Valley water levels looking good
The last three weeks have brought a large amount of moisture and even more relief to Cache Valley residents. Water levels are now 112 percent of normal, said USU Cache County extension agent Clark Israelsen.
Brian McInerney, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service, said January to the end of March is a critical time to build water and snowpack levels. The water received during this time will need to last from April through the end of July, also a critical time for farmers to produce crops and livestock.
McInerney said the snowpack is currently 118 percent of normal. There are 31.5 inches of water in the snowpack near Tony Grove, up from the 18 inches reported last year.
“It was nothing less than a miracle when we got storms a few weeks ago,” said Bob Faldingham, Cache County water manager.
McInerney said Cache Valley residents should want 4.5 more inches before runoff, which begins April 1.
“We can get that in a couple good storms,” McInerney said.
McInerney said a cool, wet spring is preferable to have an efficient runoff, which begins April 1.
“If melting starts early, you lose a lot in the atmosphere in the form of evaporation,” McInerney said. “A little bit would melt, going into the soil and making plant life come back early. The water would get sucked into the plant and evaporate out of the leaves.”
McInerney said an early melt can lead to the loss of up to 50 percent of snowpack equivalent.
While he wants a cool spring, McInerney stressed the importance of hotter weather at the end of May and early June, followed by thunderstorms.
“That’s what we’re looking for with the Weather Service: Are we going to get the wet storms, and how many?” McInerney said.
McInerney said most of the north is doing great as far as getting high precipitation levels before runoff begins.
However, other states are not faring so well, which will impact Utahns.
Israelsen traveled to California two weeks ago to attend a farm show. Israelsen said the state’s precipitation levels are 7 to 17 percent of normal. This impacts California’s agriculture, which depends on irrigation.
Israelsen said alfalfa, wheat and corn crops will be down significantly due to the drought.
Israelsen said Utah will be impacted in two ways: It will raise food costs because the state brings in a lot of produce from California, but Cache Valley farmers could also expect to make more money from California dairies who, because of the decreased hay crop, will be willing to pay more for hay from Utah.
– lsnyder94@gmail.com