Best snow start to Lake Powell in ten years!

[mjc]

So I read a couple of days ago that all this rain/snow won’t help us in CA because it’s all melted too soon. The article was saying it needs to stay until spring then melt off when we need it in the summer?

I realize that there is evaporation but it seems hard to believe we won’t see any benefit to the snow fall we’ve had out west?

Of all the water that came down in CA 95% ran out into the ocean already. There is not enough storage capacity in the state.

 

[sirbob]

Of all the water that came down in CA 95% ran out into the ocean already. There is not enough storage capacity in the state.

Ya I realize the rain water run off sucks bc they don’t capture much. The point of this article was the snow has melted and that water wouldn’t be available later in the year.

I guess I hadn’t realized that all the snow melted?

Its been cold where I live and Ive assumed that the mountains were colder???

 

[mesquito_creek]

In terms of the upper Colorado water shed that feeds like Powell. Its still snow and nothing close to melted… I still have snow at my place at Powell.

This was Wednesday

 

[cofooter]

Utah / Sierras killing it. Colorado less impressive but still good for this time of year.

 

[FreeBird236]

Utah / Sierras killing it. Colorado less impressive but still good for this time of year.

View attachment 1200728

Pretty good storm Tuesday into Wednesday for Utah and Co.

 

[mesquito_creek]

It’s nearly the end of February and we got another snow hit at Powell a day back! One more good snow in mid march and this show wrap up a really good snow year for the Powell junkies!

 

[77charger]

It’s nearly the end of February and we got another snow hit at Powell a day back! One more good snow in mid march and this show wrap up a really good snow year for the Powell junkies!

View attachment 1203045

August is gonna be nice at Powell. I remember 2011 water was still on rise the first week of august. Came up about 3-4 inches while there and finally topped out by end of week. Family that went in early July water was rising almost a ft a day

 

[2Driver]

Utah / Sierras killing it. Colorado less impressive but still good for this time of year.

View attachment 1200728

Gotta love Alta.

 

[FreeBird236]

It’s nearly the end of February and we got another snow hit at Powell a day back! One more good snow in mid march and this show wrap up a really good snow year for the Powell junkies!

View attachment 1203045

It's really turning out to be a good year, but I don't know what the BoR plans are, they may drop most of it down to Mead. I think most people would be happy with an equal split.

 

[beerrun]

So I read a couple of days ago that all this rain/snow won’t help us in CA because it’s all melted too soon. The article was saying it needs to stay until spring then melt off when we need it in the summer?

I realize that there is evaporation but it seems hard to believe we won’t see any benefit to the snow fall we’ve had out west?

I think they are starting to get the sheep in line with the snow is melting too fast narrative so they can continue the water shortage narrative

 

[mesquito_creek]

It's really turning out to be a good year, but I don't know what the BoR plans are, they may drop most of it down to Mead. I think most people would be happy with an equal split.

Ultimately lake mead gets all of it! From a selfish standpoint, the lake level doesn’t really impact me. My boating has worked perfectly fine the past year and beyond.

BUT here’s my crackpot environmental quality observation. When the lake is trending down, the beaches are big and full of sand, but the quality of the shoreline is low. The beaches and and stone drain for months on end, making them mucky and full of organic activity.

When the lake is trending upward, the nice clean water is creeping up the shoreline into nice dry pristine sand with little to no organic activity.

So just let it help out mead but slowly creep the lake up. Then my little toes in the sand can be happy with white sandy clean beach!

 

[mesquito_creek]

I am not kidding when I say it has rained every day since I started this thread and we got snow again early this morning… it’s raining now but this is turning out to go deep into March and better than I expected….

 

[socal0487]

Looking like a good year.

 

[FreeBird236]

Looking like a good year.

Best in 10 years and more on the way.

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

I was listening to a meteorologist report that the outlook is similar into April if not the end of it

 

[Justsomeguy]

April 6 is considered max snow pack. It seems we might go beyond that.

 

[cofooter]

Looking like a good year.

Looking like a good year.

San Juan drainage, which also flows to Powell as well, is historic and WET!!!

 

[Boat 405]

In 2019 we had a net gain of 5 MAF which brought the lake up about 50 feet. But remember the lake was much higher when that happened and they were letting out more water that year and the summer was dry dry dry and so the ground soaked up lots of the water before it got to powell. So now if we see a 5-6 MAF net gain this year that amount of water will bring the lake up 70-80 ft. They are also scheduled to let out less water this year. The summer last year 2022 was a wet wet monsoon season and the ground was saturated before we even got snow which makes for a fantastic possible water level increase this summer.

That means we could see a water level of 3590 - 3600. All the ramps would be functional and the caste rock cut would be open.

 

[mesquito_creek]

I haven’t even been able to wheel out to the cut yet it’s been so wet. Probably give it another shot middle of April. Hopefully the cut is in good shape should the water get that high. I have no idea what the channel banks do after sitting dry with rain and erosion. My arm chair QB skills say that Mother Nature has been trying to reclaim a natural slope to the walls back from the man made steep banks.

 

[rivermobster]

Mammoth Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort announce extended winter seasons

It's a skiers paradise up in the California mountains!

abc7.com

 

[Cobalt232]

We are doing a houseboat in August. I really hope the cut is open!

 

[Gramps]

We are doing a houseboat in August. I really hope the cut is open!

don't plan on it. The water is and will be going up but right now the cut is about 60 feet above the water

 

[77charger]

We are doing a houseboat in August. I really hope the cut is open!

You’ll be coming close. As of now I’m not planning on cut being open but it is possible it may get water too. I’m just glad lake will be up and lack of dangling rope marina May leave an empty up lake

 

[Hammer]

What is the water level like in June with the snow pack? I'm heading there for the first time the week of fathers day....

