Idaho’s Water Outlook Decent Heading Into Spring

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Much of Idaho has a lower-than-normal snowpack due to sparse precipitation so far this year combined with above average temperatures in the last month.

But state and federal weather and water experts at Friday's meeting of the Idaho Water Supply Committee say water stored from last year should help carry most irrigators through the growing season. Ron Abramovich of the National Resources Conservation Service says precipitation has flat-lined since mid-February, and record high nighttime temperatures are leading to a faster melt of the state's snowpack.

Idaho Department of Water Resources staff hydrologist Dan Stanaway says there's still plenty of water in the system from last year's good water year. He says the early runoff and lack of snow remaining will mean reduced natural flows, however.