Water Report
Current Water Conditions in Ashland
March 2025
In March, the Rogue Valley’s streak of wet conditions continued. Quite noteworthy — Emigrant Lake is almost full.
Precipitation Report
March 2025 precipitation: Total 2.52 inches; Norm 2.03 inches. Just over 70% of our precipitation arrives between October and March. This year we have exceeded the norm each month except January.
One climate change indicator is increased variability. Here are two views into variability from our record.
The recent records for March 2000 – 2025: The least precipitation was in 2013 – .29 inches; the most in 2011 – 4.55 inches; Mean – 2.10 inches.
Over the entire length of the record, 1893-2025, the driest March was in 1965, .13 inches, with 2013 tied for second driest year. And the wettest March was in 1957, 5.35 inches, making 2011 the third wettest year in the record.
Reservoir Readout
As of March 25, Reeder Reservoir was 62% full. Meanwhile, Emigrant and Hyatt lakes were 91% and 67% full, respectively.
For up-to-date information, visit the US Bureau of Reclamation’s website. Then click on a teacup and then the link for Water Year Graph.
The State of Drought
Except for a slice of Wallowa County in Northeastern Oregon, none of the state is experiencing drought or dry conditions.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
“Water conservation can have double benefits in the face of a changing climate: it can help the community be more prepared for drought, and also reduce stress to aquatic ecosystems and thereby enhance the resiliency of those ecosystems to a variety of climate and non-climate stressors.”
— Ashland Climate & Energy Action Plan
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