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SNOWPACK ON JANUARY 1 QUITE VARIABLE ACROSS MONTANA MOUNTAINS

January 7, 2009

For More Information:
Roy Kaiser, 406-587-6991
Larry Cooper, 406-587-6842

Bozeman--“Statewide mountain snowpack was below average and slightly below last year”, said Roy Kaiser, Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS water supply specialist. “December weather was quite variable with cold and warm temperature swings and several periods of strong winds.” Kaiser reports the snow water content on January 1 represents about 45 percent of the seasonal snowfall with more than half of the snowfall remaining. Mountain precipitation for December west of the Divide was 109 percent of average and east of the Divide was 120 percent of average.

The NRCS provides mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts by evaluating data gathered at automated and manual sites located throughout the foothills and mountains of the western United States.

“Mountain snow water content state-wide was 88 percent of average and 96 percent of last year,” said Kaiser. “West of the Continental Divide, mountain snow water content was 81 percent of average and 89 percent of last year and east of the Continental Divide, was 95 percent of average and 105 percent of last year.”

Snow Water Content
River Basin Percent of Average Percent of Last Year
Columbia 81 89
--Kootenai 67 71
--Flathead 74 88
--Upper Clark Fork 104 115
--Bitterroot 87 79
--Lower Clark Fork 78 73
Missouri 96 108
--Missouri Headwaters 101 105
--Jefferson 109 117
--Madison 94 92
--Gallatin 96 98
--Missouri Mainstream 93 133
--Headwaters Mainstream 118 172
--Smith-Judith-Musselshell 102 138
--Sun-Teton-Marias 59 74
--Milk-Bearpaw Mountains 105 ---
--St. Mary 58 73
--St. Mary and Milk 68 102
--Yellowstone 97 104
--Upper Yellowstone 96 98
--Lower Yellowstone 97 109
Statewide 88 96

Across Montana, streamflows are forecast to average between 73 and 89 percent, for the period April 1 through July 31. West of the Continental Divide, streamflows are forecast to average between 76 and 89 percent. East of the Continental Divide streamflows are forecast to average between 71 and 90 percent.

Below are the River Basin streamflow forecasts for the period April 1 through July 31. THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL MOISTURE AND RUNOFF CONDITIONS JANUARY THROUGH JULY AND DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR WELL BELOW AVERAGE (70 percent or less) OR ABOVE AVERAGE (110 percent or more) SNOWMELT OR SPRING RAIN.

Streamflow Forecasts
River Basin April to July this Year Percent of Average April to July Last Year Percent of Average
Columbia 76 to 89 77 to 88
--Kootenai 64 to 75 81 to 92
--Flathead 68 to 82 76 to 84
--Upper Clark Fork 90 to 107 73 to 89
--Bitterroot 74 to 89 73 to 87
--Lower Clark Fork 77 to 84 83 to 90
Missouri 67 to 87 57 to 74
--Jefferson 72 to 94 56 to 78
--Madison 80 to 90 86 to 95
--Gallatin 87 to 98 88 to 99
--Missouri Mainstem 75 to 89 69 to 83
--Smith-Judith-Musselshell 74 to 103 36 to 51
--Sun-Teton-Marias 45 to 64 53 to 67
--Milk 54 to 84 47 to 72
St. Mary 68 to 78 70 to 79
Yellowstone 81 to 95 74 to 87
--Upper Yellowstone 83 to 95 79 to 90
--Lower Yellowstone 78 to 95 66 to 82
Statewide 73 to 89 67 to 81

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