Lack Of Idaho Snow Not Yet A Big Concern

The Idaho Water Supply Committee met yesterday to talk about the lack of snow in southern Idaho.  By last year at this time the Magic Valley had already experienced quite a bit of snow and drifted roads.  But water experts say they aren’t all that concerned yet. 

The group tracks water flow throughout the state  to determine how much will be available for users throughout the year.  Last winter the snowpack was about 130 percent of the average.  And many state water reservoirs are still full.   Right now American Falls Reservoir is 55 percent full and that’s  one of the lowest reservoirs in the Upper Snake River Basin.  Overall, the basin is at about 68 percent capacity.  Palisades Reservoir is 86 percent full right now, a big difference to just a couple of years ago.  The lack of snow this season is a sign of the Pacific Ocean cooling or La Nina effect.  The cooling ocean pushes colder winds to the Pacific Northwest. It usually means wetter weather, but that’s not happening in Idaho. This will be the second winter in a row the U.S. has experienced a La Nina.