When it comes to snowpack, inches aren't everything
With Tuesday’s winter storms in Northern Utah, snowpack levels in the Cottonwood Creeks region, an area containing some of Utah’s most important ski destinations, are almost up to par at 85 percent of the historical median according to the USDA’s precipitation reports. But while many outdoor enthusiasts are still nursing sore legs from the recent powder party, when it comes to water, inches aren’t everything. Some local scientists are more concerned about the snow water equivalent, or SWE levels, the amount of water contained in snowpack, which are a mere 55 percent of the historical median according to the same USDA reports. Christina Morrisett, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Watershed Scientists at Utah State University, said that “snowpack with less SWE are likely to melt sooner and contribute less water to reservoir systems – a detriment to irrigation-dependent agriculture.” Utah, especially the agricultural industry,