Great Basin Water Supply Outlook, June 1, 2014

Note: This publication is scheduled for revision. If you have feedback on content, format, or publication frequency, please contact us.
Prepared by W.P.Miller B.Bernard
NOAA, National Weather Service
Colorado Basin River Forecast Center
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.cbrfc.noaa.gov

Contents

Great Basin Summary






*Median of forecasts within each basin.


Bear Basin Conditions




Snow Water Equivalent in Percent of Median.
* Percent usable capacity, not percent average contents.
Click for multi-month Graph.

Weber Basin Conditions




Snow Water Equivalent in Percent of Median.
* Percent usable capacity, not percent average contents.
Click for multi-month Graph.

Six Creeks Basin Conditions




Snow Water Equivalent in Percent of Median.
* Percent usable capacity, not percent average contents.
Click for multi-month Graph.

Utah Lake Basin Conditions




Snow Water Equivalent in Percent of Median.
* Percent usable capacity, not percent average contents.
Click for multi-month Graph.


Bear Specific Site Forecasts (kaf)

Click site name for graph.
Forecast
Period
90%
Exceedance
Volume
50%
Exceedance
Volume
Percent
Average
10%
Exceedance
Volume
Bear
Utah April-July112 117 104 124
June-July59 64 97 71
Woodruff Narrows Rsvr, Abv April-July101 108 89 115
June-July40 47 82 54
Montpelier, Nr, Stewart Dam, Blo * April-July59 69 38 79
June-July25 35 38 45
Smiths Fork
Border, Nr April-July103 108 121 113
June-July58 63 126 68
Logan
Logan, Nr, State Dam, Abv April-July91 96 86 101
June-July49 54 89 59
Blacksmith Fork
Hyrum, Nr, Upnl Dam, Abv April-July30 32 74 34
June-July11 12.5 77 15
Little Bear
Paradise April-July16 17.3 37 18.6
June-July3.4 4.7 41 6

*Regulated Forecast, i.e. Observed flow uncorrected for upstream diversion.

Weber Specific Site Forecasts (kaf)

Click site name for graph.
Forecast
Period
90%
Exceedance
Volume
50%
Exceedance
Volume
Percent
Average
10%
Exceedance
Volume
Weber
Oakley, Nr April-July85 92 78 99
June-July36 43 67 50
Rockport Res, Wanship, Nr April-July78 87 66 96
June-July29 38 59 47
Coalville, Nr April-July78 87 65 96
June-July27 36 57 45
Chalk Ck
Coalville April-July17.9 20 49 23
June-July3.5 6.1 39 8.7
Weber
Echo Res, Echo, At April-July92 102 60 112
June-July29 39 52 49
Lost Ck
Lost Ck Res, Croydon, Nr April-July7.7 8.7 65 9.7
June-July0.5 1.5 52 2.5
East Canyon Ck
East Canyon Res, Morgan, Nr April-July10.5 11.5 43 12.5
June-July2.1 3.1 37 4.1
Weber
Gateway April-July149 164 50 179
June-July34 49 45 64
Sf Ogden
Huntsville, Nr April-July37 39 70 40
June-July8 9.5 68 11
Ogden
Pineview Res, Ogden, Nr April-July63 68 60 73
June-July6.9 11.9 52 16.9


Six Creeks Specific Site Forecasts (kaf)

Click site name for graph.
Forecast
Period
90%
Exceedance
Volume
50%
Exceedance
Volume
Percent
Average
10%
Exceedance
Volume
Little Cottonwood Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July23 24 63 26
June-July14.2 15.7 65 17.2
Big Cottonwood Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July18.8 20 56 22
June-July10.1 11.5 60 12.9
Mill Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July1.9 2 31 2.2
June-July1 1.1 34 1.3
Dell Fk
Little Dell Res April-July2 2.3 42 2.7
June-July0.11 0.45 34 0.8
Parleys Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July3.4 4.1 29 5.2
June-July0.5 1.2 25 2.3
Emigration Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July0.46 0.61 15.3 0.76
June-July0.15 0.3 26 0.45
City Ck
Salt Lake City, Nr April-July3 3.2 42 3.4
June-July1.4 1.6 44 1.7
S Willow Ck
Grantsville, Nr April-July1.8 1.9 63 2.1
June-July0.7 0.86 51 1


Utah Lake Specific Site Forecasts (kaf)

Click site name for graph.
Forecast
Period
90%
Exceedance
Volume
50%
Exceedance
Volume
Percent
Average
10%
Exceedance
Volume
Spanish Fork
Castilla, Nr April-July14.4 17.4 25 20
June-July3.8 6.8 28 9.8
Provo
Woodland, Nr April-July90 95 95 100
June-July33 38 81 43
Hailstone, Nr April-July102 107 97 112
June-July37 42 81 47
Deer Ck Res April-July96 101 80 106
June-July32 37 67 42
American Fork
American Fork, Nr, Up Pwrplnt, Abv April-July13.9 15.3 49 16.7
June-July7 8.4 46 9.8
West Canyon Ck
Cedar Fort, Nr April-July0.06 0.16 9.1 0.27
June-July0.01 0.11 13.4 0.22
Jordan
Utah Lake, Provo, Nr April-July180 190 58 200
June-July49 59 46 69

Differences between the full period forecasts and the residual forecasts may not exactly equal the actual observed volumes due to rounding conventions (see Definitions section).

