Is the drought going to end????

Last year we had some ups and downs with moisture in Nebraska. The eastern part of the state is in great shape for the first time in 6 years or so. Lakes are full that were down for 6 years and spings have been flowing into a lot of lakes and stream all winter. The western part of the state had areas that recieved above average rains all sping and summer and a few areas that had moisture but it all came at once. I’m no meteoroligist but I’m hoping we are on our way back to normal.
I’ve been watching the average snow levels in the mountain states for several years now. Finally for the first time since I started watching them all of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana are very close to average or above average. As they approach the peak of the snowey season over the next few weeks we can hope that the snow continues to fall above average. Combine all the new water conservation practices learned during the drought with above average moisture and we could see some major improvements in water levels this year. Just keep your fingers crossed.

Here are a few of the websites I’ve been watching for several years now.

Snotel Summary

USGS Real-Time Water Data for Wyoming

Wyoming Basins – % of Average Moisture

Hey Ben!
Right here in the metro (MPLS/STPAUL) we seem to still be in a deficit. Where I live we haven’t had a decent snowfall since two storms in early December. You go south and east of here and they are buried in snow with record snowfall amounts. And the snowfall north of here has seemed to be adequate this year. So I don’t know what pools 2, 3, and 4 are going to be like. Always interesting.

dd

Drewsdad is right. It is going to be a interesting spring. So far this winter Des Moines has had twice as much snow as the Twin Cities. We have had 23″ of snow all year! We all have to hope for spring rains.

And we are hoping for more moisture up here yet this late winter and spring. Last year one of flowages was down 17′. We have gotten better snow this winter, but all of the good moisture is still ending up down south. And can I tell you that they are sick of it!!! They got gobs of rain last summer and now they are over their historical record for snowfall. Hope it starts to trend to north a little here sometime this spring!!!

Mark

My girlfriend lives in Denver, and it is a huge story out there. Some areas are receiving record amounts of snowfall. Around Leadville Colorado, they have gotten so much snow that some people think that Leadville will be washed away when the snow melts. The snow is filling up the mines, and when it starts to melt all of the creeks are going to overflow. But also because of all the lead, it may contaminate the rivers, and streams, affecting the states water supply, and possibly the wildlife.

But back to topic, hopefully the Big Mac, Johnson, and dare i say Elwood fill up again. Elwood was the first lake I have ever caught a walleye at, and also caught a MA walleye out of there . Last time I was there, about 6 years ago, The no wake buoy was up on a rock pile about 30 feet on shore. I would love to fish those lakes again.

UNL, the only bad part, is that Leadville is on the wrong side of the Continental Divide. Hopefully, they are having the same problems on this side of “The Tunnels”.

Hopefully we get some more snow out in Scottsbluff area to help Big Mac out. Wyoming and the panhandle of NE hasn’t received much moisture this year. We got one or two big snows in November and December and that’s it.

Right now, the Big Mac is only only about two foot from last years peek. They expect to gain another 5-6 or so feet. Cross your fingers. 4-5 feet more water this year than last year at Big Mac means alot of submerged brush.

WATER

didnt know that shermanator thanks!