The snowpack in the higher elevations of Washington continues to dwindle. According to Scott Pattee with NRCS-Washington, the statewide average is 85% of normal for this time of year. And he noted the current problem is the same issue the mountains have experienced since mid-February; a lack of precipitation.

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“We just haven’t been getting the systems coming in, and you know, pretty much this time of year, at least through mid-month, everyday that goes by that we do not get snow we fall further behind.  And that’s pretty much what’s happening.”

Is Pattee panicking at this point? Not really.

He noted in basins that have storage, such as the Yakima, growers are not going to be in bad shape.

“What my understanding is the Burau of Reclamation’s reservoir storage is pretty much tip-top, and so they’re not concerned about that at all.  But in other areas such as the central Columbia, and even the upper Columbia basins, where we are lacking reservoir storage, we could potentially, unless we get some good filling storm systems to come in here in the next 15-20 days, we could be hurting.”

As far as the snowpack numbers for basins across the state:

  • Spokane 95% of normal
  • Lower Pend Orielle 86% of normal
  • Upper Columbia 89% of normal
  • Central Columbia is at 86% of normal
  • Upper Yakima 81% of normal
  • Naches 80% of normal
  • Lower Yakima 54% of normal
  • Klickitat 66% of normal
  • Lower Snake/Walla Walla 83% of normal
  • South Puget Sound 89% of normal
  • Central Puget Sound 90% of normal
  • North Puget Sound 97% of normal
  • Olympic 85% of normal

The average peak of the snowpack season comes April 1st.




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