raises grass, carrot
and dill seed, alfalfa and wheat on roughly 2,300 acres in
“In the past 10 years,
we’ve had several years it’s been an issue,” he said of the water
supply.
Boyle said a successful
harvest always depends on a number of factors.
“You’ve got water
issues, you’ve got weather issues, you’ve got price issues, you’ve
got disease issues,” he said. “If you don’t have to worry about
water, that’s a big (thing) for us.”
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