The Dry Season
February 03, 2010
Bozeman, MT - Montana Natural Resources Conservation Service Snow Survey officials report that statewide mountain snowpack was below average and below last year. January 1 represents about 45 percent of the expected seasonal snowfall, so more than half of the snowfall season remains. Low amounts of November and December precipitation resulted in the January 1 mountain snowpack being below average and streamflow prospects for the spring and summer being below to well below average. NRCS Water Supply Specialist Roy Kaiser advises that "Water managers pay particular attention to their local area and plan for possible low streamflows in the event that mountain precipitation continues to be poor." Mountain snow water content statewide was 76 percent of average and 87 percent of last year. West of the Continental Divide mountain snow water content was 74 percent of average and 92 percent of last year. East of the Continental Divide mountain snow water content was 80 percent of average and 86 percent of last year. % OF % OF RIVER BASIN AVERAGE LAST YEAR COLUMBIA ...................... 74 .............. 92 KOOTENAI .................... 78 .............. 117 FLATHEAD .................... 78 .............. 105 UPPER CLARK FORK ... 77 .............. 77 BITTERROOT .................. 61 .............. 70 LOWER CLARK FORK . 63 .............. 81 MISSOURI ...................... 82 .............. 86 MISSOURI HEADWATERS 76 .............. 75 JEFFERSON ................. 80 .............. 75 MADISON ................... 71 .............. 75 GALLATIN .................. 77 .............. 80 MISSOURI MAINSTEM.. 96 .............. 106 HEADWATERS MAINSTEM..100 .............. 92 SMITH-JUDITH-MUSSELSHELL .113 .............. 110 SUN-TETON-MARIAS .......... 79 .............. 133 MILK (Bear paw Mtns) ....... 46 .............. 44 ST. MARY ...................... 95 .............. 164 ST. MARY & MILK ............... 85 .............. 125 YELLOWSTONE ................... 78 .............. 81 UPPER YELLOWSTONE .......... 77 .............. 82 LOWER YELLOWSTONE .........76 .............. 79 STATE-WIDE .................... 76 .............. 87 As of January 1, Montana streamflows are forecast to average 71 percent, for the period April 1 through July 31. West of the Continental Divide, January 1 streamflows were forecast to average 73 percent. East of the Continental Divide, January 1 streamflows are forecast to average 67 percent. Below are the River Basin streamflow forecasts for the period April 1 through July 31. THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL MOISTURE AND RUNOFF CONDITIONS JANUARY THROUGH JULY. April-July April-July THIS YEAR LAST YEAR RIVER BASIN % OF AVERAGE % OF AVERAGE COLUMBIA ................... 73 .............. 97 KOOTENAI ................. 86 .............. 90 FLATHEAD ................. 80 .............. 91 UPPER CLARK FORK ......... 72 .............. 109 BITTERROOT ............... 65 .............. 96 LOWER CLARK FORK ......... 72 .............. 93 MISSOURI ................... 67 .............. 87 JEFFERSON ................ 6 .............. 94 MADISON .................. 70 .............. 90 GALLATIN ................. 79 .............. 98 MISSOURI MAINSTEM ........ 69 .............. 89 SMITH-JUDITH-MUSSELSHELL . 75 .............. 103 SUN-TETON-MARIAS ......... 68 .............. 64 MILK ..................... 66 .............. 84 ST. MARY ................... 88 .............. 78 YELLOWSTONE ................ 66 .............. 95 UPPER YELLOWSTONE ........ 73 .............. 95 LOWER YELLOWSTONE ........ 56 .............. 95 STATE-WIDE ................. 71 .............. 88 NOTE: The APRIL-JULY LAST YEAR % OF AVERAGE column above is what was forecast last year, NOT what actually occurred. | 
