On snowy day, snowpack remains intact

Most of the snowpack in the northern mountains has remained intact during the past month.

That was the finding earlier this week during the final physical reading of the water content in the northern mountains for the year by John Fusaro and Todd Boldt of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Data from monthly surveys of the mountain snowpack allows hydrologists to predict the amount of runoff when the snow melt occurs in the spring. Water users, including those involved in agriculture, industry and municipalities, use that information for planning.

As much as 80 percent of the state's surface water supplies originate from the mountain snowpack.

Fusaro said this spring's final readings were different.

"The final readings were a little misleading, particularly in the lower levels, which still had a lot of snow on the ground. We just haven't seen a lot of snow melt yet," Fusaro said. That was particularly true in the Poudre Canyon where the snowpack was considerably higher than both the long-term average and compared to last year.

At the Chamber's Lake site, for instance, there was 19 inches of snow still on the ground this year, compared to less than half an inch last year, Fusaro said, adding there may have to be some adjustments made on those final readings in the future.

But then, he added, if the readings had been taken this weekend, they may have been even more misleading from the latest storm system, which moved across the state.

The storm dropped up to 5 inches in Douglas County and Boulder County received more than 3 inches.

Loveland ski area, one of about three Colorado resorts still open, reported 6 inches.

One person was killed after a car crash during the heavy spring snowstorm that moved across Colorado on May Day, with up to 16 inches of snow expected in the high country.

The afternoon accident on eastbound Interstate 70 about a half mile east of Watkins resulted in one death, the Colorado State Patrol said.

Trooper Ryan Sullivan said the accident involved nine vehicles, including a state patrol car and a Colorado Department of Transportation truck responding to an earlier accident. Sullivan said the trooper and CDOT employee were not injured.

Multiple accidents has also closed Interstate 70 in both directions at Bennett, about 30 miles east of Denver.

Wintry weather was blamed for a rash of minor accidents earlier Thursday that closed westbound Interstate 70 for about 90 minutes just west of Denver.

The National Weather Service said 8 to 16 inches of snow could fall in the northern mountains. Up to 11 inches was forecast for the central mountains.

"Things can really be variable up there this time of the year, but all things considered we're in pretty good shape. We should have a good supply of water and flooding shouldn't be a problem," Fusaro said.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report

Northern Colorado snowpack as of April 30, 2008

Site 2008 reading 30-year average %30-year average %Compared to 2007

Big South 1.6" 0.9" 178 No Snow

Chamber's Lake 7.0" 5.5" 127 1,628

Joe Wright 27.2" 25" 109 115

Cameron Pass 32.2" 29.5" 109 118

Deadman Hill 21.1" 19.6" 108 138

Deer Ridge 6.7" 2.5" 268 137

Hidden Valley 8.2" 7.3" 112 119

Willow Park 19" 20.9"` 91 82

Bear Lake 18.2" 20" 91 82

Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service