Snowmelt forecast down from average

According to the Bureau of Reclamation, the forecasted amount of runoff from April to July is 350,000 acre-feet for Boysen Reservoir, just 64 percent of the 30-year average of 548,300 care-feet.

Mahonri Williams, the chief of the Resources Management Division of the Wyoming offices of the Bureau of Reclamation, explained the snowpack conditions are considered when making the forecast, and the amount of snowpack in the mountains above Wind River and Little Wind River is lower than average for early March.

This week’s storm will supply some much needed moisture. While increased snowpack would certainly improve the runoff forecast for Boysen, Williams said the reservoir does have some good carry over storage from last year, which should help. But, if inflow continues to be significantly less it could create an accounting year. This means that irrigation districts would have to charge per foot of storage water delivered.

The last accounting year was 2013.

It’s important to keep in mind, Williams said, that this forecast will change in the coming months, and people will just have to wait and see if Mother Nature provides the snow and rain necessary to bump up the runoff estimate. The current snowpack estimates do not include recent snowfalls.