Bend Bulletin: January was dry, but Central Oregon snowpack levels have rebounded
How residents of the Deschutes River Basin are adapting a century-old water management system for a drought-persistent era
In a mid-winter water update, water managers in Central Oregon say 2025 is shaping up to be one the best years in recent memory for water storage and irrigation.
Snow this year has also been a boon for snow sports enthusiasts and the region’s tourism.
Wickiup Reservoir was 72% full as of Tuesday. Prineville Reservoir was 57% full and Haystack was 95% full. Jeremy Giffin, watermaster for the Deschutes Basin, said these levels are the highest area reservoirs have been on this date since 2018.
Snowpack is also well above average. On Tuesday the Upper Deschutes Basin had snowpack that was 128% of normal while precipitation for the water year was 112% of normal.
While both the Ochoco and Cascade ranges are doing well, the Ochocos have a slight edge.
The strong snowpack was largely due to a series of storms that rolled through the region in December, bringing heavy mountain snow across the Cascades. Little precipitation fell in January but February has seen more storm activity.
“We were really concerned about January. It really dried up for a while there. But it looks like we are back into a wetter pattern,” said Giffin. “We are looking like we are going to have a good water year.”
Another positive indicator is increasing “natural flow” for the Fall, Deschutes and other rivers in the basin. Natural flow is the flow of a river after it has been adjusted for human interference such as dams and diversions. The natural flow in the Deschutes River is around 19% higher now compared to 2021. There is still ground to make up — despite the recent increase, natural flow remains 12% below 2018 levels.
The severe weather impacting Oregon has helped reduce drought impacts across the state. Only a small amount of moderate dry lingers in Wallowa County. Drought is now completely absent from all of Central Oregon. Compared to a year ago, nearly the entire region was in moderate drought.
Boon for skiing
In Bend the solid snowpack lures skiers and other snow tourists, driving business at hotels, restaurants and ski shops.
“The snow has been fantastic. Every time it snows in town we are busy,” said Todd McGee, co-owner of Powder House ski shop in Bend. “It’s a nice shot in the arm and everyone is excited.”
Nate Wyeth, senior vice president of strategy for Visit Bend, which promotes tourism in the city, says healthy snowpack draws visitors primarily because the skiing at Mt. Bachelor is often better than other destinations, and around one third of visitors head to the mountain.
“Winter visitors also engage in experiencing our exceptional culinary scene, shopping, brewery tours, hiking, and cultural experiences,” Wyeth said.
He adds that snowpack can be a double-edged sword. Winter storms can hamper travel, cancelling flights and closing passes. Fewer visitors come to Bend during large snow events due to travel challenges, he said.
“The perfect balance is when we have good snow conditions in the mountains, but also clear roads so folks can get here,” he said.
But overall, the impact of strong snowpack can have a lasting impact, he said.
“We know that when we have a solid snowpack, in a place like Central Oregon, we have a healthier environment that’s struggled with drought over the years. Wildlife thrives, our lakes and rivers are healthier, and our visitor economy therefore benefits,” he said.
Critical for agriculture
Elsewhere in the region, the snowpack is critical for agriculture.
Farmers in Jefferson County’s North Unit Irrigation District are cautiously optimistic they will receive more water this year compared to the drought years earlier this decade when curtailments were severe.
At the annual Central Oregon Farm Fair, held last week in Madras, several North Unit farmers said a 1.5 acre-foot per acre water allocation from the Deschutes River is probable. The allotment a year ago was 1 acre-foot per acre.
One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover an acre of land, about the size of a football field, 1 foot deep.
That amount would still be around half the water allocation issued in the years before the drought, when this area’s reservoirs would fill at the end of winter.
“Most crops in Jefferson County take two and a half to 3 acre-foot so farmers are going to have to learn how to manage their water acres and put their best crops on the ground that they can water to be able keep their income stream the same,” said North Unit farmer Gary Harris.
Harris adds that for the moment, planting a lot of crops right now doesn’t make sense anyway because prices for bluegrass seed, wheat, alfalfa and other crops usually grown in the area are too low to make a profit. His strategy will be to prepare his fields for a carrot crop next year.
Some said it’s better to increase their allocations gradually, year by year, because most farms won’t have the capacity to use too much water at once.
“We want to come out of the drought slowly and steady so we can maintain the crops we have and add more later,” said North Unit farmer Marty Richards.
