From Deseret News archives:
Fill 'er up Lake Powell set for runoff from deep snowpack
The April hydrologist report from the Bureau of Reclamation states there is enough snowpack in the Upper Colorado Basin to take the lake level from its current elevation 3,555.4 to its expected peak sometime in July at 3,600 feet, which, if conditions allow, would raise the level of the lake 44.6 feet.
This report, which came out April 6, does not include precipitation that will fall between now and the end of the rainy season, which would include the last two storm fronts that moved through Utah and into lower Colorado this week.
Nor does it address the possibility that the release of water from the Glen Canyon Dam could be reduced. Current requirements are that 8.23 million acre-feet of water be released downstream annually. In a tug-of-war for water, the upper basin states want the total release lowered, while the lower basin states want it to remain at 8.23 million acre-feet, despite the fact that the lower states had an exceptionally wet winter and received more than 2 million acre-feet of additional water. A decision on the release figure is expected later this month.
Snowpack in the basin above the lake is currently 117 percent of average (see chart). Starting back in 2000, snowpack was 62 percent, then it dropped to 59 percent in 2001 and then to its lowest point of 25 percent in 2002. In 2003 and 2004, it was 51 percent of average.
Tom Ryan of the Bureau of Reclamation, stated in his monthly report that unregulated inflow into the lake started to increase last summer, "in response to precipitation events last fall and winter."
In fact, November was the first month to see above-average inflows since September 1999.
Unregulated inflows in January were 128 percent of average and for February 118 percent of average. Inflows dropped in March to 89 percent of average, but are expected to increase from April through July.
The lake is currently holding roughly 33 percent of capacity or 7.98 million acre-feet of water.
In its April inflow forecast, the National Weather Service stated that there is enough snow in the upper basin to deliver 8.5 million acre-feet of unregulated inflow from April through July.
Comments
- Family recounts CO experience 5:18 p.m.
- Gift-giving students win contest 5:16 p.m.
- 2 men face child porn charges 5:15 p.m.
- Davis' 2010 budget leaner than 2009 5:13 p.m.
- Woods to take leave from golf 5:13 p.m.
- Regents approve college merger 5:12 p.m.
- Odor clears out BYU Bookstore 5:09 p.m.
- New plans for Sandy Proscenium land 3:27 p.m.
- Holladay development appeal denied 2:59 p.m.
- BYU bug to aid in soil cleanup 2:50 p.m.
- Letters: Global warming a lie
272 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
207 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
195 - Palin signs books, chats with fans
169 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
151 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
143 - Nude bathers cited for lewdness
134 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
130 - Jazz fall apart late at L.A.
110
Is Angels Landing perhaps Utah's single most dangerous hiking trail? The...
BSU's game against Oregon was the second of a home and home. Last year BSU...
The only way to change the BCS sistem championship role, is if all Athletic...
OK, kids: let's not tear apart a free concert that is offered as a gift to...
Tmac is hurt more than Boozer. At least AK plays most of the time (except...
What a bunch of lies. Wall Street failures didn't plunge America into a...
Surely you don't own more than one pair of shoes, do you? Probably...
Nice try. I never said there weren't good arguments against depleted...
RE: Dennis Look at "list of countries by firearm-related death rate" on...
How come no one explains how these teams are picked? I know a player that 2...
I am a-shamed of this Dr Skeem, pronounced scheme by coincidence. She is...



You can be the first to comment on this story.