National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Missouri Basin River Forecast Center
Water Supply Statement
Issued in cooperation with the Natural
Resources Conservation Service
Issued:  January 15, 2019

 

 

                   January 1, 2019 Spring and Summer Streamflow Forecasts

 

 Upper Missouri Basin


The high elevation snow pack in the Upper Missouri Basin as of January 1
was near ave
rage. The snow pack above Fort Peck, Montana was
87 percent. The snow pack in the St. Mary Basin was 84 percent, and the
Milk River Basin was 91 percent.

December precipitation across the Upper Missouri Basin was near to above average.
Basin precipitation summaries for the Missouri Basin include: Milk St. Mary,
92 percent; Milk Canada, 66 percent; Lower Milk, 111 percent; above Toston,
64 percent; Toston to Ft. Peck, 88 percent. 

 

December 2018 Upper Missouri Mean Precip            Oct-Dec WY2019 Upper Missouri Mean Precip


Stream flow in the Upper Missouri Basin is forecast to be
below average during the upcoming Spring and Summer.
The St. Mary River is forecast to have 80 percent of average
April-September flows. Runoff is expected to range around
81 percent of average for the Missouri Basin above Fort Peck,
Montana.


 


  Upper Missouri January 1, 2019 Spring and Summer Streamflow Forecasts

 

Of the four major irrigation reservoirs in Montana; Lima
Reservoir had 172 percent average storage, Clark Canyon was
holding 129 percent of average water, Gibson Reservoir had 47
percent of average stored water, and Fresno Reservoir had
99 percent of average stored water.

The major hydroelectric reservoirs in Montana (Canyon Ferry and
Fort Peck), had monthend storage in the average to above
average range; 101 and 119 percent of average water, respectively
.



Yellowstone Basin 

The high elevation snow pack in the Yellowstone Basin was above average
on January 1. The snow pack in the Upper Yellowstone Basin was 98 percent
of average. The snow packs in the Wind, Bighorn, and Shoshone Basins were 80,
104, and 103 percent of average, respectively. The snow packs in the Tongue
and Powder basins were 84 and 106 percent of average, respectively.

Precipitation during December was near to above average. The upper Yellowstone
River Basin received 87 percent of average precipitation while the
Lower Yellowstone River Basin reported 144 percent of average. The
Bighorn Basin received 93 percent of average precipitation while the
Wind River Basin received 73 percent of average. The Little Bighorn -
Upper Tongue Basin received 78 percent of average and the Powder River
had 185 percent of average precipitation.




 December 2018 Yellowstone Mean Precip                 Oct-Dec WY2019 Yellowstone Mean Precip
 

Forecast stream flow in the Yellowstone Basin is near average 
for the upcoming Spring and Summer.  Stream flow for the
Yellowstone River above Sidney, Montana is forecast to be about 
89 percent of average.  Flow in the Tongue Basin is expected to be
90 percent of average.  Flows in the Powder River are expected
to be about 82 percent of average.

Monthend storage at Boysen Reservoir was 110 percent of average. 
Stored water in Buffalo Bill Reservoir was 128 percent of average. 
Monthend storage was 100 percent of average at Bighorn Reservoir.

 


    Yellowstone January 1, 2019 Spring and Summer Streamflow Forecasts

 

Platte Basin 

The high elevation snow pack in the Upper North Platte Basin was
101 percent of average on January 1.  The snow pack in the North Platte
Basin below Seminoe Reservoir was 109 percent of average.  The snow
pack in the South Platte Basin was 92 percent of average.

Precipitation during December in the Upper North Platte Basin was 48
percent of average.  In the Lower North Platte Basin, precipitation
was 60 percent of average.  The North Platte Plains below Guernsy
Reservoir had 64 percent.  The South Platte Mountains had 31
percent whereas the Plains had 27 percent of average December
precipitation.





