Natural Resources Conservation Service Idaho Water Supply Outlook Report March 1, 2020 Boise Foothills near Bogus Basin Road Snow Course, February 28, 2020 Photo courtesy of Melissa Ghergich The Bogus Basin Road snow course (5,568 ft), visible above in the sunlit aspect of the image foreground, serves as an important barometer for transition zone snowpack. The March 1 snow measurement yielded 8.6” of snow water equivalent (SWE), which is 130% of normal. Several other snow measurement sites in the Payette and neighboring Boise River basin depict a similar story: above normal snowpack in the ‘lower’ elevation (~5,000 to 6,000 ft) zones. Interestingly, in and near the Boise River basin, all measurement sites below 5,700 ft are reporting above normal SWE, while all stations above 5,700 ft are reporting below normal SWE. Continue reading the full report for snowpack and water outlook details throughout Idaho. Water Supply Outlook Report Federal - State – Private Cooperative Snow Surveys For more water supply and resource management information: Contact: Your local county Natural Resources Conservation Service Office Internet Web Address: http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/ Natural Resources Conservation Service Snow Surveys 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite C Boise, Idaho 83709-1574 (208) 378-5700 ext. 5 To join a free email subscription list contact us by email at:
[email protected] How forecasts are made Most of the annual streamflow in the western United States originates as snowfall that has accumulated in the mountains during the winter and early spring. As the snowpack accumulates, hydrologists estimate the runoff that will occur when the snow melts.