Idaho’s snowpacks range from fair to poor according to snow survey data collected last week by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The poor snowpacks across the state are attributed to minimal precipitation in November, December and January. Hydrologists say the weather pattern this year is typical during El Niño years with good snow levels in the Southwest US and below normal levels in the Pacific Northwest.
The best snowpacks are in the Owyhee basin at 95% of average and the lowest in the Coeur d’Alene, St. Joe, and Palouse basins at 50-55% of average. The snow in the Upper Snake River basin in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming is 60% of average, the fifth lowest in fifty years.
Based on historic data, when the snowpack is this low on Feb. 1, it does not recover to even near normal levels by April 1.
Water users can expect below normal runoff across all of Idaho. Current streamflow forecasts range from 45-80% of average and did not change much from volumes predicted in January because of the below normal January precipitation.
In the Clearwater River Basin, the mountains received snow recently but need a phenomenal amount of snow to bring the snow water content near average by April. Projected streamflow volumes will be low ranging from 55-65% of average.
Dworshak Reservoir is storing near average amounts and will help supplement the lower summer streamflow levels.
