Winter storms bode well for a good water year

Sisters’ soggy winter will make for a lush green spring in local forests — and a long-awaited strong water year for irrigators.

According to Deschutes County Watermaster Kyle Gorman, wet storms with heavy snow in the mountains have created a snowpack that is at 156 percent of average for water content — “which is the best we’ve been since 1999.”

Central Oregon has had its ups and downs in terms of winter snowfall in recent years, but has been caught in an overall drought pattern for the past five years. Last winter was exceptionally dry.

Though he’s happy to see the wet conditions this winter, Gorman said one winter won’t reverse the overall trend by itself.

“It’s certainly going to help,” he said. “I’m not going to call it a drought-buster.”

But for this year, the Whychus Creek system is in great shape.

“Unless we lose all the snow because we have something unusual like a real warm pineapple express, we should have an exceptional year,” Gorman said.

The Watermaster told The Nugget that perceptions that drought, growth and heavier water use have depleted the aquifer that runs under Central Oregon are completely off base.

“By no means is the aquifer significantly depleted,” he said. “In fact, it’s not depleted at all.”

He said it is normal for wells to decline 15 or 20 feet in an extended drought, but that doesn’t mean that the aquifer is going down permanently. In fact, there’s evidence that the wet winter has already jump-started recharging.

Gorman said the evidence can be found in a U.S. Geological Survey well west of Black Butte Ranch.

“In the last month that well has risen about a foot,” Gorman said. “That means we’re getting recharge in the Cascades.”

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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