"Water supplies are above normal all over the state and reservoir levels are excellent at this time," says Jim Johnson, land use and water planing coordinator for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "It looks like a banner year for irrigation in Oregon."

Oregon does not normally receive the summer rain enjoyed by the Midwest states and other parts of the country. Irrigation provides water necessary for much of agriculture during the growing season.

"Oregon has a reputation for being a wet state," says Johnson. "However, irrigation is such a key in the summer months. Nearly 45 percent of all farms and ranches in the state do some type of irrigation totaling about 1.9 million acres."

In fact, Oregon ranks third in the nation in the number of farms and ranches utilizing irrigation.

The sunny outlook for the summer is due to the cloudy, wet days of winter earlier this year. By December 2005, the statewide snowpack in the mountains was a healthy 108 percent of average for that time of year. By mid-December, as the snow kept falling, that increased to 139 percent of average- the best statewide average of all western states. As winter continued, the snowpack proceeded to build. Despite a dry February, the excellent conditions persisted as March recorded above average snowfall for the month. April was a good month for eastern Oregon, which recorded a wetter than normal month. April also brought near average temperatures, allowing for a steady snow melt rate- ideal for filling the state's irrigation reservoirs. While much of May has been filled with sunshine and at least a couple of days of high temperatures, a return to cool wet weather this past week has kept the mountain snowpack from accelerating too fast.

Overall, the theme for the current water year appears to be "above average."

"We've had to deal with many drought-related disaster declarations over the last five or so years," says Johnson. "This year, we're looking forward to a respite."

Some areas of the state have seen perhaps too much of a good thing. The only request for a disaster declaration this spring has come from Malheur County where a combination of rain and snow swelled the Owyhee, Malheur, and Snake rivers, causing localized flooding.

Triple digit percentages back up the claim that there should be enough water this summer for all types of users, not just farmers and ranchers.

Year-to-date precipitation numbers around Oregon range from a low of 100% of average in the Lower-Columbia-Hood River Basin to a high of 130% of average in both the Owyhee and Lake County basins. Snowpack figures remain very high for this time of year, with the Klamath and Rogue-Umpqua basins reporting large amounts of snow still on the ground at some sites, in excess of 130% of average.

Until recently, Oregon had the best statewide snowpack in the west. Recent storms have pushed California and Nevada ahead of Oregon, but the entire region has benefited from the good water year.

Reservoir storage figures also remain high- at last count, 141 percent of average statewide. A year ago, reservoirs didn't look so good following a dry winter in which the mountain snowpack was well below average. But late spring rains in 2005 replenished many of the reservoirs. Rain last fall and the winter snowpack have combined to keep plenty of water in the reservoirs. Normally, spring rain is needed to keep the levels up. This year, the carryover effect has decreased the dependence on a soggy spring.

For the rest of the summer, an ideal scenario would include a limited number of real hot days and a little bit of rain every once in awhile, just to keep things from getting too dry. Another sizable carryover of water in Oregon's irrigation reservoirs would be a plus.

All factors considered, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is forecasting a range of very healthy stream flows for Oregon this summer. Predictions call for the Upper Klamath Lake net inflow to be 165 percent of average through September, the Rogue at 137 percent of average, the Owyhee at 113 percent of average, the Umatilla and Deschutes both at 112 percent of average, the Willamette at 110 percent of average, and the Grande Ronde at La Grande forecast at 95 percent of average.

Even though Oregon appears to be in a wetter cycle, nobody is about to predict with certainty just how the rest of this year- let alone next year- will turn out.

"There is nothing that says that next year will be a repeat of this year or maybe it will be a dry winter once again," says NRCS hydrologist Jon Lea. "You take what you get when you get it and go from there. One thing is for certain, this is the first 'typical' water year that we've had in Oregon in several years."

Even though most Oregonians appreciate sunshine, it is probably better for agriculture to receive too much water than not enough. That shouldn't be a problem hearing into the summer of 2006.

For updated information on Oregon's snowpack conditions and water supply forecasts, go to www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/