March a nice, wet month in the basin
|
|
April 7, 2014 |
Libby Dam's April water supply forecast for
April to August has been helped considerably by
a lot of moisture received in the region in
March, an extremely wet month in the Kootenai
Basin.
This led to the large increase in forecast from
the Army Corps of Engineers' March forecast.
Many places in the basin received 200- to
300-percent of normal rainfall. The snowpack
grew by 150-percent of normal in many places,
and current weather in the area will likely lead
to snowpack continuing to grow in the next week
or more.
The forecast is for 6,868 thousand acre feet
(KAF), 117-percent of average. This sets the
April 30 flood control target at 2,377.2 feet.
The current elevation of Lake Koocanusa is
2,413.8 feet.
Libby Dam has been at full powerhouse capacity,
discharge of ~26,000 cubic feet per second since
Monday, March 31. Releases from Libby Dam will
remain at full powerhouse capacity for the month
of April or the start of refill, which ever
happens first.
The current median projection for the end of
month elevation is ~2,387 feet. The actual
lowest elevation reached this year could vary
+/-10 feet from ~2,387 feet, depending on actual
inflow in April.
There are no plans to spill during the month of
April.
To see the Corps' April runoff forecast and
flood control calculation,
click
here.
The May water supply forecast should be issued
by May 7, which will set the sturgeon volume and
bull trout minimum flow. |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
