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Nevada Irrigation District (NID) just completed their first snow survey for 2022 and despite lower than normal precipitation in January, the snowpack remains above average.
During the February survey, NID hydrographers found the average water content in the snowpack was 24.7 inches, or 123.5 percent of average for this time of year. Cumulative precipitation at Bowman Reservoir was 43.46 inches, which is also above average as of Feb. 2.
“After a wet December, January produced little precipitation and that has continued into February with dry conditions projected for the next 10 days,” said NID’s Water Resources Superintendent Thor Larsen. “Despite this dry weather, reservoir storage levels are near average including an above average snowpack.”
Here are the specifics of the recent snow survey: NID’s highest course, Webber Peak, at 7,800 feet, had 65.3 inches of snow with a water content of 25.5 inches. The English Mountain snow course (7,100 ft.) had 79.4 inches of snow with a water content of 33.6 inches. Webber Lake (7,000 ft.) had 57.5 inches of snow with a water content of 22.7 inches. Findley Peak (6,500 ft.) had a snowpack of 54.8 inches and a 23.3-inch water content. Bowman Reservoir (5,650 ft.) had 46.7 inches of snow and a 17.5-inch water content.
At the lower Chalk Bluff snow course (4,850 ft.) on the Deer Creek watershed, the survey showed 26.6 inches of snow with 11.6 inches of water content (the Chalk Bluff numbers are not included in the total average).
A member of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, NID conducts three official snow surveys each year in February, March and April. Results of the snow surveys are used to predict water availability locally and statewide.
