homeWelcome, sign in or click here to subscribe.login
     


 

 

Environment


Subscriber content preview

April 14, 2016

Odd weather hard on reservoir operators

  • Early snowmelt in the spring or winter rain instead of snow skews the calculations used to decide when to store and release water.
    • By KEITH RIDLER
    Associated Press

    BOISE, Idaho — Wilder swings in weather patterns in the past decade are making it trickier to keep reservoirs filled for irrigation and power generation while also avoiding the risk of flooding homes downstream, some Pacific Northwest reservoir operators say.

    Reservoir management plans that dictate how much water is stored or released are based on decades of weather and snowmelt information. Conditions far outside the norm — such as early snowmelt due to warmth or rain instead of snow during winter — can skew calculations that are used to make water predictions.


     
    . . .


    To read this story in full login or purchase a subscription.



    
    Email or user name:
    Password:
     
    Forgot password? Click here.