# Snow pack averages



## DanielGlauser (Apr 26, 2009)

Hell yeah


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## Fry (Jun 12, 2010)

It's been snowing on Rabbit Ears, Buff Pass, and the entire upper Yampa Valley for what seems like weeks, oh wait a minute, it really has been for months. Snow is still deep throughout the drainage. And still snowing like hell up here. The snow will still be melting in July.


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## Beardance42 (May 12, 2008)

For us lucky SJ boaters, it's nice to see the Animas Basin showing some late-season life, too.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Very nice. You just posted my "hit list" for the season...


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## Bayou (Jan 31, 2011)

Good data here: ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/co.txt


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## Rapid Resolver (Jan 31, 2010)

Here are the liquid snowpack contents for the S. Platte and Colorado rivers. Thanks to Denver Water for providing the info!


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## adrock (Apr 28, 2004)

The Poudre is at 175 percent now with 10x the normal snow to water equivalency. Its going to be insanely amazing, can't wait. And I thought after last year things couldnt get much better.


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## cadster (May 1, 2005)

There's even more snow in other western states:
Basin Snow Water Content Map (SNOTEL)


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## adrock (Apr 28, 2004)

Holy shit! If ever one could take a summer off this would be it!


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## Fry (Jun 12, 2010)

183" on top of Steamboat today...


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## adrock (Apr 28, 2004)

When is the last time that happened? (183" on May 1st)


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## cooldork (Aug 29, 2004)

muttster said:


> Taylor River, tributary to Gunnison River (subbasin SWE at 149% of average)


I hope the landowner's bridges get swept away do to releases from Taylor Res

One could only hope...


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

cooldork2487 said:


> I hope the landowner's bridges get swept away do to releases from Taylor Res
> 
> One could only hope...


 
The Taylor is going to be awesome this year. I still have dreams of running the canyon at 1300 back in 08'...sweetness.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

I have never seen this much snow on the front range mountain passes. Loveland pass on Sunday:


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## hullflyer (Aug 22, 2004)

This last picture is amazing. Reminds me of winter 1983. Could go huge. Barrel Springs at 19,000 anyone?
ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/co.txt


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## El Flaco (Nov 5, 2003)

*Poudre peak prediction: 6000cfs*

Northern mountains buried under snow | Greeley Tribune











> John Fusaro and Todd Boldt of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Fort Collins measured the snowpack in the Big Thompson and Poudre canyons Wednesday and Thursday and came back with unbelievable numbers — an average snow depth of 133 inches at Cameron Pass, the top of the Poudre. One measurement at that snowfield reached 161.5 inches, or almost 13.5 feet. At the highest field in the Big Thompson Canyon, the snow depth was 95 inches.
> 
> Perichino said the latest projections are that once the snowmelt starts, the Poudre River will flow at 6,0000 cubic feet per second, compared to 4,300 cfs when the river went out of its banks last spring.


As Gary E likes to say, "Get ready to let your hair down".....


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## adrock (Apr 28, 2004)

HOLY shit cakes


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

unofficially 14' on CP right now. new all-time record for SWE by 10", and it hasn't quit snowing yet.


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## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

Drove up the Poudre on our way to Northgate yesterday. There is a $#!% load of snow up there!!! I know the graphs are impressive but actually seeing how much is up there in may.... WOW!!!

I for one and hoping for a long season not just a super high one.


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

Bigger than the last Ice Age, bro!


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## sea hag (Mar 24, 2006)

*buffalo pass*

Pic from the tower site on may 1st


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## gphunk (Oct 21, 2006)

Cameron Pass!


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## muttster (Jan 12, 2009)

FYI... I have heard rumors that some rivers might get shutdown due to this years high water. I just got word from the Yampa rangers that as long as the road to the river is passable, they will not close the river for boaters.  
Let the season begin


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

muttster said:


> FYI... I have heard rumors that some rivers might get shutdown due to this years high water.


Maybe for rafters, but not for "whitewater canoes or kayaks". They explicitly do not have the authority to do so... 




> *C.R.S 33-13-111. Authority to close water.*
> 
> (1) (a) The board shall promulgate rules to prohibit the operation of vessels on any waters of the state and ordering the
> removal of vessels from any waters of the state when such
> ...


Might want to print a copy of that, laminate it and tie it inside your boat in case some overzealous deputy wants to shut down the river...


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## A_Visceral_Revolt (May 13, 2010)

nice. thanks for that info, roy.


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## trickpony (Apr 20, 2010)

gphunk said:


> Cameron Pass!


This is funny. Muy funny.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

From the AHRA waterflow announcements page:

BOR Update - - Tuesday, May 03, 2011 
GENERAL
As the snowpack in the Fry-Ark collection system is now at 173% of average, we will increase our project run from Twin Lakes to Pueblo.


173% of average! The Ark is going to see some tremendous runoff this season too!


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## cadster (May 1, 2005)

The snowpack in the Ark basin isn't out of the ordinary, see:
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/basinplotark11.gif

The West Slope is extraordinary, see:
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/basinplotco11.gif

How much of the water in the river comes from the West Slope?



lmyers said:


> From the AHRA waterflow announcements page:
> 
> BOR Update - - Tuesday, May 03, 2011
> GENERAL
> ...


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

cadster said:


> The snowpack in the Ark basin isn't out of the ordinary, see:
> ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/basinplotark11.gif
> 
> The West Slope is extraordinary, see:
> ...


The basin wide snowpack total your looking at in those graphs includes the data from the Trout Creek Pass/Ark Hills area, as well as the Sangre De Cristos all the way down to Cuchara. Those locations are pulling the totals down since they have had very poor winters...but that's not where the melt in the upper valley comes from. The Brumely and Freemont sites are looking more like 150% of average.

Rdnek stated in another post somewhere that the BOR is planning to move 80,000 acre feet of water through the tunnel from the Western Slope...I'm not sure what that amounts to in cfs, but for comparison Twin Lakes are only holding a little under 90k in the reservoirs right now...


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## JK_44 (May 1, 2008)

*CO Statewide at 189%!*

This last system has really put things over the top...NOW...when's it going to let go?

SNOTEL Colorado Map - 5/20/2011

ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/co_update_snow.pdf


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## dustin.heron (Aug 17, 2008)

JK_44 said:


> This last system has really put things over the top...NOW...when's it going to let go?
> 
> SNOTEL Colorado Map - 5/20/2011
> 
> ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/daily/co_update_snow.pdf


dang!


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## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2006)

these levels are kinda inflated as they show % of average but not % of peak. the snow pack is sick but not as good as this is indicating due to a delayed runoff. check out this for better info in % of peak: SNOTEL Basin Time Series Snowpack Summary Graphs | Colorado NRCS


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