JACKSON, Wyo. — Interested in learning about the status of Jackson Lake and the upper Snake River basin?
The Bureau of Reclamation is hosting its annual operations meeting at the Teton County Library on Thursday, May 14. The public information meeting will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and virtual attendance is available.
At the meeting, hydrologic and operational updates will be discussed by representatives from the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Weather Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The topics will include runoff forecasts, water supply outlook, flood potential, projected operations for Jackson Lake Dam and other reservoirs, river flow management and current snowpack conditions.
According to the public notice posted by the Bureau of Reclamation, the runoff forecast for the Snake River near Heise, Idaho, was 70% of average as of early May. Jackson Lake is expected to reach near 100% full in late May. With almost half of Teton County already under “severe drought,” irrigation demand is anticipated to be high this summer. By fall, Jackson Lake levels could slump to about 15% full.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Snake Field Office Water Operations Supervisory Civil Engineer Brian Stevens discussed the tight water conditions with Buckrail ahead of the public meeting. The Bureau of Reclamation’s top priorities for Jackson Lake include storing water and delivering it to those with water rights, specifically for irrigation and power generation. According to Stevens, the water has already been appropriated, so recipients in the basin generally know how much water they’re going to get. For the time being, utilization of the stored water in Jackson Lake will wait until later in the season.
“The runoff that we saw in March wasn’t anticipated,” Stevens said. “The lower elevation snowpack that was already low to begin with, largely melted off in March. … The warmer temperatures that led to that caused the irrigation demand to start relatively early.”
Stevens said that a primary outcome of low lake levels in the fall would be limited recreational opportunities later in the summer. However, he noted that if lake levels decline dramatically, that would be a result of relatively high summer flows on the Snake River, which could improve and increase recreational chances earlier in the season. The Bureau relies heavily on historical data and patterns, especially when carrying out forecasting and projections.
The Bureau of Reclamation will meet monthly throughout the summer with local stakeholder organizations that form the Snake River Agency Groups, including Grand Teton National Park, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming State Engineers Office, Teton Conservation District and Trout Unlimited. Together the groups work to ensure water operations align with wildlife habitat needs, especially during drought when habitat conditions can be stressed. Stevens ended by saying that collaboration for adaptive management is a top concern.
“We prioritize close coordination in tight water years like this,” he said.