 

[Gramps]

good info here http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

What is the water level like in June with the snow pack? I'm heading there for the first time the week of fathers day....

Thats a week we usually go. With the decent snow pack you will probably see water levels rising 1' a day. If you're houseboating you will be tightening your anchor lines daily if you're tenting it find a beach with real estate above where you're camped as you will probably need to move it up.

 

[Hammer]

Thats a week we usually go. With the decent snow pack you will probably see water levels rising 1' a day. If you're houseboating you will be tightening your anchor lines daily if you're tenting it find a beach with real estate above where you're camped as you will probably need to move it up.

Staying at Wahweap Marina at a hotel.

 

[77charger]

What is the water level like in June with the snow pack? I'm heading there for the first time the week of fathers day....

Will still be low but may also be coming up 8 inches to a ft a day too.Anyhow it will be better than it is now or last year.Another thing the water may stil be on the cooler side too.Maybe quite a but of floating debris in some places too

We went in aug 2011 which was a good run off year other family went in july the water was coming up a ft a day then and had to move camp once during the week.In august the week we went it was coming up about an inch a day then peaked the last 2 days we were there.water was cooler up the lake and off color vs the normal blue.

 

[riverroyal]

Staying at Wahweap Marina at a hotel.

We did this a few years back. Epic. Got a boat slip, did 350 miles in 4 days on a toon!
Hotel was average, but still fun. Restaurant there is great. Request a lower level parking lot side room. Your patio is right at your truck or boat

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

Staying at Wahweap Marina at a hotel.

Pshhh, your trip will be low key! Good news is wahweap ramp may open by then.

We do an annual trip every year as my birthday is june 12, wedding anniversary 13 and the father's day follows.

You can still expect some windy days though as well.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Staying at Wahweap Marina at a hotel.

Bring a handheld radio so you can call the golf carts to your room to ferry you to the docks… it’s a looooong walk up a steeeeep hill right now.

 

[dave29]

We live on the Animas river in Colorado which feeds into the San Juan river that feeds Powell. It's officially Springtime. It snowed 4 days in a row and calling for snow again today and tomorrow. If the river was high then the melt would have started. It hasn't which means it cold in the mountains. The town of Silverton is snowed in and unreachable. Yesterday Lizard Head, Molas and Wolf Creek passes were closed due to snow and avalanche danger.
My point is, the melt hasn't started and the temps are forecasted to stay low for at least another week. The melt will be epic!!! Powell........ coming your way.

 

[mesquito_creek]

When Mother Nature decides to change the game she does it on her terms It doesn’t matter what political bent you bring or charts or graphs or history etc…

Just ask the trailer park in LA yesterday that got hit by a tornado.

 

[WhatExit?]

The snow pack in Tahoe is at record levels

 

[Boat 405]

Today's snowpack for Powell is at 145%

 

[c_land]

Record is broken!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639235572228317184

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639271281345404931

 

[hallett21]

Record is broken!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639235572228317184

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639271281345404931

Is this a state record?

 

[c_land]

Is this a state record?

Yup they broke the 1983 record of 26.0” of snow-water-equivalent! 2023 sits at 26.1 right now.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638892048043626499

 

[hallett21]

Yup they broke the 1983 record of 26.0” of snow-water-equivalent! 2023 sits at 26.1 right now.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638892048043626499

Here comes the flood of floods! Lol.

 

[J DUNN]

Bring a handheld radio so you can call the golf carts to your room to ferry you to the docks… it’s a looooong walk up a steeeeep hill right now.

True but it get's shorter and shorter every day that water inches up!!!!! It'll be a much shorter walk in July when I'm there!

 

[hallett21]

Conspiracy theory. The feds actually knew this winter would be insane and drained all of the lakes in preparation.

 

[J DUNN]

Yup they broke the 1983 record of 26.0” of snow-water-equivalent! 2023 sits at 26.1 right now.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638892048043626499

It's all those Mormons praying for their (the lake they use) precious Powell to be filled up. I'm fine with this btw.

 

[J DUNN]

Conspiracy theory. The feds actually new this winter would be insane and drained all of the lakes in preparation.

Positive conspiracy theories are not allowed on RDP! Er, wait, I've read the "New RDP" posts, I retract my statement let me try this again.

Positive Conspiracy theories are the ONLY conspiracy theories allowed on RDP!

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

Conspiracy theory. The feds actually knew this winter would be insane and drained all of the lakes in preparation.

Thats going to be there victory press release just watch! Haha

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

It's all those Mormons praying for their (the lake they use) precious Powell to be filled up. I'm fine with this btw.

Haha, i do my best to taint the holy water!

 

[dave29]

Snowed another 2 inches yesterday afternoon. Love the snow and we need the moisture but this is getting ridiculous!
Forecast for next week is snow two days. Nights are in the teens and 20's.
I started my smoker this morning st 7am. It was 8.8 degrees. Smoker chamber was 24 degrees. The melt still isn't happening.

 

[stephenkatsea]

As the boating season begins, I can only imagine the number of boats which will float off the shore line during the night after being ‘properly’ beached the prior evening.

 

[cofooter]

MSN

 

[mesquito_creek]

MSN

The least favorable prediction of 3550 would still have both antelope marina and Wahweep main launch ramps open for memorial weekend. I have no idea if the damage from sitting dry can open those ramps at the minimums but I sure looks promising.

Stateline auxiliary had metal grate extensions both times I launched a couple weekends ago but I haven’t been back since the lake came up 8 feet. It must be solid concrete under the wet boat trailers at the this point.

 

[caribbean20]

Rolled through Western CO last week. The CO River was raging, the rapids through Glenwood Canyon were epic. Here’s a shot of a tamer section. Looking forward to the water downstream.