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Show Lower LaSal Snowpack Best in Fifteen Years Snow measurements were made on the LaSal Mountains Feb. 21 by John Esplin, Soil Conservation Service, and by Ed Johnson, Forestry Technician, U. S. Forest Service. Ser-vice. The snow measurements and water content ' are the highest they have been in years, the officials said. The upper course, at an elevation el-evation of 9400 feet, measured measur-ed 55.2 inches of snow, with 15.9 inches of. water, compared compar-ed to 33.25 inches of snow and 8.9 inches of water on the same day last year. There has not been this much snow on the upper course since 1962 when it measured 56.5 inches of snow and 14 inches of water. The measurements on the lower course at 8800 feet, according ac-cording to the records in the Moab District office of the Manti-LaSal National Forest, are the highest they have been since 1953. The snow measured 41.2 inches with 11.3 inches of water content. At this time last year there was no snow on the lower course. In 1953 the snow measurement mea-surement was the same as this year (41.2), however, the water content was less (9.5). The water content of the snow this year is comparatively compara-tively higher than it is most years, officials said. The rain gauge on the upper course had 4.85 inches of actual moisture since it was checked check-ed Jan. 5th, and it was snowing snow-ing at the time the measurements measure-ments were made. If this continues we should have an abundant supply of moisture on the mountain this spring, they said. |