Water Forecast Improves In February

UPDATED March 7th with local statistics

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A very wet February has dramatically improved the water supply forecast for Washington state.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service said Monday that heavy precipitation and cool temperatures last month rebuilt the state's eroded mountain snowpack.  The snowpack is now 108 percent of normal statewide.

Water supply specialist Scott Pattee says water shortages are extremely unlikely this summer because the winter snowpack is in perfect condition heading into spring.  The local snow packs range from 89% above Lake Chelan, 102% in the Stemilt basin, and over 150% of normal in the Colockum drainage, according to Pattee.

Pattee expects good summer stream flows ranging from 88% of normal on the Icicle Creek of the Wenatchee River to 103% of average on the main stem of the Columbia.  The figures are estimates for April through September

The snowpack made a dramatic improvement over January, which was very cold and very dry. Much of the state depends on mountain snowpack that gradually melts for its water supply in hot summer months.

Pattee says the mountain snowpack is well above 90 percent of normal in all basins of the state. At the same time, major flooding is not expected.