With the return of warm temps, rivers are rising again. The last cold front slowed the melt down to a few tenths per day and increased to 1.4″ yesterday with temps reaching 67 F at Deadwood Summit. With these yoyo like temps and some precipitation remaining in forecast, expect a few more ups n downs in flow levels before full recession starts.
It’s always nice to see what the rivers are doing where you are going or where you want to be. The recent cold spell put a damper on snowmelt when rivers were increasing and put a twist in the Snow2Flow relationships, but there’s still enough remaining snow to generate another increase if not the peak for the season. Stay tuned, and if you happen to see the Big Lost Shite Stallion, let me know !
Here’s an update for the MF, Main, Lochsa and Selway Rivers showing there’s enough remaining snow to generate another increase in flow the next few days. This may be the last week of cooler/wetter spring weather with forecasts hinting at warmer/nicer weather for June’s arrival. Keep an eye on the sky watching the weather, and your mouse on snow melt and river levels pages as we see how high the rivers rise from this pulse of water coming out of the mountains. Enjoy & be safe !
The Bruneau is rising again along with Salmon Falls Creek. The Owyhee had a long and amazing season and is holding steady from the remaining snow melting in the basin.
Short summary presented at the State’s May Water Supply Meeting about the following:
Low snow means low flows in these basins. Hopefully more weather moves in during the month of May
Here’s an update looking at remaining snow, snowmelt, volume forecasts and similar runoff years. We’ll see a decrease in melt and flows with cooler front moving in, but melt and flows are projected to rebound later this week with return to high pressure, that will hopefully move on sooner than later…
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.
Snow Weather and Flow 