Annual 'Let's look at the Lake Powell Snowpack' thread

[UNSTUCK]

Thought I heard or read that Powell looses more water to the sandstone rock than to evaporation and that Mead actually has much less loss in those respects.

Either way, we still have snow in the forecast so it’s not done yet. Sure hope the lakes will be open soon.

[sandm]

Thought I heard or read that Powell looses more water to the sandstone rock than to evaporation and that Mead actually has much less loss in those respects.

interesting and makes complete sense...

[talltigeguy]

Thought I heard or read that Powell looses more water to the sandstone rock than to evaporation and that Mead actually has much less loss in those respects.

Either way, we still have snow in the forecast so it’s not done yet. Sure hope the lakes will be open soon.

I understand that too, Powell's water ends up in the aquifer. Recent arguments are to store the most water we can in Mead. Because of the recreation, they do keep Powell at a certain level, I think.

[boonecragun]

Morons going through the cut.....boils my blood. Most of the time they know better, they just like being jack @$$e$...why would he tie his MC to the side of the houseboat?? Brilliant.

[boonecragun]

Runoff is hitting Powell!

[boonecragun]

Is runoff tapering off. Mild year if so....

[freeheel4life]

So, I'm the ski nerd(and boat nerd). Even with the Covid Abasin closed almost a month earlier than it did last year due to lack of snow. Have also skied there for some late season parties at "the beach". Id say snowpack in t hat area of the rockies was average but not Phenomenal. Good years are skiing on the 4th of July

[talltigeguy]

The runoff did not give us as much as I expected. Some of it was down to Mead this winter, but I think the snow stopped in April and we lost some of our snowpack. I was there last week and the water level was flat all week long. It still went up 10 feet, but is another 10 feet below the peak of last year.

[sandm]

here we go in a new year. curious to see what Tall predicts this year. hearing it's going to be a tough year for water.

[talltigeguy]

here we go in a new year. curious to see what Tall predicts this year. hearing it's going to be a tough year for water.

Ugggh. Lake Powell is 27 feet down compared to where it was 1 year ago today. Snowpack is at 74% of normal. Those are abysmal numbers. It isn't like they have sent it all to Mead, since Mead is down 7 feet compared to last year, which is quite a bit for Mead.

Good news is that heavy pounding of snow in February can reverse much of it, but the longer we go without snow, the harder it is to catch up. An average snow year from here on out still isn't adequate. The max snowpack is reached in mid April, so there is still time, but it is a bad sign that the lake is already much lower than last year and so far the snowpack is not looking favorable at all.

I guess it might be nice that all of the mussels should be 50 feet out of the water.

[sandm]

I guess it might be nice that all of the mussels should be 50 feet out of the water.

silver lining guy... haha....

I used to watch the levels pretty close when I was in boise with lucky peak but haven't dug into mead and where to find. know it's out there but mead has a whole lot of factors that go into it and although i've read up on them, def. not an expert nor without a history, how bad it might or might not be.

thx for the update and look forward to posts in here to see what's in store.

[freeheel4life]

I'm doing my ski thing instead of boats this winter and we are below average here as well.

Haven't looked at Rockies snowpack, but I think the only winners right now are Jackson Hole/Targhee and the Cascades.

[UNSTUCK]

I was worried back in October when they closed the Antelope ramp halfway through our trip. We backed down to the very end of the ramp the day they closed it. Forced us over to Wahweap the next day. I don't imagine it's normal for them to close it due to low water?

[talltigeguy]

I was worried back in October when they closed the Antelope ramp halfway through our trip. We backed down to the very end of the ramp the day they closed it. Forced us over to Wahweap the next day. I don't imagine it's normal for them to close it due to low water?

Any time the lake is low, the ramp is out of the water. The end of the ramp turns into a 400 foot straight drop, so not the kind of ramp you actually want to have tires slip over the edge from.

[boonecragun]

Farmers Almanac calling for a late push of snow. Going to need a dump to make up for last year's lack-luster performance.