Drought for the west

[Chama Grande]

Hoping for a more active Jan-Feb this year

 

[mountainlaurel3]

Now we just have to hope the mountains hold that snow through the spring/summer like they used to.

That’s been an issue here in Oregon. We get “typical” amounts of snow in the cascades, but it just doesn’t stick around as long as it used to due to the hotter springs and summers we’re getting.

I'm more of a skier than hunter. Here in the San Juans, May and June should be the best months of the year in the backcountry. Last year by mid-May the snowpack was a dusty, dirty mess, barely holding on. A few spring dust storms bringing in red dirt, few spring snows to cover up that layer, and let the CO sun do the rest. Relatedly, the annual high flow on the Animas last year was early.

 

[Wildabeest]

Wasatch range just hit 30ft total accumulation for the season at Alta. Epic snow so far. We’ve had 3ft in the past two days. Good for both skiing and building some snowpack to help with the summer droughts. ⛷

 

[TheTone]

The lowest amount of snow I’ve had in my yard at this point in 4-5 years. Mtns around me are kinda low on snow. As much as I know we need the snow for water and fish I’m okay with a light winter

 

[FI460]

We're tracking very similarly @Chama Grande

We rely on that late winter/early spring accumulation and just didn't get it last year. SWE is 102% today but that won't mean much if it doesn't keep up.




I just read that they're anticipating Cachuma will spill over for the first time in 12 years in SoCal. My parents lived in that area in the 80s and 3 weeks ago my dad said it was the lowest he had ever seen it.

 

[Irrelevant]

I've certainly seen the west in worse condition. I personally have about normal snow quantity as previous years, but feel like my SWE is quite a bit higher. We have almost 2' of solid, wet, heavy, but crusted snow in our yard. Last year we had ~4' right now, but it was light, fluffy, and wadable.

 

[FI460]

Here's something I put together today. This is the combination of Rogue River drainage reservoirs that feed our 3 irrigation districts.

This is only a 7 year average so the dashed line is likely depressed compared to the historical average. 2017 is shown as it was the 30 year record precip year.

Better than last year. Not good though.

 

[MarvB]

@FI460 is there much snow over the pass currently? Friends are heading up from Redding to Eugene for a vb tourney and I was kinda curious what their up against. It’s all gone up our way north of Bend

 

[FI460]

@FI460 is there much snow over the pass currently? Friends are heading up from Redding to Eugene for a vb tourney and I was kinda curious what their up against. It’s all gone up our way north of Bend

No it's clear. It doesn't snow down here anymore...

The diamond lake connection could be a different story though.

 

[hank4elk]

-12 percent of normal snowpack in the Gila.

 

[hank4elk]

Finally some snow pack in the Gila. I have a foot on the ground now.

 

[Rainer]

I really hope some of this moisture makes it down to the aquafers. I hear the ground water levels are basically dry in some counties.

 

[Chama Grande]

Here's something I put together today. This is the combination of Rogue River drainage reservoirs that feed our 3 irrigation districts.

This is only a 7 year average so the dashed line is likely depressed compared to the historical average. 2017 is shown as it was the 30 year record precip year.

Better than last year. Not good though.

View attachment 260518

What's the raw data here? Is it the daily percent of average figures? You might be better off using the raw SWE numbers because the profile switch from 1980-2010 to 1990-2020.

 

[FI460]

What's the raw data here? Is it the daily percent of average figures? You might be better off using the raw SWE numbers because the profile switch from 1980-2010 to 1990-2020.

Acre feet of water. This is the combined level of each reservoir divided by the "total" capacity.

 

[Chama Grande]

Acre feet of water. This is the combined level of each reservoir divided by the "total" capacity.

Ahhh, I should read titles

 

[hank4elk]

Another 10 inches of snow in Pie Town. The Gila got a lot.

 

[Rainer]

I guess I could kiss bass fishing in Lake Powell goodbye. I do understand the reasoning of now draining the rest of what's left into Mead

 

[hank4elk]

Gila is now 106% of normal snowpack.

 

[hank4elk]

Up to 116% this morning.

 

[Irrelevant]

Probably deserves it's own thread but thought this was very interesting.

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