Summer Waterlook Remains Bright

Thanks to leap day, Idaho saw a 20 percent to 25 percent boost in February’s precipitation numbers.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service released its February report Tuesday depicting a bright water outlook for eastern Idaho.

The central mountains are around 60 percent to 70 percent of normal snow water equivalent.

The Henry’s Fork Basin and Upper Snake are close to normal but what will really help with the water supply this year are the high reservoir levels.

In 2011 eastern Idaho saw flooding from Fremont to Bear Lake county.

This year we don’t have near the amount of snow in our mountains but NRCS water supply specialist Ron Abramovich said spring storms can make a big difference.

“We are seeing more variability in spring weather over the past few years than historically we have,” Abramovich said.

Last year Abramovich says the snow pack didn’t really begin to accumulate until mid-March and the skies didn’t let up until late May.

This year, a repeat of La Nina could bring more April showers.

“This turned out to be a very unique year,? Abramovich said. ?The storms are still coming in but the temperatures have been warmer in the valley so we aren’t seeing as much snow down there. What we are seeing is orographic precipitation, which means as you move up in elevation, you and your temperatures get colder. It allows the snow to fall more in the mountains rather than the valleys and that’s ideal. That’s where we need it to provide our water supply.”

Precipitation across the state has been far from even, with the panhandle and eastern border seeing the highest snow pack.

The Big Wood and Lost River Basins were the driest in Idaho in February.

But even if no more snow falls, there should be enough snow melt and reservoir supply to produce adequate runoff.

?That’s what the reservoirs are designed to do in case the following year the snow pack is below normal so we are able to rely on last years run off for this year,? Abramovich said.

?With most reservoirs around the Eastern side of the state near full Abramovich anticipates a good year.?

While eastern Idaho doesn’t have the high snow pack this year, conservationists warn if it gets warm too quickly, and the snow melts too fast, there could be more flooding as was seen last month in Ammon.