This article was published on: 04/20/13 4:47 PM
Spring is now in full swing here in the High Desert and the warmer weather is starting to draw people to the river. This past winter was dryer than normal meaning that water supply for this irrigation season is not as robust as last year. In fact, the snow pack in the Cascades was 34% lower at the start of the irrigation season than last year.
The good news is that the reservoirs are 40% fuller than average thanks to the snowier winters of 2011 and 2010. The combined stored water will allow for adequate summer flows for fish and recreation in the Deschutes Basin while providing dependable water for Central Oregon’s farmers.
