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It seems like way less than usual so far, especially in the CDA area. Precip may be OK though since lots of it has been rain falling just above freezing. This is my first winter here so I'm not sure what's normal first hand.
It's only normal in the south due to all the late rain in October and early November. The snowpack is only average in some places down here. If the snowpack does improve before winter's over, I expect some of the stored water will be discharged early to replenish the aquifer.
There is already a court battle going on between a first-right water user and one of the cities in the S.W. area- the city actually constructed a pipeline from a big spring to the first right user to make up the difference in the water, but some of the line was rejected because it was previously used PVC piping.
The PVC pipe had only been used to pipe pure potable water earlier, and the city is trying to replace it all with new pipe, but the time limit for the adjudication is going to run out before the pipe is replaced. Whether to allow the city some extra time will be up to the first-use user, and there's no word yet on whether extra time will be granted.
It's only a matter of time before the entire state is under adjudication. If anyone has a well with unregistered water rights, it's time to get the registration. There are areas down here that lie outside of adjudicated areas that are safe from contention, but first rights are first rights.
Obviously, the first-right users are going to get the water they need first in the future, from the outcome of this lawsuit.
I'm sure some of the rights may be overturned, but fighting them is going to be a lot more expensive than obtaining them, that's for sure.
"Normal" changes every year. Often the bulk of our snowfall comes in just a few decent dumps, at least at lower elevations. I'd guess I have ~18" on the level at my place. Probably should fire up the tractor and bash berms back to widen the road this weekend. It seems as if we've been trending towards milder snowfalls early winter, with more late season snow. Several years there has been a concern when mountain snowpack (which determines water levels all summer with snowmelt) is 75% of normal, then will go to 125% in a 2-day snowfall.
IDAHO FALLS - A recent report finds a majority of Idaho has above-average snowpack and precipitation levels halfway through the wet season.
The report was issued by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service. It paints an encouraging picture, but experts caution that there's still time for the trend to reverse.
Boise-based water specialist Ron Abramovich tells the Post Register that the panhandle typically sees more precipitation than the rest of the state.
But he says the roles have switched this season, with Northern Idaho snowpacks below normal while other parts of the state are at or above their typical levels.
He says one or two more big storms should set up Idaho for close to normal snowpack and water levels come April 1.
We still have a 2-3 months of snow season to go. The only thing consistent about NID weather is its inconsistency and the wide margin of error vs. forecasts.
Last year Schweitzer managed to eek out 200" of snowfall. Yes, 100" below the 300" average but all mountains to the East had above average snow packs.
Here in the Panhandle we are at 91% of precipitation vs. normal YTD with snowpack 63% of historical median.
Really low - (bad) is when you can't even get to the sign
Low - (like this year so far) you are straining your neck to see the sign
Decent- you are looking straight into the sign
Good - you are kneeling to read the sign
Really good - you trip over the sign
Yowza - you can't find the sign
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Snotel schmopel
