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, depends on winter snowpack for sustained
water use in the spring and summer. As the second driest state in the nation, storage reservoirs are crucial for saving water for prolonged drought and times of need. While the mid-winter values seem daunting, Betsy Morgan, a graduate student in the Utah Water Research Lab points out that, “low snowpack and SWE years have been common throughout time and are not an extreme cause for concern if they occur infrequently.” 

Looking forward, both scientists expressed concern about Utah’s water availability with a growing population and current management practices. 

Even though more than 80 percent of the state’s water is used for agriculture, “the biggest concern for Utah water is how we manage urban water given the state’s current and predicted population growth,” Morrisett said.

Today’s water prices are static, and Morrisett suggested a system in which the price of water increases with use to discourage waste. 

According to a 2016 EPA report on how warming temperatures will decrease winter snowpack for the region, Utah may soon be forced to make some difficult decisions about water.

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