Water Storage and Long-term Security

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Apr 1, 2015/ 0 Comments / in East Valley Water District Information / by

As Oregon heads into the fourth consecutive drought year, questions are being raised of the state’s long-term water security. While precipitation in the valley has been near normal; this winter’s main issue is the warm temperatures preventing snowfall in the mountains.

Snow in the mountains is vital to the water cycle. In the same way that reservoirs are filled and emptied with liquid water throughout the year, snow serves as a frozen reservoir that contributes to lower elevation streamflows in the summer. Snow is collected in the mountains from about December through March. As temperatures rise through the spring and summer, snow is able to slowly melt into our streams and rivers through the summer contributing to several purposes including irrigation. This year, the state cannot depend on our frozen reservoirs to supply water in any capacity – and farmers will likely be strapped for water supply.

Source: Dan Aguayo, Oregonian

Years like this showcase the need for districts to have a reliable storage source to capture rainwater through the winter. Storage reservoirs are able to capture stream flow, rainwater and snowmelt to contribute to a sustainable water source throughout the year. Climate scientists view the Willamette Valley as being more vulnerable to the effects of lower snowmelt than other areas of Oregon, the time for action and planning for a reliable and safe water supply is now.

East Valley Water District believes the Drift Creek Water Supply Project is a vital piece of the future of agriculture in Marion County. Constructing the reservoir would help support over 36,000 acres of high-value farmland including those that grow our food and produce. The reservoir would provide resources now and well into the future to increase resiliency in the area against any changes in climate or continuous drought conditions in the future.

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