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Utah National Park Gives Snowpack Update After Winter Storm


1 week ago 15
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A National Park in Utah saw its snowpack double in just a few days, but as spring arrives it's starting to melt.

Like many areas of the western U.S., Bryce Canyon National Park in southwest Utah has seen a dumping of snow following the winter storms in recent weeks.

The park gave an update on its all important snowpack levels to its Facebook page recently, reporting that "winter lingers long at these high elevations," but that spring is officially rearing its head.

"From Thursday to Saturday the park effectively doubled its snowpack, going from 10 inches to 19.5 inches with Friday's winter storm. Sunday sunshine then reduced that down to 17 inches by this morning," the update read.

"The week ahead offers more sun, and warming temperatures in the mid-50s F. Like nearly every spring in Bryce Canyon, the seasonal shift will be marked by snow giving way to ice and mud. Open roads are mostly clear now, with some patches of compacted snow in shady areas. Trails remain snowy, and traction devices remain recommended. Of course, all of this is just in the Bryce Amphitheater area of the park! Around 40 inches of snow persist further south toward Rainbow Point."

Bryce Canyon national park
Photos shared by the Bryce Canyon National Park after heavy snow. The snowpack doubled before it started to melt. NPS Photos/Peter Densmore

In the spring, snowpack melts down from the mountains and into reservoirs and rivers. Snowpack levels are looking good all across the state, not just in Bryce Canyon.

In fact, last week, the Utah Division of Water Resources reported that as of late February, Utah's snowpack levels were "above normal" for most regions.

By March 12, most areas were seeing a snowpack between 110 percent to 129 percent of average, while the Bear and Lower Sevier regions were above this, at between 130 percent to 149 percent.

Remote file

The division also reported that its reservoirs stood at 83 percent, which is significantly higher than usual. This also provides a "drastic contrast" to last year when they were only "around half full."

Although the snowpack is good this year, it can't compare to the levels seen last year, which were record-breaking.

This followed a period of intense winter storms that dumped snow across high elevations all over the West.

This was a very good thing for the reservoirs across the West as they had suffered at the hands of a prolonged drought before this. And although snowpack level is not as high as it was, it's still at a good level, meaning water supply remains healthy.

The water supply stored in the mountains will help to fill important Utah reservoirs such as Lake Powell.

In recent years, this lake has reached incredibly low levels due to drought paired with the overconsumption of water. This was concerning to water officials as it stores water not just for those living in the Colorado River basin, but it also produces hydro power through the Glen Canyon Dam.

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Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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