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'Girl power': Women ran farms in early-day Southern Oregon Emergency services, May 10 Art in Bloom in downtown Medford Emergency services, May 9 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 10 Emergency services, May 9 Jackson County deputies searching for wanted man after pursuit Medford man sentenced in machete attack Suspect in OSP meth stop will face federal charges Politics and Elections Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Education Medford schools still filling admin roles Appeals court rules against Central Point schools on bus outsourcing Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Environment Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Crater Lake may soon have China connection State waives college placement tests for students who hit high marks Stopping fire in its tracks Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford State News Remains of soldier killed in 1951 to be buried in Roseburg Obama makes pitch on trade deal at Nike: 'Just do it' Forecast for 2015 predicts busy wildfire season Cheers and protest signs greet President Obama in Oregon Oregon Senate OKs bill banning 'conversion therapy' Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Dorothy Evans Helen Nadine Sankey Dickie Miles Hayes Nita Day Layne Alan Battenfield Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Braaten races to win at Speedway Johnson stays long, wins late at Kansas South settles for SWC split with GP North sweeps GP, remains tied atop SWC OSU tosses second straight shutout Varsity 541 College Sports OSU tosses second straight shutout Maguin steals the show Trio of Raiders shine as CC meet opens Beavers' Moore shuts out Utah, 3-0 Oregon clinches share of Pac-12 title Pro Sports Braaten races to win at Speedway Grizzlies take series lead over Warriors Borchers, Valeri score, Timbers beat Impact Pierce's buzzer-beater lifts Wiz past Hawks Kirk nudges in front at Players Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories People in Business Business briefs: Avista, Mcintosh, BOLI Blog: 1-800-Flowers.com SEC filing provides peek into Harry & David revenue and cost figures Blog: Mom is Our Hero! Ride & Drive: 2015 BMW 428i Gran Coupe Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house People In Business People in Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house Opinion Latest Our View: Mental health funding should be a priority Letters to the Editor, May 10 Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers George Will: The gospel according to Huckabee Dana Milbank: A performance by Lindsey and the Jets Editorials Our View: Mental health funding should be a priority Other Views: Court ruling means PERS reform is dead Our View: Could self-serve ban be on the way out? Our View: Cheers and jeers Our View: Set firm deadlines on blighted houses Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 10 Letters to the Editor, May 8 Letters to the Editor, May 7 Letters to the Editor, May 6 Letters to the Editor, May 5 Columns Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers George Will: The gospel according to Huckabee Dana Milbank: A performance by Lindsey and the Jets Charles Krauthammer: Free Willy! Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s important election – in royal political context Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan Lifestyle Latest stories Sorcerer-historians and hunted boats New Arrivals Adopt a pet: Meet Edna One-derful once-blooming roses Mom's lemon meringue pie still feeds me Food Community blog: Sorry, Mom, there's more than one beef stroganoff Community blog: Teatime is anytime when recipes brew new dishes Eat your greens (tea, that is) Season Stepp: Make some cheesecake mousse-filled strawberries Page H. Onorato: Baked potato soup is comfort in a bowl Home and Garden One-derful once-blooming roses Breathe easier with whole-house air purification Dear Monty: Water rights of property owners Paul Rogers: ‘Living’ mulches a healthy alternative to bark Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Health Community blog: Don't Fall for This Part 2 Health Watch: Easy tips to drink more water throughout the day New cardiac rehab center opens at Asante RRMC Community blog: You and Me at 83... Search on for new medical provider for Butte Falls, Prospect clinics Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Milestones and Achievements Bukair-Hinkle Wedding: Stephanie Anne Obad and Mark Douglass Schmor Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Drones helping create unique wedding photos Pick your favorite wedding flowers Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest Dancing People Company presents 'Salon Series' Theater REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Music Live Music in Local Clubs Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Tina Malia at SOU Music Hall in Ashland Earthquake benefit for Nepal Community Events 5 things to see at Art in Bloom Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo Movies Movie review: ‘Hot Pursuit’ is a hot mess George Miller returns to his ‘Mad Max’ roots Tom Hardy adapts to life as Mad Max Victor D. Infante: ‘Avengers’ begs the questions, ‘Why superheroes, and why now?’ Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Dining Restaurant inspections: May 10, 2015 Wood-fired pies at Peace of Pizza Trium is a classic example of a boutique winery Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Sorcerer-historians and hunted boats ... Our View: Mental health funding should be a priority ... Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers ... Sorcerer-historians and hunted boats ... Our View: Mental health funding should be a priority ... Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers ... RAINFALL AT 95 PERCENT Amid the drought, Medford's water supplies still ample Despite low snowpack, rain has filled aquifers By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted May. 8, 2015 @ 5:31 pm By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted May. 8, 2015 @ 5:31 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Much of the West has been plagued with drought, but Jackson County has received enough rain to avoid any mention of rationing for most residents this summer. The Medford Water Commission, which provides water to many cities in the valley, is not calling for any extraordinary conservation measures, though it is asking customers to use water wisely. “We’re not going to cry wolf when there’s no wolf,” said Laura Hodnett, spokeswoman for the water commission. A rain gauge at Big Butte Springs has measured 95 percent of normal rainfall this winter, though snowfall remains less than normal on Mount McLoughlin, the source of water for the springs. Since Oct. 1, 26.67 inches have fallen at the springs, compared with the average of 28.16 inches. Spring volume is at 47 cubic feet per second as of the first week of May, which is still within the range of normal. In May 1993-94, the springs produced 44 cubic feet a second, the lowest on record. In May 1996-97, the springs delivered 60 cubic feet a second, a record high. “We’re certainly not at historical lows,” Hodnett said. The geology of Mount McLoughlin is composed of loose volcanic soil that allows water to easily penetrate, filling up aquifers even when the precipitation comes as rain rather than snow. Despite the generally good news for Water Commission customers, the overall water picture for the area is bleaker after three consecutive years of low snowpacks. Many mountain reservoirs are only partially full. Howard Prairie, a popular destination for visitors, is only percent full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The reservoirs provide water for many of the irrigation districts that serve the valley’s farms and ranches. The Jackson County watermaster has also reported that many rural residents have expressed concern about how their wells will perform this summer. Even though Big Butte Springs is in good shape, the water commission is tapping it less this year and relying more on Rogue River water. The Eagle Point Irrigation District has rights to Big Butte Springs but usually receives water from Willow Lake. To make sure the district has enough water later in the season, the Water Commission has reduced its take from the springs from the normal 26 million gallons a day to 20 million gallons to help maintain levels in Willow Lake longer into the summer. To make up for the reduced amount, the Water Commission is relying more on Rogue River water, which is more expensive because it requires additional treatment. Hodnett said the irrigation district didn’t want to pull too much water out of Willow Lake in case there is another low snowpack next season. Other counties in the state have been harder hit than Jackson County. Gov. Kate Brown has declared drought emergencies in the counties of Lake, Malheur, Crook, Harney, Klamath, Baker and Wheeler. Deschutes and Umatilla counties have applied for drought status with the state. Scott Oviatt, snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said reservoir managers throughout Oregon have been trying to adjust to lower snowpacks. Instead of letting rainfall go through reservoirs to save room for snow melt, many are storing rainfall, Oviatt said. “They’re thinking of conservation measures,” he said. “They're thinking there’s not going to be a snowpack.” Even though many areas of the state have received normal precipitation, mountainous areas that feed the lakes are much drier than normal, a situation made worse by three years of drought and the warmer than normal winter, Oviatt said. “Soil moisture conditions are so dry,” he said. “It will take several years of precipitation to bring it back to normal.” Oviatt said water managers are adjusting to the changing weather patterns but no one knows how long it will continue. “It could be a lengthy trend, or it could be a short-term trend,” he said. Despite the reassuring news from the Medford Water Commission, many Jackson County residents remain worried about the potential for a drought. “We’re really conservative with water,” said Lester Madewell, a 62-year-old who grows vegetables at a community garden in west Medford. His wife, Shirley, 63, said, “Everybody in the garden is trying to conserve as much as we can.” Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or d [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @reporterdm .   By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted May. 8, 2015 @ 5:31 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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