Things are about to get VERY interesting....

[Donziweasel]

The snowpack in the mountains is 368% of normal right now. No one has ever seen anything like this. While everyone has heard of flooding in other parts of the country, our runoff has not begun yet. The valley is getting ready for the "big" one. 4ft barriers around Moose, WY, the headquarters of Grand Teton National Park. Streams and rivers are forecast to reach levels never seen, with the Snake hitting well over 40,000 cfs (the record is 38,800 in 1997).

When we get 3-5 days of nice sunny weather, the snow will come down like a rabid beast. My poor valley is about to have it's ass handed to it......

Luckily, I live 800ft above the valley, but I have a lot of freinds that live in areas that will flood.........

[Offset]

It has been a tough year for weird weather and very high water run offs. I wish you well and hope for the best. Not a whole lot you can do but make sure that Donzi is not tied to the trailer but maybe a big tree you might need it!!

All the best, hopefully it will melt in somewhat a controlled manner.:crossfing:

[zelatore]

Yup, the Sierras got pounded this year as well. We were still getting more snow and having chain requirements on I80 just a couple weeks ago.

Looks good for Powell and Havasu though!

[Donziweasel]

Don, the Green River is a trib of Powell and only about 45 minutes from me. As of this morning, that area is 620% of normal........ :shocking:

Powell may fill for the first time in over a decade....... :wink:

[zelatore]

I read that they were actually lowering Powell a lot this spring. Not sure if that's just to get more water to Havasu because they anticipate big run-off or what, but last I checked it wasn't very high. Let's see what it looks like in a month.

[yeller]

I read that they were actually lowering Powell a lot this spring. Not sure if that's just to get more water to Havasu because they anticipate big run-off or what, but last I checked it wasn't very high. Let's see what it looks like in a month.
Doesn't Powell feed Lake Mead? I think that's why they've lowered Powell. Mead has been waaaay down for years.

[RickSE]

...Powell may fill for the first time in over a decade....... :wink:

3660' is the expected high water mark this summer, still 40' shy of full pool. Full pool is nice because there's lots of water but not good because the beaches are very limited; 3660' is a good level. The BLM released a lot of water to Mead earlier this Spring to "equalize" Mead & Powell; otherwise Powell would have probably filled up. Last I heard the lake was coming up over 1' per day. The slow run-off this year has really held back a lot of water potential that's yet to hit us.

Here's an interesting post irt the floods that happened in 1983.

http://www.wayneswords.com/index.php/ww-bulletinboard/5-lake-powell-recreation/8993-lake-powell-1983-floods-bor-videos

I wish you guys were coming down this year.

[zelatore]

Doesn't Powell feed Lake Mead? I think that's why they've lowered Powell. Mead has been waaaay down for years.


Oops - I meant Mead, not Havasu. I think you got it.

[RickSE]

I honestly believe that they let Mead drop knowing the Dam was a liability until the new bridge was finished. As soon as the bridge was finished they announced the equalization of Mead & Powell. They knew what they were doing.