From The Mountain Mail: “Statewide snowpack measured March 1, was 108 percent of average, while a month ago it was 117 percent of average. Snowpack was 120 percent of average Jan. 1…
“Southern Colorado reported some of the greatest decreases in percentage of average snowpack including the Arkansas River basin which decreased 14 percent from last month.
“Despite decreased percentages, Colorado snowpack totals remain above average nearly statewide. The South Platte basin recorded the only below average snowpack – 94 percent of average. Elsewhere in the state, snowpack percentages range from 102 percent of average in the North Platte basin, to 115 percent of average in the Colorado River Basin. Snowpack this year dipped to significantly less than that measured last year at this time. Statewide snowpack is 80 percent of that last year, and basinwide totals remain well below last year in the Rio Grande and combined San Juan, Animas, Dolores, and San Miguel basins.”
More coverage from the Longmont Times Call:
The statewide snowpack, measured Sunday by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was 108 percent of average. A month ago, though, it was was 117 percent of average. Only the South Platte basin recorded a below average snowpack, at 94 percent of average. Longmont gets its water from the South Platte basin and the Colorado River basin, which measures 115 percent of average.”
More coverage from 9News.com (Dave Delozier):
Denver Water will also be watching the month of March closely as well for precipitation. “March certainly is a month that can tell us a lot about what the summer is going to look like,” Stacy Chesney, spokesperson for Denver Water, said. She says that while an assessment of Denver’s watersheds on Feb. 1 didn’t show reason for alarm, March is a month they count on to help fill the reservoirs. Additionally last month saw less snow fall in Denver than any February in history…On March 1, the statewide snowpack measured 108 percent above average. Just a month ago, that figure was at 117 percent and in January it was at 120 percent.
More coverage from the Sky-Hi Daily News:
Snowpack in the high-elevation mountains above Middle Park now ranges from 93% to 146% of the 30-year average, with the highest readings on the south side of the valley and the lowest readings on the north side. This is similar to last year when the moisture content was 96% to 133% of average on March 1, although last February was much snowier than this February. Snow at the lower elevations in Middle Park has undergone a February thaw and does not reflect the above-average snowpack conditions at higher elevation. Snow density is averaging 28%, which means that for a foot of snow there are 3.3 inches of water.
In Colorado, the snowpack on the western slope exceeds that of the eastern slope, and all major basins are above average except for the South Platte. The highest snowpack, relative to normal, is in the Roaring Fork sub-basin of the Colorado River Basin. Reported readings for the major river basins in Colorado are as follows: The upper Colorado River Basin averages 115%; Gunnison River Basin, 109%; South Platte River Basin, 96%; Yampa River Basin, 112%; White River Basins, 107%; Arkansas River Basin, 109%; Upper Rio Grande Basin, 108%; San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, and San Juan River Basins 107%; and the Laramie and North Platte River Basins, 102% of average for this time of year.
