April Storms Offer Little Relief For Hydro Operators, Irrigators

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council had analysts update them on the latest spring runoff forecast and its implications for power supply. River operations manager Jim Ruff told the panel the current snowpack for the entire Columbia Basin above The Dalles Dam stands at 73% of average.

041410TB_Runoff

Jim Ruff: “Even with the recent storm events that we've had at the end of March and the beginning of this month, it's been too little, too late. It may help a little bit in some areas, but it's not going to bring us anywhere close to average.”

The below average snowpack creates money trouble for dam owners but is unlikely to lead to outages according to the analysts. Northwest utilities may miss out on lucrative summer sales of surplus hydropower to California. They may even have to buy electricity on the open market to keep your lights on. Bottom line: the mild winter may eventually show up on your power bill if your utility's financial reserves are as shallow as the region's reservoirs. I'm Tom Banse in Olympia.

Web extras:

United States Natural Resources Water and Climate Center
Department of Conservation Portland, Oregon
Agriculture Service

S N O W - P R E C I P I T A T I O N U P D A T E

Based on Mountain Data from NRCS SNOTEL Sites
As of TUESDAY: APRIL 13, 2010
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATE PERCENT OF AVERAGE
RIVER BASIN Number Snow Water Accum
of Sites Equivalent Precip
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

IDAHO
NORTHERN PANHANDLE REGION .................... 6 of 10 80 *
SPOKANE RIVER BASIN .......................... 8 of 10 59 67
CLEARWATER BASIN ............................. 13 of 16 62 64
SALMON BASIN ................................. 22 of 22 68 70
WEISER BASIN ................................. 3 of 4 93 87
PAYETTE BASIN ................................ 9 of 11 68 72
BOISE BASIN .................................. 9 of 10 74 78
BIG WOOD BASIN ............................... 9 of 9 73 72
LITTLE WOOD BASIN ............................ 4 of 5 72 79
BIG LOST BASIN ............................... 4 of 5 64 74
LITTLE LOST, BIRCH BASINS .................... 4 of 4 72 77
MEDICINE LODGE, BEAVER, CAMAS BASINS ......... 4 of 4 71 77
HENRYS FORK, TETON BASINS .................... 6 of 8 61 61
SNAKE BASIN ABOVE PALISADES .................. 16 of 18 60 64
WILLOW, BLACKFOOT, PORTNEUF BASINS ........... 5 of 6 71 73
SNAKE BASIN ABOVE AMERICAN FALLS ............. 25 of 29 63 65
OAKLEY BASIN ................................. 3 of 3 90 88
SALMON FALLS BASIN ........................... 5 of 5 86 88
BRUNEAU BASIN ................................ 5 of 5 94 86
OWYHEE BASIN ................................. 7 of 8 110 85
BEAR RIVER BASIN ............................. 13 of 15 69 72
OREGON
OWYHEE ....................................... 7 of 8 110 85
MALHEUR ...................................... 3 of 3 116 84
GRANDE RONDE, POWDER, BURNT, IMNAHA .......... 14 of 17 88 81
UMATILLA, WALLA WALLA, WILLOW ................ 5 of 8 71 78
JOHN DAY ..................................... 11 of 13 88 83
UPPER DESCHUTES, CROOKED ..................... 13 of 14 77 80
HOOD, SANDY, LOWER DESCHUTES ................. 8 of 8 80 79
COAST RANGE .................................. 1 of 2 0 82
WILLAMETTE ................................... 19 of 21 68 81
ROGUE, UMPQUA ................................ 12 of 12 88 79
KLAMATH ...................................... 16 of 18 89 75
LAKE COUNTY, GOOSE LAKE ...................... 9 of 9 90 80
HARNEY ....................................... 9 of 9 97 87
WASHINGTON
NORTHERN PANHANDLE ........................... 6 of 10 80 *
SPOKANE ...................................... 8 of 10 59 67
UPPER COLUMBIA ............................... 5 of 5 79 88
CENTRAL COLUMBIA ............................. 7 of 8 90 82
UPPER YAKIMA ................................. 5 of 5 80 79
LOWER YAKIMA ................................. 7 of 9 104 91
LOWER SNAKE .................................. 17 of 22 68 70
LOWER COLUMBIA ............................... 18 of 22 96 86
SOUTH PUGET SOUND ............................ 7 of 8 71 75
CENTRAL PUGET SOUND .......................... 9 of 9 71 80
NORTH PUGET SOUND ............................ 8 of 12 74 96
OLYMPIC ...................................... 3 of 4 133 146


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