Jeff Colton and Wes Morgan are chuckling together, which is a curious thing because both are in the irrigation business, and after four years of drought people in that line of work haven’t had much reason for mirth.

But then came the great winter of 2016-17.

Meltwater from a bountiful mountain snowpack has left Morgan, who manages the Burnt River Irrigation District, with more water than he can store in Unity Reservoir.

And now Colton, who manages the Baker Valley Irrigation District, believes it’s possible that the much larger Phillips Reservoir will fill this spring for the first time in six years.

Colton and Morgan were riding together this morning, on their way to measure snow, and it was Morgan’s joke about wishing he could pipe some of his liquid surplus over to Colton’s district that prompted their laughter.

“I would gladly give him some,” Morgan said in a phone conversation. “Last year no way. But this year I’m a giver.”

Whether Phillips Reservoir will fill this year depends on the weather over the next month or so, Colton said.

But such a possibility seemed about as likely as a hurricane considering the situation just a few months ago, when the reservoir was nearly empty.

“It’s just phenomenal,” Colton said. “I’m smiling. I think we’ve got a real good chance to fill, and I think it will be at least three-quarters full.”

This morning the reservoir was holding about 32,000 acre-feet of water — it’s considered full at 73,500 acre-feet.

Phillips hasn’t reached the latter level since June 2011. It nearly filled in June 2012, but since then the drought has kept the reservoir far below full (see box below).

PHILLIPS RESERVOIR: ON THE RISE

The reservoir along the Powder River, which supplies irrigation water to about 30,000 acres of farmland in Baker Valley, hasn’t been full since June 2011. Its current level of 32,000 acre-feet is not far below its maximum level in each of the past four years. The reservoir typically reaches its highest level during June.

• today — 32,000 acre-feet

• 2016 peak — 34,500

• 2015 peak — 32,400

• 2014 peak — 37,500

• 2013 peak — 42,500

• 2012 peak — 66,200

See more in the April 3, 2017, issue of the Baker City Herald.