Annual 'Let's look at the Lake Powell Snowpack' thread

[turbonine]

That pic was taken in Navajo Canyone, Right?

Looks like a sweet boat.

Not sure where the pic was taken.

That is a BIG, roomy boat! Congratulations!

What are the dates you got?
Is it out of Wahweap or Antelope?

Its out of Antelope. And I have the second week in September. Its going to be difficult to wait all summer to get on Powell. I may be houseboat whoring for an early summer trip.

[shake-n-bake]

that pics looks like around the gunsight and padre bay area to me!

[talltigeguy]

Update

Now we are most of the way done with winter and the website lists the snowpack at 93% of normal. They had a very recent large storm that might not be added in yet, but I was hoping for an above average winter to put some water in Mead too.

The maximum snowpack is reached on April 15, so we are almost there. It means a lot to be at least close to normal now...not like a few years back when it was something like 15% of normal in April.

[Domsz06]

wow not even to normal yet?

They got so much snow I thought..

[Domsz06]

I think some goes to Mexico too.

I think SoCal need to stop beign the big bully taking everyones water and start learning how to desalinize. Its already proven it can be done.

yeah it can be done, it's just very expensive!

[SPBFAN]

By Pass Photo

Ok so I flew over Powell last week here is a picture of it from the air. You can see that by pass it not even close to open yet.

[KonaKing]

supposedly they are digging it out ?

[KonaKing]

And the way the weather forecast is there will be much more snow. But I dont how much in the Colarodo river drainage

[KonaKing]

Higher than last year mar 29 2008 was at 3859

[KonaKing]

Snow pack Data. Even though Ut is low the Colorado is high good news for Powell

[talltigeguy]

Snow pack Data. Even though Ut is low the Colorado is high good news for Powell

Green is normal, not high. There is also that big chunk that is yellow or 50-80% of normal.

[Timmy!]

Colorado got dumped on in the last 3 days and is getting more tonight, that might help out some.

[KonaKing]

Green is normal, not high. There is also that big chunk that is yellow or 50-80% of normal.

True green is normal but fron the past years it is high and most of Powells water from Colorado. But those numbers will be dramatically after this next storm cycle

[KonaKing]

Glen Canyon Dam Update February 2009
February 13th, 2009
Glen Canyon Dam Operations

Snowpack conditions in the Upper Colorado River Basin continue to be above average through the month of January. On January 1, 2009 the snowpack above Lake Powell measured only 107% of average. By January 31, 2008 this snowpack had improved to 111% of average. As of February 11, 2009 the snowpack measured 106% of average.

The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center’s February water supply forecast for Lake Powell for the April to July runoff season is 8.0 million acre-feet (101% of average). Based on this forecast, Reclamation is currently projecting a shift in operations from Upper Elevation Balancing to Equalization in April 2009 (see Interim Guidelines Section 6.B.3). For this reason, the February 24-Month Study projects the annual release from Lake Powell during water year 2009 to be 9.431 million acre-feet. As forecast conditions change, Reclamation will update these projections monthly.

The monthly release volume for February 2009 is scheduled to be 600,000 acre-feet. Daily average releases during January will be about 10,000 cfs. Monday through Friday releases will peak each afternoon to about 13,500 cfs with early morning releases of approximately 7,500 cfs. Weekend afternoon peak releases will be about 13,250 cfs with morning low releases near 7,500 cfs. The currently scheduled release volume for March 2009 is 625,000 acre-feet which will result in an average daily release of 10,200 cfs. Afternoon peaks will likely be about 12,900 cfs and early morning releases will likely be about 6,900 cfs.

Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrology

Precipitation rates during October and November 2008 were well below average at 55% and 80% respectively. In December, however, conditions improved significantly with the estimated precipitation rate of about 185% of average. The preliminary precipitation total for January 2009 was 95% of average. The overall water year precipitation rate through February 12, 2009 is 104% of average.

[KonaKing]