02/28/06 February very dry across all of Idaho

Except for the Panhandle every basin in Idaho has an above normal snowpack heading into March. But those numbers were even better a month ago before a very dry February. ABROMOVICH "The highest precipitation in the state was 60 to 75 percent of average in Clearwater basin and the lowest was only about 20 percent average precip in February in the little Lost and Big Lost basins." Ron Abromovich of the NRCS Snow Survey office says the snowpack today in the Oakley basin is the highest in the state at percent of average. ABROMOVICH "Clearwater basin is 100 percent, Salmon basin is 112, Weiser basin is 117 percent, Payette is 116, Boise basin is 121, Big Wood basin is 124 percent of average, Little Wood basin is 112 along with the Big Lost basin. Henry's Fork and Teton is 116 percent of average, Snake above Palisades is 114 percent, Willow Blackfoot and Portnuef are 112, Salmon Falls is 129, Bruneau basin is 135, Owyhee basin is 120 percent and the Bear River is 118 percent of average. More moisture is expected this week in Idaho and that will help as we near April first and the normal end to snow accumulation. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott