045  
FGUS75 KTFX 102204  
ESFTFX  
102204-  
HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT  
404 PM MDT TUE JUN 10 2008  
 
HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT  
400 PM MST TUE JUNE 10 2008  
   
..MONTANA WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK AS OF JUNE 2008  
 
MONTANA WATER SUPPLY FORECAST ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  
OFFICE IN GREAT FALLS IN COOPERATION AND COORDINATION WITH THE  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MISSOULA AND THE NATURAL  
RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE...USDA.  
 
THE WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK FOR THE 2008 SUMMER SEASON PROJECTS WATER  
SUPPLIES WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE WITH  
SOME BASINS FORECASTED TO BE NEAR AVERAGE. EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL  
DIVIDE...WATER SUPPLIES ARE FORECAST TO BE NEAR TO ABOVE AVERAGE.  
THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL MOISTURE AND RUNOFF CONDITIONS  
FOR JUNE THROUGH JULY AND DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR MUCH BELOW AVERAGE...70  
PERCENT OR LESS...OR ABOVE AVERAGE...110 PERCENT OR MORE...SNOWMELT  
OR SPRING RAINS.  
 
IN THE MOUNTAINS... JUNE 1 SNOWPACK WAS WELL ABOVE AVERAGE AND WELL  
ABOVE LAST YEAR. SEASONALLY COOL TEMPERATURES DURING MOST OF MAY  
SLOWED THE SNOWMELT. THERE IS STILL ENOUGH SNOWPACK REMAINING FOR  
MOST RIVERS TO PEAK AGAIN FROM SNOWMELT. HOW HIGH THE JUNE SNOWMELT  
PEAKS REACH WILL BE DEPENDANT UPON TEMPERATURES AND RAINFALL.  
 
MAY 2008 WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY SEVERAL STORMS. THE FIRST AFFECTED THE  
SOUTHEAST AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE MAY 1. THIS WAS A MAJOR  
WINTER STORM WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DUMPING LARGE SNOW AMOUNTS  
WITH HIGH WATER CONTENT. MAJOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO POWER LINES. MORE  
THAN TWO FEET OF SNOW FELL IN THE EKALAKA AREA. THE HIGHEST  
PRECIPITATION VALUE WAS AT MILL IRON IN CARTER COUNTY WHERE 4.98  
INCHES COLLECTED. MAY 7...ANOTHER STORM HIT CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST  
MONTANA DROPPING NEARLY ONE INCH OF PRECIPITATION IN THE BAKER AREA.  
MAY 9...ANOTHER STORM DROPPED HEAVY SNOW ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL  
MONTANA WHEN 11 INCHES AT RED LODGE. AT THE SAME TIME...RAINFALL  
AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE INCH WERE RECORDED AT WINNETT. MAY 12...A NEW  
DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD WAS SET AT BOZEMAN WHEN 3.7 INCHES OF SNOW  
FELL. THE LAST WEEK OF MAY BROUGHT IN A VERY SLOW MOVING STORM WITH  
RAIN THAT PERSISTED FOR 6 DAYS IN CENTRAL MONTANA. HIGHER POINTS IN  
SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA PICKED UP NEARLY 2 FEET OF SNOW WITH THIS  
STORM...WHILE 2.5 FEET OF SNOW FELL AT BADGER PASS. HEAVY RAIN FELL  
OVER MUCH OF THE STATE. TWO TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN WERE COMMON OVER  
MUCH OF EASTERN MONTANA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER.  
FLOODING OCCURRED AT MANY LOCATIONS.  
 
OVERALL...PRECIPITATION WAS ABOVE NORMAL OVER MOST OF THE EASTERN 2/3  
OF THE STATE. THE COLDER TEMPERATURES AND PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION  
KEPT SNOWPACK AT HIGH LEVELS IN THE MOUNTAINS.  
 
WITH THE SEVERAL RAIN STORMS...SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS IMPROVED OVER  
MOST OF THE STATE.  
 
