Snowpack in Yampa/White River Basins at 108 percent of normal

RBC | Despite a meager amount of precipitation and unusually warm weather this fall and winter, the Yampa and White River Basins are reporting 108 percent of their median snowpack with 100 percent of water precipitation for the year to date, according to a Dec. 26 report from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. There are three Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in Rio Blanco County. The sites measure snow and transmit the data wirelessly. The SNOTEL site at Trappers Lake, has the lowest reported percentage of snow in the basins with just 57 percent of average, and 87 percent of water precipitation for the year. Ripple Creek, east of Meeker, is reported 134 percent snowpack and 113 percent of precipitation. The site at Burro Mountain, southeast of Meeker, is reporting 115 percent snowpack and 81 percent average precipitation. Last year at this time Trappers Lake had 99 percent, and Ripple Creek had 141 percent.