Is Utah's drought ending?????

BLACK_PREDATOR · Jan 10, 2005

With all the snow and rain the last few days/weeks through out most of Utah..............could this be a sign of the end of a ten+ year drought???

Since Janunary one, Blanding has received 3" of moisture! that's like 250% of normal with more storms to come. Their's 17+" of moisture on the Abajos/San Juan.

Looks like the antler growth could be the best ever for most LE Elk and Deer units!!

Let it Snow/Rain!

Good luck to all in the draws.

Travis

kilowatt · Jan 10, 2005

The latest storms are really bringing an end to drought I think in a lot of places.
The latest report is that the Sierra Nevada range here on the CA/NV borders up high have 19 FEET of snow since Dec. 26th.

Floods over southern CA and AZ are happening a lot now.

Brian

HighDesert · Jan 10, 2005

We need to be careful what we wish for also guys. We do not need another 92/93 winter again. Remember that year and the atrocities that occured to the Mule Deer here in the West. I figuire if this continues like this for say about 2 week and as heavy as it has been we could have a significant winter kill so Yeah the drought is going away but do not make it to where we get a severe winter Kill
Dave

Dub · Jan 10, 2005

It's interesting how the elk seem to be able to make it through the rough winters when the deer can't. This last storm has been awsome though becasue it's been relativly warm paking the high mountains, while leaving the lower elevations OK for the deer/elk. I'm not sure that's the case down south though. This really underscores the need for us to get involved with organizantions like the RMEF. I really depresses me to see places like the point of the mountain (traverse ridge) covered with houses.

Dub

berg · Jan 10, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-05 AT 07:11PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-05 AT 07:10?PM (MST)

UTAH HAS WATER!! ( s little off topic)
For the past 45 years our parents have been paying for the Central Utah Project.Over a billions IIRC.
I have never seen any reservoirs go dry even in 92-93
We have enough water, in fact much of it is sold off to other western states.
The CUP was developed to provide for future use as well. In 1956 dollars $760 million was appropriated the the Colorado River storage projects.
If I hear one more politician complain about water... I am going to blow a blood vessel.
It's all about the money... you wont get subsidies and grants if you don't cry wolf ..even in the wet years.
Thanks Bureaucrats keep taxing the crap out of us.

TheSwede · Jan 10, 2005

Looks like Utah's Dixie has a little to much water right now. Let it snow and hope it doesn't flood.

DallanC · Jan 11, 2005

>It's interesting how the elk seem
>to be able to make
>it through the rough winters
>when the deer can't.

In the 92/93 winter above alpine an entire herd of 35 elk all died together in a single small draw. So while they are hardier, it by no means ensures they wont winterkill just as easy.

-DallanC

RuttCrazed · Jan 11, 2005

Berg,
Come down to Carbon County and tell the farmers down there that we have plenty of water! I can't even remember when we were not on water rations (water every other day and no watering on Sunday, punishable by fine).

Rut

elkantlers · Jan 11, 2005

ruttcrazed, carbon county has plenty of water, especially since they have been getting all the water from the electric lake via skyline mine. go take a look at electric lake and tell me what you think. ever since skyline mine hit the fault that runs into electric lake, they have been getting plenty of water. electric lake is no more than a puddle and scofield is full.

whs · Jan 11, 2005

Scofield full????? Been up there this year? my duck hunting spot was 40 feet from the water. Tell me its full, who pulled the wool over your eyes.

RuttCrazed · Jan 12, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jan-12-05 AT 08:04AM (MST)[p]I'm with WHS on this one. Growing up there wasn't a time when the water wasn't going over the spillway at Scofield, now I see deer and cows grazing where I used to fish in a boat! Last I heard Skyline was putting water back into Electric Lake? If that thing gets any lower they will have to reclaim it.

Rut