Water update - so far so good but Central Oregon is holding its breath

            There’s an old saying about water in the West, often attributed to Mark Twain--     “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over.”

           

            Much like the weather,  water inexorably rises to the top of resource discussions each Spring in the West and in Central Oregon the topic becomes more prominent every year.

            The well being of the region’s economy – whether agriculture, tourism or other sectors-- is affected either directly or indirectly on the supply of water that largely depends on snowpack from the Cascade mountains melting into rivulets then flowing to tributaries that make their way into the Deschutes River basin watershed.

Deschutes Basin only 55% of normal snow water May 1

            The region has just experienced a whipsawing up and down cycle, going from a heavy snowfall year in winter of 2016-2017 to a dramatic drop in 2017-2018. And the 2016-2017 year followed a big dip in the 2014-2015 snowpack.

            Complicating the situation has been a new factor in regional water management- the listing of the spotted frog as endangered in the Deschutes Basin—a milestone that has forced water officials and irrigators to rethink management strategies that run counter to historic patterns. Already millions of dollars and time have been spent on creating a habitat conservation plan to address water biologists say is needed to protect the at risk amphibian. (see previous reports below) 

Wickiup Dam water release

Spotted frog settlement reached-goes to Judge for approval

            Moreover each winter those in the tourism industry, including lodging and ski operators, look nervously at the forecast attempting to predict the impact of low snowpack in number of  visitors, while in summer they worry if wildfires will cast a small of smoke making trips to the area less than desirable.

Wickiup Reservoir storage

            Thus far in early May of 2018 the situaton is still uncertain.

            In higher elevations of the Cascades the snowpack has been closer to normal while lower elevations, including the base of Mt. Bachelor ski area, are well below the median.

            To date, though, the storage level of the region’s largest reservoir, Wickiup, is running near normal and discharge into the upper Deschutes from the dam is also comparable to most years.

Mt Bachelor 2016-2017 snow depth

            And a generally cooler March and April coupled with several bursts of winter storms may  have combined to slow runoff, a trend that could bode well for maintaining later summer reservoir storage and dam releases to address an otherwise very dry winter.

            Whatever the runoff pattern the understory in the lower elevation forest is potentially a tinderbox and fire management officials have been continuing a years-long effort of prescribed burns and selective thinning in an attempt to reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfires.

Mt Bachelor 2017-2018 snow depth

            As of May 1 the National Interagency Fire Center forcast normal wildfire potential for May and June, increasing to above normal for July and August,  the late summer months which typically spawn the largest fires in the region.

            So, as with most natural events, it’s a time for wait and see.