Western Snowpack (so far)

[ScottP]

2014




2015



Not as much of the dark blue, but a lot less red, especially in Oregon and Nevada. Still have a few more months of prime snowfall (potentially).




Regards,
Scott

[herefishy]

Wonder why there's nothing for California?

[Panman]

Scott
This has been a disaster for parts of southern Oregon. This is not the first year of low snow pack but the third. The water levels have gone so low that many lakes and Reservoirs have gone completely dry resulting in the death of Zillions and Zillions of crappie, bass, and other warm water fish. Also the trout have suffered and creeks that used to have 7 to 9 inch trout are now producing smaller fish.

All we can do is hope for snow and snow and snow.

Tim

[ScottP]

Not looking good. If you're making plans you may want to push them up. Fingers crossed it gets colder and some more snow falls, or at least a cool, drawn-out Spring.

Regards,
Scott

[ScottP]

Mid 70's here in central Montana; 10-day forecast shows continued 60's-70's. They dropped the flow out of Holter to 3750 (it was about 7000 last year at this time) with little snow left to go; trying to keep enough water in the river for the spawning 'bows. There may be some late season snowstorms, and it could turn out to be a mild, wet spring; fingers crossed but not convinced.

Regards,
Scott

[xfishcop]

The West Walker River here in Eastern California is running about 50% of "normal" flow for this time of the year. Two Mt. passes are open and Tioga Pass is still closed. There is not much snow on the mountain peaks around.
Dick

[Panman]

Things are not looking very good but some have not lost their humor. There was a article that said they should rename the Napa valley from the valley of grapes to the valley of Raisins.

A big worry now is forest fires.

Tim

[Longs for Cutts]

If people are looking to fish the Yellowstone area, plan to come a month earlier than usual. The snowpack NUMBERS actually aren't catastrophically low. What's weird is that it is ALL high elevation. We are starting to wonder if we'll get a true "runoff." The 60s-70s aren't enough to send the high elevation snow into heavy melt, but there isn't any low-medium elevation snow left to melt. I might be running float trips on the Yellowstone in the first or second week of June.

August is going to be terrible unless the summer is cool/wet.

One question mark (for me) is how our excellent snowpack and very wet summer last year are going to carry over into this year. Maybe the groundwater is in good enough shape to "eat" some of the low snowpack this year. That can only go so far, of course.

As to them lowering Missouri River flows, it has nothing to do with how the snow is melting and everything to do with them trying to fill Canyon Ferry Reservoir completely. If the melt pattern was actually followed, the river would actually be UP right now. PPL Montana cares nothing for the fish. There are redds below Hauser Dam that are high and dry because of these dropping flows.

[Kytroutbum]

Walter-About how high is the snow line in the Beartooth? What you said makes sense to me now. I've seen webcams of Cooke City showing hardly any snow but the snorkel showing average snow levels at Beartooth Lake.

[Longs for Cutts]

There isn't much snow left below 8000 feet. The NE Entrance SNOTEL hit zero this week, as did the Thumb Divide SNOTEL.