Columbia Basin Water Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. The water outlook in the Columbia Basin this year isn’t looking great so far, but things could change.
Larry Mattson, the new Director at the Office of Columbia River, says a drier than normal winter has left us with water supplies lower than we usually see, but it’s hard to say exactly at this stage …
MATTSON … “I can tell you that, you know, we have the Bureau of Reclamation operates five Yakima Basin reservoirs. Those reservoirs have 40% in them right now of what’s typical at this time of year. And that’s, I can tell you, that that’s among some of the lowest levels in the last 50 years.”
And that, Mattson say, may be obvious, but is significant …
MATTSON … “The Bureau of Reclamation estimates that the prorateable water users, these are kind of the junior irrigation districts in the basin here, will have 48% of their normal water supply. So, yeah, I mean, if you’re a farmer and you’re told, well you get half the water you’re used to, that’s significant.”
But fortunately, Mattson says there is one more source out there we often rely on …
MATTSON … “We do refer to that snowpack in the Cascades as the sixth reservoir, right. We’ve got the five Bureau reservoirs and that sixth one is the snowpack itself. You know, I’ve seen some forecast for March and April, again these are just prognostications and predictions right, but they look positive. They look wet, both snow and rain, but yeah, we’re behind.”
So, if you’re concerned about your water availability, Mattson says plan ahead and give them a call at the Office of Columbia River as soon as you can.
