With below normal precipitation April 1-24 across the state and little expected in next 7 days, streamflow volumes are decreasing from April 1 release. The Owyhee River has peaked from snowmelt and remaining snow will help sustain flows. Remaining snow in Bruneau and Salmon Falls basins will produce another another flow increase. Future snowmelt rates and weather will determine if next flow increase exceeds the previous peaks already seen.
Here’s an update for the Owyhee based on current snow, flow projections and more weather moving in this week and next. It’s nice to look at big picture to see what’s happening around this tri-state basin.
Snow & Flow Update — And Owyhee is up !
Here’s an update for Selway & Lochsa Rivers based on Jan 1 & Jan 28 that shows the current snow, chance to recover, and plots of other strong El Nino years along with analog years. We’ll keep an eye on using 2010 as another analog year for this winter and watch how it tracks else in the state too. Enjoy spring skiing this week but stay tuned as we still have 40% of winter to go and winter returns in early February (this weekend)!
With plenty of snow to melt, we’ll see an extended period of higher water and the highest flows in a few years. The warmest days of the season will start melting more snow to feed the river. A projected weekend storm may limit how high the river rises or add to it with rain. When the peak occurs is still a function of how hot it gets and when, along with input from spring rains or not. We know there is a good snowpack, best in years, to sustain flows for a while based on past similar snow years. Be safe, know your limits and keep an eye that flow gage, the melting snow sites and future weather as the Owyhee flows in this high desert can change quickly.
Snow Weather and Flow 