OCR Text |
Show In Southern Utah Most Rivers Running High Along With Flood Potential Water supply forecasts for most of southern Utah remain well above normal. The exception to this pattern would be the Virgin River basin which is expected to be near normal. March precipitation was very spotty. An area from Minersville northeastward to Richfield and Kanosh received over 50 percent of normal. Surrounding areas like Zion National Park, New Harmony, Alton and Orderville all received 50 percent of normal or less. Seasonal precipitation remain below normal in the Virgin River basin; near normal in the upper Sevier and Coal Creek drainages, and above normal on the lower Sevier and San Pitch drainages. Snow measurements on April 1 remain above normal over southern Utah with exception of the Virgin Basin. Some average basin snowpacks include: Upper Sevier 95 percent; Lower Sevier, 172 percent; Beaver, 146 percent; and Virgin River Basin, 50 percent. March runoff was well above normal throughout the basin with the flow on the Sevier River at Hatch, 5700 acre-feet, 146 percent of normal; inflow Sigurd to Gunnison, 40,000 acre-feet, 506 percent; Sevier River at Gunnison, 80,000 acre-feet, 390 percent and the Beaver River at Beaver, 1,650 acre-feet, 150 percent. Reservoir storage in the Sevier Basin continues to be well above normal with the combined contents of Otter Creek, Piute and Sevier Bridge reservoirs at 91 percent of capacity and 151 percent of the April 1 average. Flood potential for this spring is high, particularly in the San Pitch and lower Sevier basins. A cold, wet spring will increase the flood potential; a dry spring with moderate temperatures will reduce the threat of flooding. |