The sight that greets eastbound drivers on Highway 7 near its intersection with Hudspeth Lane might seem passing strange even to longtime Sumpter Valley residents.

It’s a patch of deep blue at the base of the dark green forests that mantle the bulk of Black Mountain.

That patch is Phillips Reservoir.

And it hasn’t extended so far up the valley, and thus been so conspicuous to passers-by, since 2011.

To be precise, the reservoir, which supplies irrigation water to about 30,000 acres of fields in the Baker Valley, isn’t quite full.

But it’s holding 99 percent of its capacity, and for farmers who have endured four years of drought, that’s close enough to full to warrant a celebration.

Indeed, the ample winter snowpack, followed by a cool and occasionally damp spring, has left Baker County and the rest of the region relatively flush with water and lush foliage.

But the cyclical nature of climate ensures that the drought will return.

And many climate scientists believe that in our part of the world, which is pretty arid even in the most moist of years, droughts will be more common in the future.

Which is why we urge local landowners and irrigation officials to continue to pursue projects that will save water and prepare the region to better endure the inevitable droughts of the future.

The ongoing transition to sprinkler irrigation is an example.

But larger-scale projects, such as proposals to replace open, unlined ditches with pipelines to convey water, also can yield major benefits by reducing water losses from evaporation and soaking into the ground.

The costs of such projects are significant, too, of course. But in many cases financial aid is available from the state and federal governments.

Ultimately, even if water supplies don’t dwindle dramatically, using what we have more efficiently is wise, not only to mitigate the effects of drought but potentially to make water available for acres that have yet to be cultivated.

Either way, the region will benefit from a stronger agriculture industry. That’s been a foundation of the local economy for more than a century and a half, and it’s likely to remain so.