The snow pack in the Wallowa Mountains and throughout Oregon is well above the low levels reported last year at this time.

While the Wallowa Valley hasn’t seen much snow until last weekend since mid-December, the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) reports an average to slightly above-average measurements at Snotel sites in the high mountains.

“It’s off to a good start,” said Tom Smith, local NRSC manager, noting this is the first time in two years an average snow pack has been recorded this time of the year.

As of Monday, the snow water equivalent at the Mount Howard site at 7,910 feet elevation was 113 percent of normal; the year-to-date precipitation of 18.4 inches was also 113 percent of the average amount.

The only other Snotel site in Wallowa County, Aneroid Lake No. 2 (elevation 7,300), registered 96 percent of average in snow pack water content, but 108 percent in total precipitation for the year.

Mt. Howard and Aneroid Lake No. 2 are part of the Grande Ronde, Powder, Burnt and Imnaha Basin, which as a whole recorded a103 percent snow water equivalent and 114 percent precipitation.

The snow pack reports were much gloomier for water users at this time of year in 2005, with Aneroid Lake No. 2 reporting in at only 57 percent and 69 percent, respectively, in water content and precipitation at the end of January, while Mt. Howard reported 60

percent of average in precipitation (the water content measurement was not available).

Basin-wide percentages were only 48 percent and 69 percent of average a year ago.

In the end, a wet spring improved the 2005 snow pack picture to about 80 percent of normal locally by the peak in mid-April, but never did completely bridge the gap caused by the exceptionally dry winter season.

“We’re still a long time from the peak in April. There are a lot of months ahead of us, but obviously if we have a normal year we’ll all benefit,” Smith said, adding that in a normal year 75 percent of the year’s mountain snow falls between now and mid-April. “At least it’s been good so far.”

Smith said that last year ponds for livestock did not fill because of the low mid-to-low mountain precipitation and stock producers suffered. “The effects go beyond irrigators,” he said.

Other areas of Oregon are also faring much better than a year ago, with most reporting a snow pack with average or above water content. Exceptions include the Umatilla, Walla Walla and Willow Basin, which is at 90 percent of average (last year it was 26 percent), and the Lower Columbia, Hood River Basin at 88 percent (19 percent in 2005). The Coast Range is listed at 1 percent of average; a year ago it was 0 percent.

Other basin-wide snow content averages on Monday were as follows: Owyhee, 106 percent; Malheur, 145 percent; John Day, 147 percent; Deschutes, Crooked, 125 percent; Willamette, 92 percent; Rogue, Umpqua, 103 percent; Klamath, 138 percent; Lake County, Goose Lake, 129 percent; and Harney, 125 percent.