Show Snow Cover Is Almost Normal at Higher Elevations MEASUREMENTS 1 SHOW LITTLE SNOW AT LOWER LOVER STATIONS Measurements l made on the snow courses east of Ephraim on March larch 29 and 30 showed the water content at the Alpine Meadows t to be be 98 per cen cent of of I average while down at the Oaks station it was less than half of normal according to information information information mation just released by the Great Basin Research Center I R. R B B. B Marston officer in charge I In commenting on the measurements measurements measurements mea mea- Mr l Marston said the i stations still show the effects of the warm storms in the early part of the winter That is the lower courses have a snow pack that is way below average while the upper course is 98 per cent of average The following tables show the situation at the three stations in the Ephraim creek drainage and also in the Seely Creek area for this year for 1950 and for the long time average forthe forthe for forthe the last of March l Oaks Station Elevation feet 1951 1950 A Snow depth 2100 2126 Water Vater content Headquarters Station Elev ft Snow depth Water Vater content 1135 1812 1569 Alpine Meadows 1 Elev ft Snow depth Water Vater content 2115 2562 2157 Seely Creek Elev ft Snow depth Water Vater content 1305 1157 1843 Fairview Courses Near Normal Normal- Annual measurements madon made mad on March 29 on courses east of Fairview indicated the cover tobe to tobe tobe be 92 and 94 cent of per nor nor- mal The trip to the time measuring courses was made in a Snowmobile Snowmobile Snow mobile by G. G L. L Pearson and Moron Moroni A. A Marchant larchant of the Soil Conservation Service and Dale Webb of the U. U S. S Geological Survey They noted that the soil under the snow was exceptionally exceptionally exceptionally we wet and there was no frost in the ground The H Hun Huntington Horseshoe u n t tin i n g t Horseshoe ton o course located in the heads of Spring Canyon Boulger Boul ger Canyon and the Fairview Lakes watershed showed a snow depth of inches with a water water water wa wa- ter content of 22 inches as compared compared com corn pared with a year 22 average of inches of snow with a water water water wa wa- ter content of inches or 92 per cent of normal The Mammoth course is representative representative of the watersheds for Gooseberry Creek Cottonwood Creek Fairview and Oak Creek North of Fairview The March figures show a total snow depth of inches and water content of inches as compared compared com corn pared with a year 23 average of 56 inches of snow with a water content of inches or 92 per cent of normal The Gooseberry reservoir site course located in the big flat north and west of Bench's pond represents available water for Gooseberry Creek which flows into Schofield r reservoir The measurements on this course showed an average snow depth of inches with inches of water content compared to th the year 24 average of inches of snow and inches of Water wa Wa- water ter or 94 per cent of normal Urges Better Water Vater Use Mr Scott B B. B of the Soil Conservation S Service e r v i ice c e at Mt U. Pleasant pointed out that the con dt t l h 1 1 ocal 1 snow un con i ions on vu e Ul lV watersheds are somewhat better than most had anti anti- However Mr 1 also remarked that the farmland soils do not contain normal moisture moisture moisture mois mois- ture for this time of year and that unless there is an unusual amount of storm the north portion portion portion por por- tion of Sanpete Valley will suffer suffer suf suf- fer more than usual for lack of irrigation water The Soil Conservation Service is encouraging farmers to pre preP prepare prepare pare for better use of irrigation water by cleaning ditches leveling leveling leveling level level- ing land using necessary cross- cross ditches to adjust irrigation runs to proper length use of overnight overnight overnight over over- night farm reservoirs better irrigating irrigating irrigating ir ir- ir- ir and generally improved ed farming methods |