Great Basin End of Month Reservoir Contents (kaf)

EOM
Contents
Percent
EOM
Average
Percent
Usable
Capacity
Last Year
EOM
Last Year
%Average
EOM
Average
Usable
Capacity
untitled Bear
Woodruff Narrows Res, Woodruff, Nr 38.1 85 68 17.5 39 45.0 55.8
untitled Bear River
Bear Lake, Nr Lifton 728.7 95 56 961.1 125 770.8 1302.0
untitled Little Bear
Hyrum Reservoir 14.5 102 95 14.8 104 14.2 15.3
untitled Weber
Rockport Res, Wanship, Nr 36.1 90 65 37.7 94 40.1 55.2
Echo Res, Echo, At 43.0 79 58 34.1 63 54.3 73.9
untitled Lost Ck
Lost Ck Res, Croydon, Nr 14.7 110 65 17.2 129 13.3 22.5
untitled East Canyon Ck
East Canyon Res, Morgan, Nr 3.4 9 7 33.9 86 39.5 49.5
untitled Sf Ogden
Causey Res 5.9 117 83 6.9 136 5.0 7.1
untitled Ogden
Pineview Res, Ogden, Nr 83.0 104 75 69.9 88 79.7 110.1
untitled Jordanelle Dam
173.1 69 54 183.8 73 251.3 320.3
untitled Provo
Deer Ck Res 133.6 108 89 141.4 114 123.5 149.7
untitled Dell Fk
Little Dell Res 13.3 -99 65 12.1 -99 -9999.0 20.5
untitled Jordan
Utah Lake, Provo, Nr 684.3 83 79 771.7 93 827.8 870.9
untitled
TOTAL 1958.3 86 65 2289.9 101 2264.6 3052.8

Precipitation Maps




Definitions

10% exceedance forecast: Given the current hydrometeorological conditions, i.e current snowpack, soil moisture and streamflow, the volume that has a 10% chance of being exceeded. Previously referred to as "Reasonable Maximum Forecast".

50% exceedance forecast: Given the current hydrometeorological conditions, i.e current snowpack, soil moisture and streamflow, the volume that has a 50% chance of being exceeded. Previously referred to as "Most Probable Forecast".

90% exceedance forecast: Given the current hydrometeorological conditions, i.e current snowpack, soil moisture and streamflow, the volume that has a 90% chance of being exceeded. Previously referred to as "Reasonable Minimum Forecast".

Acre-Foot (af): The volume equal to one acre covered one foot deep (43,560 cubic feet). See kaf below.

Average: The arithmetic mean. The sum of the values divided by the number of values. Values from 1981-2010 are used for this publication.

Categories: Much Above Average=Greater than 130%, Above Average=111-130%, Near Average=90-110%, Below Average=70-89%, Much Below Average=Less than 70%.

CBRFC: Colorado Basin River Forecast Center.

Forecast Period: The period from April 1 through July 31, unless otherwise noted.

kaf: Thousand Acre-Feet. See Acre-Foot above.

Inflow: The volume of water that flows into a reservoir or lake.

Median: The middle value of an ordered set of values. Half of the values are higher and half of the values are lower. When the set contains an even number of values the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

NOAA: National Oceanic and Atomospheric Administration.

NWS: National Weather Service.

Rounding Conventions:
RangeRound to
0-1.990.01
2.0-19.90.1
20-1991.0
200-9995.0
1000+3 significant digits


Streamflow: The volume of water that flows past a specific stream site.

Water Year: The 12-month period, October 1 through September 30. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. Thus, the year ending September 30, 2008, is called the "2008 water year."


Additional Information

Water supply forecasts take into consideration present hydrometeorological conditions and use average basin temperatures and precipitation for the forecast period. As the forecast season progresses, a greater portion of the future hydrologic and climatic uncertainty becomes known and monthly forecasts become more accurate. For more information on the tools we use, consult Water Supply Forecasting Tools.

Volume forecasts represent adjusted flows; that is, observed flows with upstream water use taken into account. Adjusted flows will closely approximate natural or unimpaired flows. However, not all upstream diversions or impoundments are measured or quantifiable. For specific adjustments used with each forecast point, consult the Guide to Water Supply Forecasting.

The Water Supply Outlook is issued monthly January through May by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. It represents a coordinated effort between the National Weather Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey and local water district managers.

Note: Data used in this report are provisional and are subject to revision.

For more information, or to be included on the mailing list, please contact:

Colorado Basin River Forecast Center
2242 W North Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
(801) 524-5130
www.cbrfc.noaa.gov


Hydrologist: W.P.Miller B.Bernard