Drought for the west

[marksjeep]

Current conditions above, forecast for next few days linked below. Looks like a decent system for the San Juans, snow measured in feet on Wolf Creek Pass.

https://www.weather.gov/media/gjt/DssPacket.pdf

 

[Oak]

Southern NV Water Authority is offering incentives to get rid of grass. I think folks with foresight might want to take advantage now before it’s mandated and the incentive money has dried up (pun intended).

 

[hank4elk]

No snow pack in the Gila, again. Been getting light snows still, but the inch this morning is almost gone on a bright 30 deg day. Was negative dew point last week. 10% humidity now.

 

[BirdManMike]

Much of southwest MT is now below 80% SWE. Not good. Everything save NW MT and the ID panhandle looks dire. Eastern Oregon is below 70% with a few drainages below 60% SWE.

Burn, baby, burn.

 

[Irrelevant]

Next month forecast. https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-cool-wet-spring-ahead.html

The European Center model predicts large amounts of snow over the Northwest over the next 46 days (see below).

 

[BirdManMike]

Next month forecast. https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-cool-wet-spring-ahead.html

The European Center model predicts large amounts of snow over the Northwest over the next 46 days (see below).

View attachment 214725

We're saved! (I hope, anyway)

 

[Irrelevant]

We're saved! (I hope, anyway)

Forecasts a month in advance hold very little water. But it does appear that all the models are pointing toward cool and wet.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

 

[lynlan1819]

Southern NV Water Authority is offering incentives to get rid of grass. I think folks with foresight might want to take advantage now before it’s mandated and the incentive money has dried up (pun intended).

View attachment 214639

Lake Mead dropped anotber 20 ft.

 

[Oak]

Lake Powell will drop below its target minimum elevation of 3,525' above sea level today. The penstocks are at 3,470', and BOR engineers believe they need 20' minimum above that to avoid cavitation. Last year on March 15 the elevation was about 3,569', so it has lost about 44'. The reservoir will get a modest spring runoff bump in a few weeks, but the forecast is for it to be 69% of average.

It's going to be interesting to see how they manage this shortfall and the impacts upstream (Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa, Navajo, etc.). Example: Blue Mesa is currently nearly 30' lower than it was one year ago, and is at 29% of full pool. It will continue to drop before the runoff bump. Last year the runoff bump in June did not bring it back up to its March 15 elevation.

LAKE POWELL

 

[Irrelevant]

Lake Powell will drop below its target minimum elevation of 3,525' above sea level today. The penstocks are at 3,470', and BOR engineers believe they need 20' minimum above that to avoid cavitation. Last year on March 15 the elevation was about 3,569', so it has lost about 44'. The reservoir will get a modest spring runoff bump in a few weeks, but the forecast is for it to be 69% of average.

It's going to be interesting to see how they manage this shortfall and the impacts upstream (Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa, Navajo, etc.). Example: Blue Mesa is currently nearly 30' lower than it was one year ago, and is at 29% of full pool. It will continue to drop before the runoff bump. Last year the runoff bump in June did not bring it back up to its March 15 elevation.

LAKE POWELL

I may live to see Glenn Canyon yet.

 

[brymoore]

It’s raining in Idaho today…

 

[manitou1]

We are supposed to get some rain here in Buffalo WY tomorrow.
Fingers crossed!

 

[hank4elk]

Gila is 30% of normal. Mimbres is 2% of normal. Jemez is 50% of normal. Pecos ,56%.
Close or slightly higher along the CO border mtns.
Hoping for decent monsoons in NM.

 

[ccc23454]

Lake Powell will drop below its target minimum elevation of 3,525' above sea level today. The penstocks are at 3,470', and BOR engineers believe they need 20' minimum above that to avoid cavitation. Last year on March 15 the elevation was about 3,569', so it has lost about 44'. The reservoir will get a modest spring runoff bump in a few weeks, but the forecast is for it to be 69% of average.

It's going to be interesting to see how they manage this shortfall and the impacts upstream (Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa, Navajo, etc.). Example: Blue Mesa is currently nearly 30' lower than it was one year ago, and is at 29% of full pool. It will continue to drop before the runoff bump. Last year the runoff bump in June did not bring it back up to its March 15 elevation.

LAKE POWELL

Flaming gorge was lowest i have seen it for ice season, i believe the next month or so will be critical. Locally i can walk to the top of ridges i usually cant get on till sometime in may.

 

[Oak]

It's going to be interesting to see how they manage this shortfall and the impacts upstream (Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa, Navajo, etc.). Example: Blue Mesa is currently nearly 30' lower than it was one year ago, and is at 29% of full pool.

And here you go.

“We’re trying to figure out what we’re going to do; we might not even be able to open this season,” said Eric Loken, head of operations at Blue Mesa’s Elk Creek Marina, which his family has operated for more than 30 years. “The current forecast is — if we’re lucky we might have a two-and-a-half-month season.”

 

[manitou1]

Well, we received enough rain to leave a few drops on my shop windows. Not enought to wet the dirt. Letdown...

 

[Flynarrow]

For a supposedly intelligent species, we sure are complacent about our human habitat, let alone habitat for the Earth's other species. We seem to speak up loudly when fuel prices jumps a bit, demanding politicians do something. But as a species we remain complacent about climate change, apparently hoping we outlive the most dire consequences. Our kids and grandkids will be wondering why this generation didn't demand change and make a few sacrifices for them and all the other species headed toward extinction.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

It’s raining in Denver right now. Spring is in the air.

 

[manitou1]

For a supposedly intelligent species, we sure are complacent about our human habitat, let alone habitat for the Earth's other species. We seem to speak up loudly when fuel prices jumps a bit, demanding politicians do something. But as a species we remain complacent about climate change, apparently hoping we outlive the most dire consequences. Our kids and grandkids will be wondering why this generation didn't demand change and make a few sacrifices for them and all the other species headed toward extinction.

Granted, a lot more we can do to avoid environmental damage, but we are at the tail end of an ice age... and ice does melt.