05/09/08

NYSSA, Ore. (AP) _ Eastern Oregon farmers who figured this
winter's heavy snows would mean an abundance of irrigation water
this spring and summer figured wrong.

Weather forecasters and water managers say a cold, dry spring
has kept the water from running off and getting stored in
reservoirs.

Jay Chamberlin is manager of Owyhee Irrigation District. He says
much of the water has been lost to the acquifer, and it doesn't get
back into the stream.

The winter brought heavy snows that had a high water content,
giving farmers hope that reservoirs would be full as they got
started with field work this spring.

But April weather conditions in the region along the
Oregon-Idaho border, while not breaking any records, were
consistently cold and dry. A weather forecaster says April was the
fifth-driest on record.
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(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP-05-09-08 0924MDT<