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NEWSU.S. Department of Agriculture
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Idaho's Snowpacks Remain EncouragingFebruary 9, 2006, BOISE, ID— Mother Nature continued to bless Idaho’s water supply over the past month. With continued above average precipitation across the state throughout January, snowpacks range from 100 to 160 percent of average. In addition, reservoir storage is up higher than in the last five years and most streamflow forecasts are over 100 percent of average. All of this is good news for water users and for recreationists. “January brought deep snow and more powder for skiers,” says Ron Abramovich, water supply specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “Many of our measuring stations are reporting over 100 inches of snow and this good snow also means good boating later this spring and summer.” The highest snowpacks in the state are in the Oakley, Salmon Falls and Bruneau basins at 150 to 160 percent of average, already exceeding their seasonal peaks that usually occur in early April. The lowest snowpacks in the state are near average in the Panhandle and Clearwater basins. Several NRCS measuring sites, such as the Bear Mountain SNOTEL in the Panhandle and the Deadwood Summit SNOTEL near Cascade, report over 140 inches of snow. Reservoir storage has improved this winter to the extent that the Boise, Owyhee, Little Wood and Palisades reservoirs are now releasing water to save storage space for spring runoff. Meanwhile, streamflow forecasts range from 95-110 percent of average in northern Idaho to over 140 percent for the Middle Fork Salmon, Boise, Big and Little Wood rivers, Salmon Falls Creek and Owyhee River headwaters. “Surface water supplies should be adequate for Idaho’s numerous water users unless the weather pattern changes drastically to the dry side,” Abramovich says. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed.” The NRCS Snow Survey Program publishes the Idaho Water Supply Outlook Report. For the full report, including conditions for specific basins, and daily updates, visit www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/watersupply.
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