(Photo Credit, Scott G Winterton, Deseret News, file, 2017)
WASATCH FRONT – Utah’s water picture is looking fantastic compared to last year thanks to a steady pattern of storms, but, how much snow is it going to take to fill the state’s reservoirs?
Even at the beginning of the month, Utah’s average snowpack levels were slightly over normal. However, since the latest storms, Natural Resources Conservation Service Hydrologist Troy Brosten says, “The state’s current rate raised up to 123 percent.”
Brosten says this includes an extra two inches of water content within the snow. He believes if current storm patterns continue, state reservoirs would greatly benefit.
“Many reservoirs in the state, especially the smaller ones, if we end up with a normal peak snowpack, many of those reservoirs will fill,” he adds. It could take a couple years of steady storms to fill the larger reservoirs, like Bear Lake and Strawberry.
However, winter snow is just one half of the overall water picture. Brosten says we need to also have plenty of rain in the summer months.
“If you have a really dry summer, there is going to be a lot of heavy draw-down on those reservoirs and the use of that water,” Brosten says.