The Utah Snow Survey works to provide mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts from across the state during the winter season.
Supervisor Jordan Clayton said Utah has over 900 automated data collection sites — called SNOTEL sites — to track how much water is contained in Utah’s snow. The amount, measured as a percentage, is known as the snow water equivalent.
While Utah’s snowpack is 90% of normal snow water equivalent when combined, Clayton said things are dire in some areas.
“Northern Utah is seeing some basins that are close to normal or above normal snowpack. Southern Utah, particularly Southwestern Utah, is in fairly dire condition with extremely low amounts of snow, particularly above Cedar City and the St George area,” he said on KPCW’s Local News Hour Friday.
Southwestern Utah is at a historic minimum with 30% of normal snow water equivalent.
The Wasatch Back is looking much better in comparison, though not as good as some areas. Clayton said the Thaynes Canyon SNOTEL site in the Park City area recently recorded about 79% of normal snow water equivalent.
Anything less than 100% isn’t ideal, but other areas are recording above-average numbers.
“The one in Mill-D [near Alta] has a 117%, Brighton’s at pretty much normal, Snowbird’s a little bit over 100%,” Clayton said. “The Wasatch back hasn't benefited quite as much from the storm track, but we're not in anywhere near extreme conditions.”
Clayton said another issue with Utah’s snowpack is that it’s melting earlier and earlier. It’s best if the melt is condensed into a short period in late spring. That’s because the faster and later the snowpack melts, the more water ends up in Utah’s reservoirs.
Soil moisture levels can also impact how full reservoirs become, Clayton said. Higher soil moisture levels help melting snow get to reservoirs.
“The soil moisture levels in the East Canyon watershed, the headwaters of the Weber, the Provo, Park City kind of sits at the head of multiples, sort of small to medium-sized watersheds, and soil moisture levels in that area are a little bit low to quite low,” Clayton said.
However, he said, Utah’s reservoirs are all at or above normal for this time of year.