SOME NOTEWORTHY STATISTICS...  
- DILLON RECORDED 1.02 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION ON MAY 22...A NEW  
RECORD.  
- THE STORM THE LAST WEEK OF MAY SET SEVERAL NEW RECORDS...  
- MAY 23 SET SEVERAL NEW RECORD HIGH DAILY RAIN AMOUNTS. THE  
HIGHEST OF THESE WAS 1.91 INCHES AT MARTINSDALE WHICH  
BROKE THE RECORD SET IN 1904.  
- ON MAY 24...LEWISTOWN RECEIVED 1.19 INCHES...BREAKING A  
RECORD SET IN 1904.  
- THE MOST PRECIPITATION WITH THIS STORM WAS 11 INCHES AT  
BADGER PASS. THEY ALSO PICKED UP 31 INCHES OF SNOW DURING  
THIS STORM.  
- SWIFT DAM RECEIVED OVER 9 INCHES.  
- IN CENTRAL MONTANA...HALF MOON PASS IN THE SNOWYS  
COLLECTED NEARLY 9 INCHES OF RAIN.  
- DEEP CREEK...NEAR EAST GLACIER...COLLECTED THREE INCHES ON  
THE MAY 23...2.5 INCHES ON MAY 24 AND 2.31 INCHES MAY 25.  
 
SNOWPACK...  
 
MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK AS OF JUNE 1...  
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF  
AVERAGE LAST YEAR  
STATEWIDE 148 374  
COLUMBIA BASIN 145 271  
MISSOURI BASIN 155 559  
YELLOWSTONE BASIN 155 486  
 
PRECIPITATION...  
 
MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY PRECIPITATION AVERAGES FOR MAY...  
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF  
AVERAGE LAST YEAR  
STATEWIDE 139 121  
WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 96 91  
EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 161 134  
 
MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY PRECIPITATION AVERAGES FOR THE WATER YEAR...  
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF  
AVERAGE LAST YEAR  
STATEWIDE 106 103  
WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 102 99  
EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 109 106  
 
CALENDAR YEAR AND WATER YEAR 2008 PERCENT OF NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR  
SELECTED CITIES ARE SHOWN BELOW...  
 
PERCENT OF NORMAL PERCENT OF NORMAL  
CALENDAR YEAR 2008 WATER YEAR 2008  
CITY JAN 1 TO MAY 31 OCT 1 TO MAY 31  
 
BILLINGS 87 96  
BOZEMAN 100 107  
BUTTE 70 74  
CUT BANK 112 102  
DILLON 91 114  
GLASGOW 152 141  
GREAT FALLS 113 102  
HAVRE 92 76  
HELENA 95 97  
KALISPELL 61 63  
LEWISTOWN 98 93  
MILES CITY 74 59  
MISSOULA 72 73  
 
RESERVOIRS...  
 
MAJOR RESERVOIR STORAGE AS OF JUNE 1  
PERCENT OF PERCENT OF  
AVERAGE LAST YEAR  
STATEWIDE 82 99  
WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 117 100  
EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 68 99  
 
PERCENT OF NORMAL RESERVOIR STORAGE AS OF JUNE 1 FOR SELECTED  
RESERVOIRS  
 
RESERVOIR PERCENT OF NORMAL  
JUNE JUNE  
2008 2007  
 
BIGHORN RESERVOIR 106 92  
CANYON FERRY RESERVOIR 104 96  
CLARK CANYON RESERVOIR 73 66  
FLATHEAD LAKE 101 101  
FORT PECK LAKE 55 60  
FRESNO RESERVOIR 95 121  
GIBSON RESERVOIR 98 113  
HEBGEN RESERVOIR 103 106  
HUNGRY HORSE RESERVOIR 111 118  
LAKE ELWELL / TIBER RESERVOIR 105 103  
LAKE KOOCANUSA 131 163  
LAKE SHERBURNE 116 124  
LIMA RESERVOIR 98 119  
NELSON RESERVOIR 76 75  
PISHKIN RESERVOIR 102 101  
SWIFT RESERVOIR 121 92  
WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR 114 114  
 
STREAMFLOW...  
 
BELOW ARE AVERAGED RIVER BASIN RUNOFF FORECAST SUMMARIES FOR THE  
PERIOD JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER. THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL  
SPRING CONDITIONS AND DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR WELL BELOW AVERAGE...70 OR  
LESS...OR ABOVE AVERAGE...110 OR MORE...SNOWMELT OR SPRING RAIN.  
 
FORECASTS FOR RIVERS AND SITES WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ARE  
PROVIDED BY THE NORTHWEST RIVER FORECAST CENTER IN  
PORTLAND...OREGON. FORECASTS FOR RIVERS AND SITES EAST OF THE  
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ARE FROM THE MISSOURI BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER  
IN PLEASANT HILL...MISSOURI. ALL FORECASTS ARE IN COOPERATION AND  
COORDINATION WITH NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE...USDA.  
 
MOST  
PROBABLE REASONABLE REASONABLE  
FORECAST MAXIMUM MINIMUM  
PERIOD /PCT AVG/ /PCT AVG/ /PCT AVG/  
COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN  
 
KOOTENAI RIVER  
LIBBY RESVR INFLOW JUN-SEP 95 112 78  
CLARK FORK  
ABOVE BLACKFOOT RIVER JUN-SEP 101 132 70  
ABOVE MISSOULA JUN-SEP 102 117 86  
BELOW MISSOULA JUN-SEP 104 116 91  
ST. REGIS JUN-SEP 104 123 85  
NEAR PLAINS JUN-SEP 104 119 89  
BLACKFOOT RIVER  
NEAR BONNER JUN-SEP 100 110 91  
BITTERROOT RIVER  
AT MOUTH JUN-SEP 110 122 97  
NORTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER  
NEAR COLUMBIA FALLS JUN-SEP 102 112 91  
MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER  
NEAR WEST GLACIER JUN-SEP 110 122 99  
SOUTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER  
HUNGRY HORSE RES INFLOW JUN-SEP 103 123 83  
FLATHEAD RIVER  
COLUMBIA FALLS JUN-SEP 105 117 92  
FLATHEAD LAKE INFLOW JUN-SEP 106 124 89  
 
 
SASKATCHEWAN RIVER BASIN  
 
ST. MARY RIVER  
NEAR BABB JUN-SEP 108 143 73  
 
MISSOURI RIVER BASIN  
 
RED ROCK RIVER  
LIMA RES INFLOW JUN-SEP 111 223 55  
BEAVERHEAD RIVER  
CLARK CANYON INFLOW JUN-SEP 101 234 43  
BARRETTS JUN-SEP 100 186 40  
RUBY RIVER  
RUBY RESERVOIR INFLOW JUN-SEP 84 110 58  
BIG HOLE RIVER  
NEAR MELROSE JUN-SEP 112 139 84  
MADISON RIVER  
HEBGEN RES INFLOW JUN-SEP 127 147 108  
ENNIS RESERVOIR INFLOW JUN-SEP 116 135 96  
GALLATIN RIVER  
NEAR GALLATIN GATEWAY JUN-SEP 117 140 93  
LOGAN JUN-SEP 124 146 101  
MISSOURI RIVER  
TOSTON JUN-SEP 122 130 113  
FORT BENTON JUN-SEP 121 137 104  
VIRGELLE JUN-SEP 119 151 88  
NEAR LANDUSKY JUN-SEP 118 150 86  
BELOW FORT PECK DAM JUN-SEP 121 152 90  
SHEEP CREEK  
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS JUN-SEP 127 165 86  
SUN RIVER  
GIBSON RES INFLOW JUN-SEP 111 133 90  
MARIAS RIVER  
NEAR SHELBY JUN-SEP 107 155 59  
MUSSELSHELL RIVER  
HARLOWTON JUN-SEP 139 190 88  
MILK RIVER  
WESTERN CROSSING JUN-SEP 146 301 58  
EASTERN CROSSING JUN-SEP 128 215 42  
YELLOWSTONE RIVER  
YELLOWSTN LK OUTLT...WY JUN-SEP 133 150 116  
CORWIN SPRINGS JUN-SEP 123 143 103  
NEAR LIVINGSTON JUN-SEP 124 148 100  
BILLINGS JUN-SEP 122 137 108  
MILES CITY JUN-SEP 118 130 107  
NEAR SIDNEY JUN-SEP 134 150 118  
BOULDER RIVER  
BIG TIMBER JUN-SEP 104 137 72  
STILLWATER RIVER  
NEAR ABSAROKEE JUN-SEP 111 130 91  
CLARKS FORK YELLOWSTONE RIVER  
NEAR BELFRY JUN-SEP 125 166 83  
LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER  
NEAR HARDIN JUN-SEP 114 143 86  
TONGUE RIVER  
TONGUE RIVER RES INFLOW JUN-SEP 118 141 66  
POWDER RIVER  
MOORHEAD JUN-SEP 191 273 109  
LOCATE JUN-SEP 202 230 177  
 
DEFINITIONS  
MOST PROBABLE FORECAST...GIVEN THE CURRENT HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL  
CONDITIONS TO DATE...THIS IS THE BEST ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE ACTUAL  
RUNOFF VOLUME WILL BE THIS SEASON.  
 
REASONABLE MAXIMUM FORECAST...GIVEN CURRENT HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL  
CONDITIONS...THE SEASONAL RUNOFF THAT HAS A TEN (10) PERCENT  
CHANCE OF BEING EXCEEDED.  
 
REASONABLE MINIMUM FORECAST...GIVEN CURRENT HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL  
CONDITIONS...THE SEASONAL RUNOFF THAT HAS A NINETY (90) PERCENT  
CHANCE OF BEING EXCEEDED.  
 
SURFACE WATER SUPPLY INDEX...  
 
THE SURFACE WATER SUPPLY INDEX...SWSI...IS A MEASURE OF AVAILABLE  
SURFACE WATER AVAILABILITY FOR THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS. WATER  
USERS WHO RELY ON MOUNTAIN PRECIPITATION CAN USE THE INDEX TO  
EVALUATE SEASONAL SURFACE WATER SUPPLIES. THE SWSI ACCOUNTS FOR  
MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK...MOUNTAIN PRECIPITATION...STREAMFLOW...RESERVOIR  
STORAGE AND SOIL MOISTURE. SWSI VALUES ARE CALCULATED FOR 52 BASINS  
IN MONTANA. SWSI VALUES ARE PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL RESOURCES  
CONSERVATION SERVICE...USDA.  
 
NUMBER OF BASINS  
SWSI RATING SURFACE WATER CONDITION 2008 2007  
-3.0 TO -4.0 EXTREMELY DRY 3 16  
-2.0 TO 2.9 MODERATELY DRY 0 18  
-1.0 TO 1.9 SLIGHTLY DRY 1 7  
-0.9 TO +0.9 NEAR AVERAGE 16 6  
+1.0 TO +1.9 SLIGHTLY WET 23 2  
+2.0 TO +2.9 MODERATELY WET 7 2  
+3.0 TO +4.0 EXTREMELY WET 2 0  
NOT AVAILABLE 0 1  
 
VALUES FOR SPECIFIC BASINS AS OF JUNE 1 2008 AND 2007 ARE LISTED  
BELOW...  
SWSI SWSI  
BASIN 2008 2007  
TOBACCO RIVER 1.6 -2.3  
KOOTENAI FT. STEELE TO LIBBY DAM 0.6 0.7  
TOBACCO RIVER -1.3 -2.0  
KOOTENAI FT. STEELE TO LIBBY DAM -0.7 1.9  
KOOTENAI RIVER BELOW LIBBY DAM 0.8 2.6  
FISHER RIVER 2.5 -2.6  
YAAK RIVER 1.0 -0.8  
NORTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER 0.7 0.5  
MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER 1.6 -1.4  
SOUTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER 1.3 0.3  
FLATHEAD RIVER AT COLUMBIA FALLS 1.3 -0.4  
SWAN RIVER -0.6 -2.0  
FLATHEAD RIVER AT POLSON 1.2 -1.7  
MISSION VALLEY -3.6 -3.0  
LITTLE BITTERROOT RIVER -3.1 -2.3  
CLARK FORK RIVER ABOVE MILLTOWN 1.5 -1.5  
BLACKFOOT RIVER 0.5 -2.2  
BITTERROOT RIVER 1.9 -2.6  
CLARK FORK RIVER BELOW BITTERROOT RIVER 1.7 -2.4  
CLARK FORK RIVER BELOW FLATHEAD RIVER 1.4 -1.8  
BEAVERHEAD RIVER -0.3 -2.3  
RUBY RIVER 1.1 -3.5  
BIG HOLE RIVER 1.0 -1.8  
BOULDER RIVER (JEFFERSON) 0.0 -3.3  
JEFFERSON RIVER 1.6 -2.0  
MADISON RIVER 1.1 -2.6  
GALLATIN RIVER 2.0 -3.1  
MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE CANYON FERRY 0.5 -2.8  
MISSOURI RIVER BELOW CANYON FERRY 0.4 -2.3  
SMITH RIVER 0.3 -2.3  
SUN RIVER 1.4 -2.0  
TETON RIVER 1.1 -3.4  
BIRCH/DUPUYER CREEKS 0.7 -3.7  
UPPER JUDITH RIVER 2.5 1.5  
MARIAS RIVER ABOVE TIBER 1.6 -2.0  
MARIAS RIVER BELOW TIBER 2.3 -2.7  
MUSSELSHELL RIVER 0.2 -2.6  
MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE FT. PECK 1.1 -1.3  
MISSOURI RIVER BELOW FT. PECK -3.3 -4.0  
ST. MARY RIVER 1.5 -0.8  
MILK RIVER -0.6 ----  
DEARBORN RIVER NEAR CRAIG 1.9 -3.6  
YELLOWSTONE RIVER ABOVE LIVINGSTON 2.1 -3.2  
SHIELDS RIVER 1.7 -3.0  
BOULDER RIVER (YELLOWSTONE) 0.6 -3.3  
STILLWATER RIVER 0.6 -3.4  
ROCK/RED LODGE CREEKS 0.9 -3.6  
CLARKS FORK RIVER 2.4 -3.0  
YELLOWSTONE RIVER ABOVE BIGHORN RIVER 1.8 -3.2  
BIGHORN RIVER BELOW BIGHORN LAKE 1.5 -2.7  
LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER 2.1 0.9  
YELLOWSTONE RIVER BELOW BIGHORN RIVER 1.7 -3.2  
TONGUE RIVER 3.4 2.7  
POWDER RIVER 3.4 -1.1  
 
OUTLOOK...  
 
THE TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR THE REMAINDER OF JUNE SHOWS NO FORECAST  
SKILL. AS A RESULT THERE ARE EQUAL CHANCES FOR ABOVE...BELOW OR NEAR  
NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS ALL OF MONTANA. FOR PRECIPITATION THERE  
IS A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE PRECIPITATION WILL BE BELOW NORMAL OVER  
NORTHERN AND EASTERN MONTANA...AND A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE FOR  
BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA.  
 
FOR THE PERIOD JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER...STATISTICAL TOOLS SHOW THERE  
IS A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES OVER  
NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST  
MONTANA. THERE IS A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE FOR ABOVE NORMAL  
TEMPERATURES OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA. FOR PRECIPITATION THERE IS A 33  
TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE FOR BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER  
NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA. THERE  
IS A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE PRECIPITATION WILL BE BELOW NORMAL OVER  
WEST AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA.  
 
THIS IS THE FINAL WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK FOR THE 2008 SEASON. ISSUANCE  
OF THIS PRODUCT WILL RESUME IN JANUARY FOR THE 2009 SEASON.  
 
 
 
.END/LOSS  
 
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