June Snowfall

The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho has released the June Water Supply Outlook Report for the 2020 water year. The Bogus Basin recieved up to 7 inches of snow over the weekend, other central basins and Eastern Idaho also got significant late spring snowfall.

Widespread mountain snowmelt began in April and continued throughout May. Complete snowmelt has occurred at all SNOTEL sites in the Wood and Lost, Owyhee, Bruneau, and Salmon Falls basins.

“Snowpack conditions in the Panhandle, Clearwater, and Upper Snake are near or exceed the normal snowpack, while the Salmon, West Central, and Bear basins are below normal for June 1, said Daniel Tappa, Supervisory Hydrologist with the Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service. “As a result, aside from northern Idaho (Panhandle & Clearwater) and far eastern Idaho (Upper Snake & Bear River) where remainder season streamflow is forecast to be near normal, the rest of Idaho should anticipate lower than normal runoff (~30 to 80%).”

Median streamflow forecasts in the Wood & Lost basins continue to range from ~10 to 55% of normal, and water shortages will occur.