Cry Me a River

Yesterday I said in my post that I was going to take the boys and my camera and hopefully get some cool snow shots.  Unfortunately, once I got down off the mountain, there was hardly any snow on the Flats at all.  I saw a snowman or two, melting quietly in a few front gardens, but not much else.

Walking along the river, I was amazed--not for the first time this winter--at how low the water is.  Southern Oregon has hardly had any rain, and this latest little smattering of snow doesn't count for much either.  It's been mostly the endless, worthless fog, day after day, week after week.

In the photos below, those brown hummocks in the water--river grass--are usually long gone by now.  During the deepest, driest part of summer, the tall, green fronds are really cool looking waving with the current, but by now the river should be roaring with water, nearly flooding its banks.  At this point a person could literally walk across to the other side...

Up river shot, the direction towards town...

Across the river...

Down river, with a small glimpse of snow in the shadows...

A little ways down river--the water mellows and deepens, slowing  as it meanders out of town.  Except, from above, on the bank where I'm standing, the bottom is clearly in view underwater.  It shouldn't be.

It's worrying that the river is so low.  Because I live on the mountain, and not in the city, water is pumped up from the river and kept in these big water storage things.  Along with mountain folk, there are also the people down in the Valley--including some very big farms and now the new vineyard--who rely on the river for water.  If we don't get some serious precipitation over the next few months, we could be looking at trouble.  By late May, summer weather starts and there won't be any rain until at least October, if we're lucky.

Yikes.  I'm thinking a rain dance might be in order.