Mann Creek Reservoir is approximately 80 percent of normal

Unusual weather patterns are not seriously affecting the current Weiser area snowpack, which is doing reasonably well for January, said recently retired Weiser Irrigation Systems chairman Vernon Lolley.
 Normal snowpack is considered approximately 3 to 3½ feet in the Van Wyck area and 6 feet in the Bear Saddle area. Currently, the snowpack above the Mann Creek Reservoir is approximately 80 percent of normal, and the basic fill comes from the Bear Saddle area. The 80 percent will fill the reservoir, said Lolley.
 Van Wyck Summit fills the Crane Creek Reservoir, which is approximately 70 percent of normal snowpack and close to 70 percent full. The state Crane Creek is normal for this time of year, he said. The reservoir experienced a roughly 40 percent carryover of snow at the end of last season, a happy occurrence that Lolley said he would like to see continue.
“We had a nice rainy fall, and that helped stack [Crane Creek,]” said Lolley. “In a normal year, at this time, we’ll have maybe 60 percent [of normal.]”
 If normal snowfall continues and normal snowpack continues, the summits and reservoirs should remain in decent condition. The weather at both summits is remaining at a temperature cold enough to keep snow steady. While this year is much warmer than usual, Lolley said he has seen years with too much snow and years with no snowfall at all. If the Weiser area can manage more inches of snow in the precipitation patterns, it will ensure a very good snow year with the possibility of backup in the reservoir. If the area can manage rain, it will hopefully drive snow to come down in the summits to keep the areas going longer.
 “We’ll take anything wet that we can get,” said Lolley.
 Despite the warm weather, river flows have appeared to be approximately normal. A normal irrigation season is projected for the Weiser area. It is currently too early to accurately predict any spring flooding, which normally is seen in March and April. If a large snowpack jumps in from the coast, flooding may happen, said Lolley. At this point in time and without unexpected weather, the rivers appear reasonably stable.
 “If you want to do a snow dance, we would appreciate that. We’d like to see a full, hundred percent snowpack,” said Lolley.