Great Salt Lake Basin
Observed flows over the Great Salt Lake Basin varied widely from near average
to much above average for the April-July period. Higher elevation basins that
generate runoff from snow melt into June and July produced volumes nearer to
average than lower elevation basins, in which snow typically melts off by late
May. Many of these lower elevation drainages had volumes much above average.
From February into May the snowpack was generally above average (115-130% of
average) with mid elevations (near 8000 feet) holding the greatest
percentages.
Observed flows were near or below the 90% exceedance forecast for the higher
elevation basins and closer to the most probable forecast for the lower
elevation basins. This can be partially explained by the fact the lower
elevation basins lost much of their snowpack during fairly average climatic
conditions and had a more typical melt scenario during the spring months. June
and July became very hot and dry as one of the warmest summers on record was
developing. Conditions such as these tend to produce less direct runoff from
late season snowmelt.
