NRCS Idaho releases April 2019 Water Supply Outlook Report

BOISE, ID, May 6, 2019 – The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho has released the April Water Supply Outlook Report for the 2019 water year. April weather was a tale of two distinctive halves. Abundant precipitation was observed throughout Idaho during the first half of the month, setting widespread mountain precipitation records and resulting in minor to moderate flooding across Idaho. Mid-month, the Pacific moisture tap abruptly stopped; and we received much less than normal precipitation to end April, with many mountain stations south of the Clearwater basin reporting record low precipitation for the final 2 weeks of the month. “Nearly all reservoirs have above or near normal storage for May 1, and excess water is being released from several reservoirs to make room for additional runoff through spring and early summer” Said Daniel “Danny” Tappa, hydrologist for NRCS Snow Survey in Idaho. “Winter precipitation and the resulting above normal snowpack across the southern half of Idaho set the stage for normal to above normal runoff for those areas, securing sufficient water supplies for nearly all users in Idaho.”