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Click Here 39 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, February 6, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 3, 2004 Snowpack contains plenty of moisture Mount Ashland records 152 percent of normal, ensuring adequate summer streamflows, irrigation By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune Mother Nature’s investment in the summer water bank continues to gain interest on Mount Ashland. The snow depth at the Siskiyou Summit was 152 percent of normal for the end of January, according to Steve Johnson, snow ranger for the Ashland Ranger District in the Rogue River National Forest. The snow depth at the survey site is 29 inches, compared to an average 19 inches, he reported. In addition, the all-important water content was 168 percent of normal at 8.9 inches. The average is 5.3 inches. The mountain snowpack provides a bank of water for summer streamflows and reservoir storage. Advertisement Although it continues to be above average, it was 300 percent above normal at the end of December. The Siskiyou Summit snow survey site, at 4,600 feet above sea level, was established in 1935. While the January 2004 snowpack and water content at the site is well above normal for this time of year, it’s well below the record 62 inches of snow containing 18.3 inches of water at the end of January 1969. However, there have been six times when there was no snow at the site at the end of January. Johnson also found higher-than-normal readings at three other sites higher on Mount Ashland. The Ski Bowl Road site, at 6,000 feet elevation, had 59 inches of snow containing 17.7 inches of water. Both measurements are 107 percent of normal. The Mount Ashland Switchback site at 6,500 feet elevation had 71 inches of snow, reflecting 108 percent of normal snow depth, Johnson reported. The water content of 23.5 inches was 115 percent of normal. The Caliban II site, also at 6,500 feet, had 69 inches of snow for a 115 percent of normal reading. The water content of 21.6 inches was 110 percent of normal. The first snow survey of the winter in the mountains east of the Illinois Valley showed the snowpack is a little below normal, according to Michael Keown, snow surveyor for the Siskiyou National Forest’s Illinois Valley Ranger District. The Page Mountain snow survey site at 4,100 feet had no snow, he said. But the Althouse II site at 4,530 feet had 10.5 inches of snow with 3.3 inches of water. The 36-year average at that site is 12.9 inches of snow with 4.1 inches of water at the end of January, he said. However, the Althouse II site at 5,000 feet had 28.4 inches of snow with 10 inches of water. The 23-year average at this time of year is 28.8 inches of snow with 9.1 inches of water. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times