BEND, Ore. — Irrigation season is underway in central Oregon, and while the state’s snowpack is better than it was last year, the effects of last year’s drought linger.
The Bulletin newspaper of Bend reports that several reservoirs in the region failed to fill to capacity before irrigation season began Friday, with irrigation districts delivering water to ranchers, farmers and other water rights holders. The irrigation season typically runs into October.
Water managers were unable to fill Wickiup Reservoir to capacity after it was drawn down significantly last year, and they released more water than usual last month to provide higher levels in the Deschutes River for the spotted frog to breed. The frog is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Thanks to the early releases and last year’s draw-down, it could be tough for the Wickiup to be replenished by snowmelt this irrigation season. Before Friday, it was about 88 percent full. It’s the first time in eight winters that the Wickiup hasn’t filled.
Mike Britton, general manager of the North Unit Irrigation District, which provides water in Jefferson County, said patrons of the district will have a reduced allotment this year, as they did last year.
As for snowpack, this year is above average, said Jeremy Giffin, the Deschutes Basin watermaster for the Oregon Water Resources Department. “But for this summer we’ll be drafting down Wickiup pretty low again.”
Two conservation groups, WaterWatch of Oregon and the Center for Biological Diversity, sued central Oregon irrigation districts and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation over the winter, alleging they failed to manage the Deschutes River adequately to protect the spotted frog.
A federal judge on Friday declined to restrict how much water could be released during the irrigation season. The case could now go to mediation.
Crane Prairie Reservoir, which is northwest of Wickiup, reached about 75 percent of its capacity. The water stored there is used by the Central Oregon Irrigation District and other smaller districts.
Craig Horrell, manager of Central Oregon Irrigation District, said in an email he expects across the board reductions for the district’s customers. Water from Crane Prairie is also used to improve spotted frog habitat at the beginning and end of the irrigation season.
According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Portland, snowpack in the Deschutes/Crooked River Basin is 10 percent above normal, which is based on levels from 1981 to 2010. Last year, the snowpack dipped to 92 percent below normal.
Scott Oviatt, a snow survey supervisor with the service, said the amount of snow is a good thing, but not unusually high by any means.
“We’re not going to jump out of the drought immediately because of last year,” he said. “It’s a good start, and if we can maintain a slow melt this spring and not have it rapidly run off, then it will help us rebound from that.”
