BGW
Apr 20, 2006, 01:37 PM
MercedSunStar.com
Heavy runoff seen
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By Laura Cook
LCOOK@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM
YOSEMITE -- Snowpack in Yosemite's high country is about 150 percent above average, which poses a threat for flooding this spring, park officials said Wednesday.
"The potential for flooding has definitely increased again," said Wilderness Ranger Ken Watson. "If we get really hot days, the snowpack can disappear."
The snowpack in the Tuolumne River and Merced River basins is 150 percent above average in some places.
If weather warms gradually, flooding would be unlikely, but a jump in temperatures could cause problems, said Watson.
If the snow melted quickly, it could be similar to what occurred last May, when the park had to close the valley for a day-and-a-half because of flooding, said spokesman Scott Gediman.
"If we get flooding next month in May, it won't be anything like 1997," said Gediman.
In 1997, El Nino storms brought warm rain to the snowpack. It melted at a very fast rate and caused extensive damage to the valley floor.
While March is typically the month that Yosemite gets the most snow, there has been unusually heavy precipitation late in the season, said spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman.
"That snow up there is going to have a huge impact on what you see on the valley floor," she said.
Watson said that another snowpack analysis will be completed May 1, and it's definitely higher than it was on April 1.
The averages have been calculated for many years, sometimes over 60 years, proving that this year is out of the ordinary, said Watson.
Overall, the Tuolumne River basin is 129 percent above average and the Merced River basin is 124 percent above average.
Rafferty Meadows, which is part of the Tuolumne River basin, is 157 percent above average, and Dana Meadows is 153 percent above average. Ostrander Lake in the Merced River basin is 150 percent above average and Snow Flat is 134 percent above average.
Gediman said the large snowpack will provide spectacular waterfalls, especially for the spring and early summer tourists.
"It's going to be a big year," he said.
Reporter Laura Cook can be reached at 385-2417 or lcook@mercedsun-star.com.
Posted on 04/20/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12076009p-12829769c.html
Heavy runoff seen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Laura Cook
LCOOK@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM
YOSEMITE -- Snowpack in Yosemite's high country is about 150 percent above average, which poses a threat for flooding this spring, park officials said Wednesday.
"The potential for flooding has definitely increased again," said Wilderness Ranger Ken Watson. "If we get really hot days, the snowpack can disappear."
The snowpack in the Tuolumne River and Merced River basins is 150 percent above average in some places.
If weather warms gradually, flooding would be unlikely, but a jump in temperatures could cause problems, said Watson.
If the snow melted quickly, it could be similar to what occurred last May, when the park had to close the valley for a day-and-a-half because of flooding, said spokesman Scott Gediman.
"If we get flooding next month in May, it won't be anything like 1997," said Gediman.
In 1997, El Nino storms brought warm rain to the snowpack. It melted at a very fast rate and caused extensive damage to the valley floor.
While March is typically the month that Yosemite gets the most snow, there has been unusually heavy precipitation late in the season, said spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman.
"That snow up there is going to have a huge impact on what you see on the valley floor," she said.
Watson said that another snowpack analysis will be completed May 1, and it's definitely higher than it was on April 1.
The averages have been calculated for many years, sometimes over 60 years, proving that this year is out of the ordinary, said Watson.
Overall, the Tuolumne River basin is 129 percent above average and the Merced River basin is 124 percent above average.
Rafferty Meadows, which is part of the Tuolumne River basin, is 157 percent above average, and Dana Meadows is 153 percent above average. Ostrander Lake in the Merced River basin is 150 percent above average and Snow Flat is 134 percent above average.
Gediman said the large snowpack will provide spectacular waterfalls, especially for the spring and early summer tourists.
"It's going to be a big year," he said.
Reporter Laura Cook can be reached at 385-2417 or lcook@mercedsun-star.com.
Posted on 04/20/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12076009p-12829769c.html