Document text
http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 31, 2007 Sunshine reduces Siskiyou snowpack Overall water content is 75% of normal levels By paul fattig Mail Tribune The sunny days of January have taken their toll on the mountain snowpack ringing the Rogue Valley, cutting the snow depth to 67 percent of normal. The end-of-the-month snow survey taken Tuesday by snow ranger Steve Johnson in the Siskiyou Mountains District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest also determined the overall snow water content at the four sites surveyed was only 75 percent of normal. Measured Tuesday, the survey sites are located in what was formerly the Ashland Ranger District from the Siskiyou Summit to nearly the top of Mount Ashland. "We're below normal but there isn't too much to be concerned about in my mind right now," said Johnson, who has been taking winter snow surveys for nearly two decades. "We can pick that up," he explained. "We were further below normal at this point two years ago but by the end of that water year we ended slightly above normal. There is still time." Advertisement The winter snowpack is considered an important indicator of the coming water year, providing a bank of water for summer stream flows and reservoir storage. The U.S. Forest Service works with the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service in measuring the snow survey sites. The survey is taken at the end of each month from December through April. Only the Siskiyou Summit site is measured at the end of December. While last month's average was nearly normal, a dry January brought only 1.66 inches to Medford, nearly an inch below average. At the Siskiyou Summit site, the snow depth was 12 inches on Tuesday, some 63 percent below the 19-inch average for the end of January since measurements began there in 1935. The site at 4,600 feet above sea level had a snow water content of 3.8 percent, making it 72 percent of the average 5.3 inches for this time of year. The Ski Bowl Road site at 6,000 feet elevation had 34 inches of snow containing 12.2 inches of water. The measurements are 62 percent and 74 percent of normal respectively. At the 6,500-foot level, the Mount Ashland Switchback site had 42 inches of snow which is 64 percent of average. The water content was 14.7 inches, making it 72 percent of average. The Caliban II site, also at 6,500 feet, contained 44.8 inches of snow for 75 percent of normal. The water content of 15.6 inches was 79 percent of normal. "I'm a little surprised that we weren't a little more below normal," he said. "But the cold weather in January helped minimize the snowmelt." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help