Lots Of Snow Needed To Make Average Snowpack
1.3 Inches A Day Needed For Next 2 Months To Make Dent In Drought
POSTED: 12:35 p.m. MST February 5, 2003
UPDATED: 4:33 p.m. MST February 5, 2003
DENVER -- Experts believe Colorado needs 80 inches of snow
over the next two months, or 1.3 inches per day, just to have an
average snowpack.
The state has had six straight below-average winters, and a dry
January didn't help.
Two-thirds of the way through snow season, the state has 70
percent of the average snowpack for this time of year, according to
the monthly snow survey by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service released Tuesday.
At the beginning of January, accumulations were at 85 percent of
average.
Still, the state has 21 percent more snow this year than last.
Every day without snow knocks the average more than 1 percent off
its mark.
The snowpack percentage is measured against a 30-year average.
Snowpack is crucial because melting snow provides about 80
percent of the water in the state's rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
Colorado receives the bulk of its snowfall before April 1.
Drought has gripped the West, and much of this year's snowpack
may be absorbed to aquifers or parched soil and foliage before it
reaches reservoirs and ditches, experts said.
Water officials have warned residents that watering restrictions
last year likely will be in place again this year.
![]() COLORADO'S DROUGHT RESOURCES |
Previous Stories:
- February 4, 2003: Cities Prep For Very Strict Water Restrictions
- January 30, 2003: Ocean Temperatures Set Up Perfect Drought Conditions
- January 28, 2003: Aurora To Shorten Spring Sports Season
- January 23, 2003: Drought Prompts School Playing Field Limitations
- January 23, 2003: Experts: We Might Not Make Up Low Snowpack
- January 13, 2003: Restaurant May Fall Apart Because Of Drought
- January 9, 2003: Faking It: Schools Installing Artificial Turf
- January 8, 2003: Warm, Sunny Weather Not Improving Drought Situation
- December 31, 2002: Snowpack Levels Not Promising
- September 18, 2002: Denver Water Board Makes Changes To Its Restrictions
- September 5, 2002: Drought Killing Trees, Forcing Early Color Change
- August 5, 2002: Experts: Don't Compare Current Drought To Anasazi Drought
- February 8, 2002: Olympic Cloud Seeding Causing Colorado Drought?









