NRCS Idaho releases February 2021 Water Supply Outlook Report

BOISE– The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho has released the February Water Supply Outlook Report for the 2021 water year. 

The snowpack continues to increase slowly across all basins during the water year 2021. Despite a few large storms at the beginning and end of January, snowpack and precipitation totals are below normal across all basins as of February 1. Bear River Basin is the driest at 67%. The basin that is closest to normal is Payette at 95%. Fortunately, a few large storm events during January raised the snow water content (SWE) in all basins from 0.8” to 13” over the month.

Streamflow, snowpack, and precipitation data for each basin can be accessed on the NRCS Idaho Snow Survey web page.

“There are concerns about adequate water supply in the Southern Snake River basins where there is less time remaining to accumulate more snow. In these basins, between March through July, forecasts range from 40 to 60% of normal streamflow volume,” said Erin Whorton, Hydrologist-Water Supply Specialist for NRCS Snow Survey in Idaho. “Despite the below-normal snowpack, we anticipate there are enough reservoir storage to meet water supply demands in the Upper Snake River system, Bear and Owyhee River basins at report time.”

For information on specific basins, streams, and reservoirs, please view the full report online at February Water Supply Outlook Report.