The calendar may have said “spring,” but the snow was still coming down this week, adding to a snow pack that is already above average in the Wallowa Mountains.

“Farmers and ranchers are figuring this is going to be a good water year, assuming that it’s normal from here on out ” said agriculture Extension Agent John Williams. “They are cautiously optimistic – and they are real tired of winter.”

According to the daily Natural Resource Conservation SNOTEL report on Monday, March 24, the measuring site at Mount Howard, elevation 7,910 feet, recorded a snow water equivalent of 19.8 inches, or 127 percent of average. The site at Aneroid Lake, at 7,410 feet, measured 26.1 inches, or 106 percent.

Last year at this time farmers were already bracing for a dry season when the Mount Howard and Aneroid sites were only at 76 percent and 56 percent of average, respectively.

The two Wallowa County sites are the highest in the Wallowa Mountains and part of the Grande Ronde, Powder, Burnt and Imnaha basin in the state SNOTEL reporting system.

The basin as a whole on March 24 reported snow water at 118 percent of normal, compared to a disastrous 58 percent in 2007.

Last year was considered the worst water year in at least 25 years and resulted in a state drought disaster declaration throughout the region. A low snow pack translates to a range of summer problems including shortage of irrigation water, low river flows, poor grazing range, low dryland crop yield and poor fish habitat.

“Remember the soil moisture is real short because of 10 years of drought, and it’s going to take more than one good water year to recharge it,” Williams said.

He also said that spring precipitation must be normal for the water year to remain positive, and it’s important that the snow pack not melt all at once. He pointed to 2006 when SNOTEL reports were also above average this time of year.

“And then the spigots turned off, and we still had a dry year,” he said.

High snow levels this winter translated into more than a promising water year – and a hard feeding season – for county farmers and ranchers. Local skiers have also benefited.

“It’s been our best year ever. We still have five feet of snow on top,” said Charlie Kissinger, president of the Eagle Cap Snow Club, which operates the Ferguson Ridge ski area east of Joseph.

Every basins throughout Oregon reports an average snow pack or above for the season.

The most snow-heavy SNOTEL reports come from the Coast Range – which often has no snow this time of the year – at a whopping 293 percent; the Willamette basin at 187 percent; and the Hood, Sandy, Lower Deschutes basins at 181 percent.

Other basin snow pack averages are: Upper Deschutes, Crooked, 147 percent; Rogue, Umpqua, 141 percent; Umatilla, Walla Walla, Willow, 134 percent; Klamath, 129 percent; Malheur, 126 percent; John Day, 116 percent; Owyhee, 106 percent; Harney, 104 percent; and Lake County, Goose Lake 101 percent.year’s