The storm systems that rolled across the Pacific Northwest last week brought much needed rain and snow to the area, but according to NRCS Idaho, the big picture has not changed. NRCS’ Erin Whorton said while they’re happy to see this second peak in the snowpack, it really didn’t add that much to the statewide snowpack average.

loading...

“It put a little bit of a pause on our snowpack melting, as early as it was, and it helped delay the need for irrigators start using their natural water flows.”

Whorton said she doesn’t want to minimize these recent storms, adding they provided much needed precipitation. She pointed out while the panhandle enjoyed more snow that rain during the first half of the month, central and southern Idaho were the big winners.

“During this last storm system, it you’re in the Owyhee, Bruneau, Salmon Falls area, they didn’t get as much as we’d hoped.  They just got a little bit of a boost, it was more in terms of rain, than snow.  Where we really saw the benefit was here in the Boise, Payette, Weiser and Salmon basins, they got a nice charge of a snowpack there; and we saw a really nice boost into the upper Snake highwaters.”

Whorton added while this late season storm is of benefit, it will not be enough to overcome the extremely dry conditions across Idaho; conditions that were only made worse by a disappointing snowpack.




If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com

More From PNW Ag Network