Recent warm rains are taking a toll on mountain snow pack levels – and that could translate into a big problem for farmers later on this summer.
Kevin Conroy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service has been keeping a close eye on mountain snow pack levels…
“From within a two week period, we’ve seen a drop from 107 percent of average down to 96 percent of average for the snow pack. So it’s coming off fairly significantly.”
The melting snow has caused the Sprague River near Beatty to rise to a half foot below flood stage – and there’s a lot of water flowing through the Link River Dam.
Mountain snow pack will provide water for farmers in thelate summer. And if it melts too early, it won’t come back until it snows again next winter.
For now, water is still flowing to farmers.
“Right now, we plan to continue with full deliveries, and monitor the situation daily.” Says Kevin Moore of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. “If situations warrant, we’ll make sure we let our irrigators know what’s going on so there’s no surprises.”
Kevin Conroy notes that it’s still early in the season…
“I don’t think it’s necessarily time to panic, but to be cautiously optimistic about where we’re going to end up later on in the year.”
But a cold snap to help hold the snow in place wouldn’t hurt.
A ‘Miracle March’ helped to boost snow pack levels from 66 percent at the start of March to 100 percent of average on April 2nd. Precipitation for March in the Klamath Basin was 181 percent of average.
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