“More normal than we usually are,” water totals looking “normal”

The question often asked jokingly about Idaho weather is “What’s considered normal?” One thing state water experts are certain about is that this year’s winter water levels ended as close to normal as they’ve seen in several years.

“For the Snake River above Palisades the total snow water equivalent is 102 percent of normal for today,” said Mike Beus, a water operations manager for the Bureau of Reclamation. “The Henry’s Fork is 99 percent. The Bear River Basin, the numbers are 105 and 100 percent. Lost Willow Creek, and the Blackfoot River, and the Portneuf together, their numbers are 101 and 97 percent.”

With normal precipitation and a late winter that stayed relatively cool, Beus said water resources should be in good shape. He also said this is what eastern Idaho needed, as last year’s dry warm winter hurt water storage levels later in the summer.

“The good news is that we won’t have an early irrigation demand like we did last year,” said Beus. “We’re more normal than we usually are.”

Beus also said soil moisture content is looking pretty good and shouldn’t change unless we get a series of dry windy days.