Updated Water Supply Forecasts For Oregon Available Online

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact information:
Jon Lea, USDA NRCS Snow Survey Team Leader: (503) 414-3267, Jon.Lea@or.usda.gov

PORTLAND, OR, May 13, 2009 – As April’s peak snowpacks begin the spring melt, indications of this summer’s water supplies are revealed.

“Summer streamflow and reservoir storage forecasts for much of the state are near average.” said NRCS Snow Survey Team Leader Jon Lea with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “However, portions of the state may experience below normal water supplies this coming summer.”

NRCS recently released the latest water supply data for Oregon in the current Water Supply Outlook Report, which provides an assessment of the coming summer’s water supplies based on mountain snowpacks, climate and temperature trends, and other factors.

“For this time of year, snowpacks are generally near to above average for much of the state, with the exception of those areas of southeast and central parts of the state.” said Lea. “However, portions of southeastern and central Oregon are below average.”

According to the report, April precipitation was below to near average for all basins in the state, ranging from 56 percent of average for the Rogue and Umpqua basin to 108 percent of average for the Hood, Mile Creeks and Lower Deschutes basins. Likewise, the total precipitation for most basins since the beginning of the water year on October 1, has been below average.

Reservoirs in southeastern Oregon are well below average given the dry conditions in that region. Elsewhere in the state, the May 1 reservoir measurements were near to slightly below normal. The May 1 storage at 26 major Oregon irrigation reservoirs analyzed in the Water Supply Outlook Report was 78 percent of average. A total of 2,053,400 acre feet of water were stored on May 1. This volume of water represents 78 percent of average or 63 percent of useable capacity. Last year at this time, these same reservoirs stored 2,159,500 acre feet of water.

The coordinated May through September streamflow forecasts range from 55 percent of average for Deep Creek above Adel to 117 percent of average for the Oak Grove Fork (Clackamas) River above the power intake.

Due to below normal snowpacks, water users in the basins of southeast Oregon can expect that summer low flows will arrive earlier than normal this season. Water users in southeastern Oregon may experience below to well below normal water supply this coming summer. Water users in these areas can refer to the detailed data in the Water Supply Outlook Report to help them plan ahead to limit effects of reduced summer water supplies.

The full May 1 Oregon Water Supply Outlook Report can be viewed online at: ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/support/water/basin_outlook/oregon/wy2009/boror5.htm.  The report provides a summary of snowpack conditions, precipitation, reservoir storage, and forecasted streamflows at monitoring points in each major basin in the state.

For additional information, please contact the local NRCS office, or the NRCS Snow Survey office at (503) 414-3267.
 

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