Late snowfall in Idaho counters drought threat, replenishing water supplies

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Idaho is seeing record-high temperatures this winter, negatively impacting local reservoirs. However, the snowfall over the last few days is helping to replenish water supplies and negate a potential drought threat.

This year is considered an El Nino winter, meaning the temperature trend is warmer than normal. The Idaho Department of Water Resources says as of January 1st, 11 of 23 basins in Idaho were considered to be in exceptional drought.

Steve Stuebner, Expert for the Idaho Department of Water Resources, says, "we were in a 40 to 50 percent range for a lot of our basins in the state of Idaho."

Stuebner says the forecasted snow is bringing good news.

"It's putting our snowpack map back on course," said Stuebner. "We're talking fifty inches in the next five days."

The snowpack has a large effect on a variety of local businesses. "It's just great for everything, reservoirs, water supply, farming, ranching, recreation, Lucky Peak," said Stuebner. "This is a big boost."

David Hoekema, a hydrologist for the Idaho Department of Water Resources, says, "The snowpack water content tends to peak around April 1st. When the snow melts and runs out of the mountains in the late spring and early summer, that water is either diverted for use or stored in the reservoirs for consumption during the hot, dry months of late summer."

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