Winter snow, cool summer start help C.O. reservoir levels

Last summer’s hot and dry conditions in Central Oregon put our reservoirs in a precarious spot heading into this summer.

After we came dangerously close to running our reservoirs dry last year, we’re doing much better now, after a good (if late) snowfall season.

The Crooked River, Haystack, Prineville and Ochoco reservoirs in particular are much higher now than they were at this point last year. Crane Prairie and Crescent Lake are around average.

Wickiup Reservoir is the only exception, but that’s partly because people have not needed to use it as much.

“This summer has not actually been as hot as an average summer, or last summer, which was extremely dry and hot, so draw for irrigation demand has been lower than average,” Oregon Water Resources Department Central Oregon Region manager Kyle Gorman said Friday.

The Wickiup Reservoir started this summer at only 70 percent capacity, thanks to last summer’s drought-like conditions.

Gorman said the outlook for Wickiup is positive, despite the low level, thanks in large part to irrigators who have managed the water efficiently.

To see current reservoir levels in a “teacup” diagram, visit this U.S. Bureau of Reclamation page: https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/destea.html