Water Watch Report for December 25th, 2010 Water Year 2010-2011 Great Salt Lake
Maximum Gust for 2010: 90mph on April 28th, 2010
Maximum Gust for 2009: 89mph on August 6th
Maximum Gust for 2008: 78mph
Maximum Gust for 2007: 104mph
Current Conditions
| Current Lake Level |
4194.' & rising! |
| Gain/Loss for Water Year |
0.6' Gain |
| Gain Since January 1 |
-0.1' Loss |
| Precip. % of Normal for Month |
269% |
| Precip. % of Normal for Water Year |
186% |
| Precip. % of Normal Since Jan 1. |
112% |
| Snowpack % of Normal for GSL Drainage |
189% |
| Snowpack % of Normal / Bear River |
192% |
|
| Snowpack % of Normal / Weber-Ogden |
181% |
| Snowpack % of Normal / Jordan River |
190% |
2010 Precipitation Report
| Monthly Summary |
Normal |
Current |
Percent |
Summary |
| October |
1.57" |
2.09" |
133% |
So much for a dry October. |
| November |
1.4" |
2.64" |
176% |
Massively good month! |
| December |
1.23" |
2.56 |
208% |
Thank God for the Pineapple Express!! |
| January |
1.37" |
|
|
. |
| February |
1.33"
|
|
|
|
| March |
1.91" |
|
|
|
| April |
2.02" |
|
|
|
| May |
2.09" |
|
|
|
| June |
.77" |
|
|
|
| July |
.72" |
|
|
|
| August |
.76" |
|
|
|
| September |
1.33" |
|
|
|
| Annual |
16.5" |
7.29" |
44% |
We are now 44% towards our Calendar Year goal and 56% of our Water Year goal |
Precipitation Summary for the Calendar Year
| Normal Annual Precipitation for the Calendar Year (Oct-Sept) |
16.5" |
| How Much Precipitation have we Had So Far (Oct-Sept) |
7.29" |
| What Percent of Annual Precipitation Do We Have For The Year |
44% |
| How Much More Do We Need for a Normal Year |
9.21" |
Precipitation Summary for the Water Year (Oct-May)
| Normal Water Year Precipitation |
13.02" |
| How Much Precipitation have we had so far (Oct-May)? |
7.29" |
| What Percent of Annual Precipitation do we have for the year |
56% |
| How much more do we need for a normal year? |
5.73 |
Where are we at now:
WOW! What an incredible winter so far! The Pineapple Express has certainly delivered! If we just have an average winter for the next several months we are still in great shape.
The Bear River is once again flowing into the Great Salt Lake. And the Jordan River is flowing heavily into the lake.
Accourding to NOAA's drought monitor, Utah is now completely out of the drought. The upper Bear River Basin, in Wyoming, is still abnormally dry. But expect to see that change by spring. This can be viewed at drought.unl.edu/dm/drmon.gif
On a normal water year cycle the lake will rise two feet during the spring and drop two feet during the summer evaporation.
October, Phenominal!
November: Phenominal!
December:
January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
What Factors Do We Look For in Our Report?
Precipitation: Watch the charts above. They now show what a normal Water Year is for the Great Salt Lake 13.02". (Water Year is October through May). This is the critical time to receive Direct Precipitation moisture into the Great Salt Lake and to receive Snowpack in the Wasatch Mountains and the Northern Uinta's and Bear River Basin. The above chart also shows Calendar Year Precipitation. This number is not quite as important since it includes the dry summer months that do not contribute much during the evaporation months. During the summer months it is more critical that the lake and air temperature remain relatively mild to slow down evaporation. These numbers will be updated the day after we receive measurable precipitation at the marina.
Snowpack: Snowpack is great
Ground Saturation: Ground saturation looks decent compared to last year.
Reservoir Level: Good shape
Harbormaster
Great Salt Lake State Marina