Utah Snowpack 2017

USDA NRCS Snotel (snow telemetry) provides selected monitoring sites throughout Utah and the western US.  This particular graphic characterizes the snow accumulation at Timpanogos Divide monitoring site.

Another graph illustrating SWE and Precip at Daniels-Strawberry monitoring station, 2017-to-date compared with 2016 data.  Note the dramatic contrast, more than 100% difference.

Another graph showing accumulation data from Ben Lomond Peak north of Ogden.  Again comparing the current and previous year.  If you note, for this location the scale is staggering.

Lines showing what seems to be "normal" or "average" are nothing of the sort.  Rather, they plot the data accumulation over a selected range of past history.  For weather patterns, there really seems to be no such thing as "normal".  Or perhaps more accurately, if you need to see what is "normal" today, stick your head out the window and check.

In any case, the accumulated total precip and snow water equivalent are trending rather high compared to past weather data.  Some would even say it is not too early to start planning for catastrophic flooding when the weather turns hot.  Many of Utah's reservoirs, which also serve as flood control resources, are already filled over nominal capacity.

So get ready for an interesting and lively spring season.  Our problems in Utah will be nothing compared to the potential wave of disaster that threatens to crest over California.

This graph plots snow accumulation data from near Mammoth Lakes in California.  Comparing current and last year.

Wow.  Oh, wow!  Are you California guys STILL complaining of drought?

Water Reports, 2015

I have used the SNOTEL facility extensively to keep track of available water in Utah.

As you can see from the Mammoth-Cottonwood measurement site in Sanpete County, the precipitation accumulation at that location is slightly less than last year.

At another monitoring station in the Uinta, the Lakefork Site, we can see that accumulated precipitation has been near normal.

The meltdown date for accumulated snow came just a few days earlier than average, though snow accumulation was quite a bit less than average.  This is upsetting to water management people, because they are accustomed to gauging the potential water year by the annual winter snow accumulation.  But in fact, sometimes it doesn't really work that way.  There are exceptional water years.

Examining the history of accumulated precipitation at the Mammoth-Cottonwood Site is also revealing.  It shows the natural fluctuation of precipitation through time.  Judging from the graph, it looks like the variation for this year is pretty normal.

What should probably matter more to water management people at this point is the status of reservoir storage throughout the west.

For comparison, the same report from 2014.

The statewide report of Reservoir Storage for Utah also shows near average water storage.

 Inflow to Lake Powell is in large part a reflection of available water throughout the Colorado River water use area.  The chart shows that inflow usually peaks sometime in early June and continues to exceed outflow until September or October.  The inflow for 2015 looks promising.

Though eastern Utah and Colorado have received far above average springtime accumulation of water, most reporting authorities are claiming that it is much too soon, and far too optimistic, to see any end to the drought situation.

I don't know how to respond to this.  Except it makes me suspect that water management people tend to be pessimistic and rather uncharitable.

Snow in Sanpete

Snow so far this season is about average as it goes. I am not getting out much, but this SNOTEL plot from the Mammoth-Cottonwood site up Fairview Canyon shows the story for so far this year. The dark blue line traces Snow Water Equivalent, which is very near but just below the ten-year average, probably because it has been warmer than normal on the Skyline so far. The Total Precipitation, the dark red line, shows well ahead of the ten-year average, shown by the yellow. So our water year is off to the very best of starts.

The snow pack is not as deep as in some years, because the melt rate has been higher due to warmer temps, but the water is there, to water crops and gardens next spring.

And to make the wildflowers blossom.


This specimen is Palmer's Penstemen (Penstemen palmeri) BTW. It is a common but sparse resident of Sanpete County in late spring and early summer at elevations ranging from 3000 to 6000 feet at roadside waste place with little extra water and dry sandy soil.