Uncategorized
Area watersheds hold 150 percent of median snowpack
Published
10 years agoon
Runoff forecast to be steady
By Emily Wolfe Explore Big Sky Managing Editor
Streamflow forecasts are well above average in much of Montana this year, with the statewide snowpack at 152 percent of normal and 241 percent of last year as of May 22, according to data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bozeman.
This is due largely to the heavy snowfall that blanketed most of the state in February and March, followed by cool spring weather, said NRCS hydrologist Lucas Zukiewicz.
“We’ve really seen the most ideal scenario play out this year, where we see warm sunny days followed by a period of cool and cloudy days,” Zukiewicz said, referring to the weather in April and May, which delayed the start of runoff at higher elevations.
Locally, the snow-water equivalent in the Gallatin River Basin peaked in April, and while it has seen some snowmelt at the middle and lower elevations since then, it accumulated at the upper elevations simultaneously.
“The Gallatin is kind of an anomaly right now in the state, melting a lot slower than many other basins,” Zukiewicz said.
Driven by meltwater from the southern Gallatin Range and the east side of the Madison Range, the Gallatin is largely unrestricted as it flows down the canyon. It began rising visibly during the week of May 19, with the river running at 3,870 cfs at the gauge near the north end of the canyon on May 23 .
“Compartmentalizing snowmelt is better,” Zukiewicz said, explaining that when the low- and mid-elevation snow melts out in phases, instead of all at once, it brings waves of moisture down through the water system.
“Considering we had so much snowfall all at once this year, [that] keeps it from being one big wave of water all at once, which is what happened in 2011, because [runoff] was so delayed.”
Zukiewicz says excessive spring precipitation that year delayed runoff and built up the snowpack, so when it did melt, it did so in a spike, causing rivers statewide to overflow their banks in May and June and incite widespread flooding.
“That was way out of character for our typical weather patterns,” he says. “We haven’t seen near those conditions this year.”
As of May 1, streamflow prospects remained at 146 percent of average statewide, and 152 percent of last year, according to the Water Supply Outlook Report. Zukiewicz’s Montana Snow Survey team uses data from the automated SNOTEL site, and from the manual snow course sites measuring snow water equivalent at select locations in the mountains, to compile the report, which projects total water amounts released from major river basins statewide from May through July.
The extreme headwaters of the Jefferson River Basin had the lowest forecasts in the state, indicating 72 percent of average May through July flows for Lima Reservoir Inflow and 80 percent for Clark Canyon Inflow.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
more
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Cowboy Coffee
25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716