HEPPNER
G T
50¢
Oregon’s 2017 water supply
outlook: So far, so good
Normal to above-normal snowpack reported
statewide
PORTLAND, OR—All
basins in Oregon are expe-
riencing normal to above-
normal snowpack with a
statewide average of 124
percent of normal, accord-
ing to the first water supply
outlook report of the year
released this week by the
USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
Record-breaking Octo-
ber precipitation provided
a much-needed wet start
to the water year (which
runs Oct. 1 through Sept.
31). The wet autumn was
followed by a cold and
snowy December, which
produced snow accumula-
tion in lower elevation sites
and even on valley floors.
“The snowpack accu-
mulation season has started
off well,” said Scott Ovi-
att, NRCS snow survey
supervisory hydrologist.
“The fall and early winter
precipitation have provided
relief to many areas that
were moisture-depleted
following a hot, dry August.
If the cool and wet pattern
continues through the win-
ter and spring months, then
the snowpack accumulation
will continue to be normal
or above normal, and spring
snow melt will occur slowly
over an extended period.
That was not the case last
year, when we observed
rapid, record-breaking
snowpack melt-out and
runoff.”
Most reservoirs in the
VOL. 136 NO. 2 6 Pages Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
state are currently storing
below-average amounts
of water. Below-normal
streamflow this past sum-
mer, coupled with water
usage in 2016, led to below-
average volumes going
into this new season. As
of the end of December,
the reservoirs storing the
lowest amount in the state
are in the Umatilla, Walla
Walla and Willow basins
at 56 percent of average.
The highest storage is in
Local residents are
the Deschutes and Crooked
again reminded to be on
River basins at 90 percent
their guard against a com-
of average.
puter-repair phone scam,
As of Jan. 1, most of
says local computer repair-
the spring and summer
man Pat Struthers.
water supply forecasts are
Struthers says the scam,
projecting near-average to
which has been ongoing
above-average streamflow
since around 2007, tar-
volumes, while the current
gets people with concerns
snowpack is near-normal
over how their computers
to above-normal. Last year
are functioning. It’s one
at this time, the statewide
of several phone scams
snowpack was also above
in which scammers claim
normal and continued to
to represent a company
hover near normal through
or government entity but
April 1. However, rapid
actually don’t. Struthers
and record-breaking snow-
says the scammers always
melt occurred during April,
call during the day, and
which led to below normal
seem to target mostly older
summer streamflow.
people—which he refers
The latest information
A home on Water Street
to as “a new kind of elder
on Oregon’s streamflow
in Heppner was completely
abuse.”
forecasts can be found in
Struthers says the vic- destroyed by fire early Sat-
the January Water Supply
tims are targeted either by urday.
Outlook Report available
Heppner Fire Chief
phone calls from a person
on the NRCS Oregon web-
claiming to work for Mi- Rusty Estes told the Ga-
site.
crosoft or sometimes by zette that the home was
The NRCS Snow Sur-
an email claiming to come fully engulfed by the time
vey is the federal program
from Microsoft. Those fire crews arrived around
that measures snow and
are both red flags, says 7:40 a.m.
provides streamflow fore-
“They (the family)
Struthers.
casts and snowpack data for
“That’s not something were gone, so no one saw
communities, water man-
Microsoft would ever do,” it until flames were coming
agers and recreationalists
he says, adding that Micro- out the windows,” he said.
across the West. In Oregon,
The entire Heppner
soft will never get in touch
snow measurements are
with people by phone or fire crew turned out to the
collected from 81 SNOTEL
scene, as well as mutual
email.
sites, 42 manually measured
The caller will than tell aid from Ione in the form
snow courses, and 26 aerial
the person that Microsoft of a structural engine and This home on Water Street was destroyed by fire Saturday. -Photos by Sandy Matthews and markers. Water and snow-
has detected something a tender. Though unable to contributed
pack information for all
wrong with their computer, save the home, they stayed
SNOTEL sites nationwide
and the caller needs access on site about five hours to in the fire but Estes said the which presumably perished and the cause is not under is available on the Snow
investigation.
to the computer to fix it. The contain the fire and see it residents later reported that in the fire.
Survey website in a variety
“I’m just glad there was
Estes said they do not
there had been a pit bull and
scammers ask for payment fully out.
-See WATER SUPPLY
No people were injured a parrot in the home, both of know how the fire started nobody home,” said Estes.
up front in this scam that
OUTLOOK/PAGE SIX
easily costs an individual
hundreds of dollars.
Law enforcement au-
thorities say the best way
to avoid a scam is to never
give callers information
over the phone. When in
Leukodystrophy 4H
In a poignant twist,
doubt, Morrow County
eventually extensive medi-
Syndrome
is a rare, pro-
the
Remembrance
Walk
Sheriff’s Office advises to
cal needs such as a walker,
hang up on the caller and dedicated to the memory gressive disease that attacks wheelchair and feeding
then call the company with of local woman Donna the brain’s white matter and tube.
a number you know to be Schonbachler will now affects motor skills, vision,
“There are just so many
benefit Heppner boy Asher learning and growth; the
legitimate.
unknowns,” the Schon-
Schonbachler in his own disease is eventually fatal.
bachlers shared on their
Rachel Schonbachler told
medical battle.
blog. “They really don’t
Asher, age three, is the Gazette that there is no
have any idea how quickly
the son of Eric and Ra- treatment or cure for the
chel Schonbachler of Hep- disease, so they would like
-See REMEMBRANCE
WALK/PAGE TWO
the majority
p n e r. H e
Participants at last year’s Remembrance Walk. -File photo
of donations
was recently
to go to re-
diagnosed
searchers to
with Hypo-
find a cure.
myelinating
“Since
Leukodys-
the research
trophy, 4H
MORROW
is our only
Syndrome
A reminder that the
COUNTY GRAIN
hope for a
type. While
Heppner Gazette-Times
cure and they
the Friends
GROWERS
will not be closed for Mar-
are so under-
Helping
tin Luther King Jr. Day next
350 MAIN STREET
funded due
F r i e n d s Asher Schonbachler
Monday, Jan. 16. Monday
LEXINGTON, OR
to the disease
committee
will be a normal business
has developed a tradition being so rare, that is why
day and all deadlines will
of raising funds for local we are choosing to send
remain at 5 p.m. that day.
health and elderly care most funds to them,” said
We wish everyone a safe
services, this year they Schonbachler.
and happy weekend.
Right now, Asher ’s
decided to donate the pro-
ceeds from the March 18 medical needs are relatively
Remembrance Walk/5K few. However, as the dis-
Deadline for news
and advertising:
Run to the Schonbachler ease progresses he will need
Monday at 5 p.m.
Morrow County Grain Growers
family to help with Asher’s physical therapy, frequent
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net
doctor appointments, and
health care needs.
azette
imes
Local
Heppner home destroyed by fire
residents
warned
about
Microsoft
scam
Remembrance Walk to benefit local boy’s
battle with rare disease
Gazette
will be
open for
MLK day