Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Jed Boal ReportingA steady stream of snow storms this winter will certainly make a dent in the drought. Jed Boal went up to the Bear River Range to see how the snow is piling up east of Logan. He's back in the valley and joins us from the east bench.
All across the state the snow pack is deeper than it has been in seven years. This is the winter we needed, as long as If there's not a big swing in the weather. Take a look at the mountains anywhere in Utah and they're covered with snow, storing water.
Up near Tony Grove...in the Bear River drainage Randy Julander and Ray Wilson of the Utah Snow Survey check the snow depth at one of their automated stations.
Randy Julander, Natural Resources Conservation Service: "Compared to the last six years, it's something to write home about. We're tickled to death to see this snow pack anywhere in the state."
More than eight feet deep this snow packs 32 inches of water.
Randy Julander: "If this site comes in 120-130 percent, we can start gaining ground on this persistent drought."
The snow at this site is actually two feet deeper than it was last year. And the snow pack in this drainage is one of the low spots in the state.
Randy Julander: "It's above average in most areas, but Bear Lake still has water problems."
In some drainages filling the reservoirs will be the least of the problems. There will be too much water as long as March doesn't dry up and warm up too fast in the mountains like it did last year.
Randy Julander: "We're keeping our fingers crossed that March doesn't deal from the bottom of the deck. We'll keep our fingers crossed."
We'll also keep our fingers crossed that this isn't just a one year dent in the drought. In Northern Utah we should still be adding snow into early April.
