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MONTANA FEBRUARY 1 SNOWPACK SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE

February 5, 2009

For More Information:
Roy Kaiser, 406-587-6991
Larry Cooper, 406-587-6842

Bozeman--January snow water gain in the Columbia River Basin was slightly above average, Missouri River Basin was slightly below average, and the Yellowstone was above average. The first nine days in January saw significant snow water increases with the Columbia River Basin increasing by 29 percent, Missouri River Basin increasing by 20 percent, St. Mary increasing by 17 percent, and Yellowstone River Basin increasing by 18 percent.

Roy Kaiser, Natural Resources Conservation Service water supply specialist says “The first of February is when we should have about 60 to 65 percent of our seasonal snowpack in place.” State-wide, mountain now water contents were 93 percent of average and 91 percent of last year. West of the Continental Divide, snowpack was 90 percent of average and 89 percent of last year and east of the Continental Divide, snowpack was 97 percent of average and 98 percent of last year.

Snow Water Content
River Basin Percent of Average Percent of Last Year January Percent of Change
Columbia 90 89 +9
Kootenai Montana 79 73 +12
Kootenay, Canada 78 83 - -
Flathead, Montana 86 85 +12
Flathead, Canada 64 61 - -
Upper Clark Fork 102 115 -2
Bitterroot 99 90 +12
Lower Clark Fork 89 78 +11
Missouri 95 94 -1
Missouri Headwaters 95 89 -6
Jefferson 101 101 -8
Madison 88 77 -6
Gallatin 94 87 -2
Missouri Mainstream 100 109 -2
Headwaters Mainstream 106 121 -12
Smith-Judith-Musselshell 100 103 -2
Sun-Teton- Marias 78 81 +19
Milk 148 186 - -
Bearpaw Mountains 131 244 +26
Cypress Hills, Canada 162 161 - -
St. Mary 65 67 +7
St. Mary and Milk 96 106 +28
Yellowstone 101 105 +4
Upper Yellowstone 101 99 +5
Lower Yellowstone 100 111 +3
Statewide 93 91 +5

Montana April through July streamflows are forecast to average 80 to 94 percent. West of the Continental Divide streamflows are forecast to average 82 to 92 percent. East of the Continental Divide streamflows are forecast to average 80 to 96 percent.

Below are averaged river basin streamflow forecast summaries for the period April 1 through July 31. THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL SPRING CONDITIONS AND DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR WELL BELOW AVERAGE (70% or less) OR WELL ABOVE AVERAGE (130% or more) SNOWMELT OR SPRING RAIN. Specific forecast probabilities are available in each individual River Basin Report.

Streamflow Forecasts
River Basin April to July this Year Percent of Average April to July Last Year Percent of Average
Columbia 82 to 92 82 to 91
Kootenai 75 to 83 86 to 94
Flathead 79 to 88 83 to 90
Upper Clark Fork 86 to 101 75 to 87
Bitterroot 90 to 99 86 to 95
Lower Clark Fork 84 to 89 87 to 92
Missouri 74 to 92 74 to 91
Jefferson 81 to 101 74 to 95
Madison 78 to 81 103 to 111
Gallatin 86 to 96 96 to 107
Missouri Mainstem 79 to 92 92 to 105
Smith-Judith-Musselshell 76 to 100 49 to 69
Sun-Teton-Marias 57 to 75 74 to 90
Milk 70 to 95 49 to 74
St. Mary 69 to 77 90 to 97
Yellowstone 92 to 104 90 to 103
Upper Yellowstone 88 to 97 89 to 100
Lower Yellowstone 98 to 114 92 to 107
Statewide 80 to 94 80 to 93

NOTE: The APRIL-JULY LAST YEAR % OF AVERAGE column above is what was forecast last year, NOT what actually occurred.

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