While the unseasonably dry winter didn’t impact the start of the 2012 irrigation season for the Oakdale Irrigation District, it has prompted officials at the neighboring South San Joaquin Irrigation District to make allowances for what they anticipate will be a tough year.

The storm door opening this week, however, may provide some relief.

OID board members unanimously approved a March 7 start for the irrigation season at the March 6 regular meeting and General Manager Steve Knell told the board at that time that the Stanislaus Basin is at 25 percent of “normal” for this time of year.

Because of that, OID made plans to follow the Level 1 drought plan and Knell said the district will know more about how much water is in the snow pack once the snow survey is done at the end of this month. At SSJID, directors meeting there on Tuesday, March 13 were scheduled to approve an April 1 irrigation season start and also anticipated discussing possible cutbacks in deliveries.

Weather forecasters, meanwhile, are calling for rain showers throughout the week, with