03/09/10

In the mountains, Mother Nature hasn't been providing much help with the snowpack all winter, and chances of any large dumps of snow are rapidly decreasing.

The good news remains the amount of carryover in regional reservoirs, but its not going to be enough; this year’s snow pack levels for the Upper Snake River system isn’t doing too well this year.

Hydrologist Arthur Hill says, "Currently on the Hennery's Fork we're around 54 percent, of average and on the Snake River above Palisades we're at 53%."

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service report on Idaho’s water supply outlook, this year will seem a lot like 2001, in which snow pack levels were about the same. It says it's the 2nd lowest since 1961.

Despite a poor snow pack the future doesn't look all that bad says Hill.

Hill also says, "Even though that looks sounds, pretty bad, our current reservoir situation is in pretty good shape. Our total capacity, we're at 84 percent right now, American Falls is at 93 percent, and Palisades is at 83 percent and Jackson's at 74 percent."

A couple things would help this spring, one if we get a wet start to the irrigation season and secondly, Hill says conservation, any little bit of water that can go back into storage can be used later.