Water Supply Outlook

By David Mance. Published Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Sprinklers in Lower Valley field

There may be some good news for growers worried about water shortages this summer.
    The Bureau of Reclamation will make its official prediction for the water supply tomorrow.
    The milder winter has raised concerns that there won't be enough water for junior water rights holders.
    The Roza Irrigation District says they'll have to conserve to stretch the water supply.
    But this summer won't be as dry as previous years."I think that we can get through the year, its not going to be an '05, it's not you know, and '01, it's gonna be a little bit of proration, and we'll just have to make it work," says Ric Valicoff, who's a grower and a board member of Roza in Sunnyside
    He expects the bureau to announce that the water supply this summer will be at least 60 percent of average.
    During the last drought of 2005, the region was at 35 percent of average.