Washington Snowpack Remains Ho-Hum

The snowpack for the Washington mountains is not where most would like to see it for this time of year.

“We’re not in that bad of shape, we’re in the high 70% to above normal, in places like the Walla Walla area, the Blue Mountains, is 115% of average," said the NRCS' Scott Pattee.  "And that’s a pretty healthy snowpack.”

Pattee said recent storms have helped the snowpack across the region, but we’re still a long way to go.  As far as current numbers from basins across Washington:

• Spokane – 83%
• Upper Columbia – 92%
• Central Columbia – 85%
• Upper Yakima – 69%
• Lower Yakima – 84%
• Walla Walla – 115%
• Lower Snake – 92%
• Lower Columbia – 64%

While a lot of questions remain for the remaining portion of the snow year, Pattee says he doesn’t think we’ll be in trouble for the upcoming irrigation season.

“Most of the water managers we’ve been hearing from feel they have enough carryover water, and we’ve had good enough rain, so a little bit of lack on the snowpack side doesn’t look like it’s going to hurt us.  Unless somebody total turns the spigot completely off at this point in time.”

Pattee said he is encouraged by the fact that much of the Washington Cascades are forecast to get snow throughout this week.

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