 

 December 2018 Platte Mean Precip                          Oct-Dec WY2019 Platte Mean Precip

 

Stream flow in the Platte Basin is forecast to be below 
average during the upcoming Spring and Summer. Runoff
for streams above Seminoe Reservoir are expected to be
about 65 percent of average. Streams in the South Platte
Basin above South Platte, Colorado can expect 79 percent
of average flow. For the remainder of the South Platte
basin, flows are expected near 60 percent.

Stored water in the South Platte Basin was 99 percent of average
on January 1.



   North Platte Streamflow Fcst          South Platte Streamflow Fcst


PRECIPITATION MAPS
December 2018  WY 2019
December 2018 Precipitation Percent of 1981-2010 Average WY2019 Precipitation as Percent of 1981-2010 Average
December 2018 Basin Mean Precipitation          WY2019 Basin Mean Precipitation
December 2018 MBRFC Basin Mean Precipitation      WY2019 MBRFC Basin Mean Precipitation

 

WATER SUPPLY FORECAST
NWS MISSOURI BASIN RIVER FORECAST CENTER
PLEASANT HILL MISSOURI

1100 CST WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02 2019

DATA CURRENT AS OF: JANUARY 01 2019

MISSOURI/YELLOWSTONE/PLATTE RIVER BASIN FORECASTS

                                        50%   %   10%   90%   AVG
FORECAST POINT                  PERIOD (KAF) AVG (KAF) (KAF) (KAF)
------------------------------------------------------------------
BOYSEN RESERVOIR INFLOW         APR-SEP 711  68%  1247  430   1047
SBDW4N
BIGHORN R AT KANE               APR-SEP 1096 67%  1931  734   1633
LVEW4N
GREYBULL R NR MEETEETSE         APR-SEP 151  64%  240   72    235
MEEW4N
BUFFALO BILL RESERVOIR INFLOW   APR-SEP 569  84%  760   399   679
CDYW4N
ST MARY R NR BABB               APR-SEP 333  80%  454   282   418
SMYM8N
ST MARY R AT INT BOUNDARY       APR-SEP 389  80%  540   331   485
SMBM8N
MILK R NR CUTBANK               APR-SEP 24   60%  58    10    40
PDBM8N
MILK R AT EASTERN CROSSING      APR-SEP 43   62%  106   18    70
ERNM8N
NORTH PLATTE R NR NORTHGATE     APR-SEP 210  62%  356   88    340
NGTC2
ENCAMPMENT R NR ENCAMPMENT      APR-SEP 99   64%  151   47    154
ERCW4
ENCAMPMENT R NR ENCAMPMENT      APR-SEP 107  66%  160   56    163
ECRW4N
ROCK CK NR ARLINGTON            APR-SEP 42   82%  58    29    51
KCRW4
ROCK CK NR ARLINGTON            APR-SEP 42   83%  58    29    51
KCRW4N
SEMINOE RESERVOIR INFLOW WY     APR-SEP 583  62%  928   263   938
SETW4
SEMINOE RESERVOIR INFLOW WY     APR-SEP 726  66%  1082  394   1103
SETW4N
LARAMIE R NR WOODS              APR-SEP 35   45%  89    11    79
WODW4
LARAMIE R NR WOODS              APR-SEP 70   62%  124   36    114
WODW4N
LITTLE LARAMIE R NR FILMORE     APR-SEP 46   94%  71    28    49
SMTW4
LITTLE LARAMIE R NR FILMORE     APR-SEP 49   94%  73    30    52
SMTW4N
ANTERO RESERVOIR INFLOW         APR-SEP 14   78%  21    9     17
ANRC2N
SPINNEY MOUNTAIN RES INFLOW     APR-SEP 40   75%  73    27    53
SPYC2N
ELEVENMILE CANYON RES INFLOW    APR-SEP 43   74%  83    29    58
EVNC2N
CHEESMAN LAKE INFLOW            APR-SEP 85   77%  166   52    110
CHEC2N
SOUTH PLATTE R AT SOUTH PLATTE  APR-SEP 158  81%  294   103   197
SPTC2N
BEAR CK AT MORRISON             APR-SEP 12   49%  41    7     24
MRRC2N
CLEAR CK AT GOLDEN              APR-SEP 97   77%  156   64    125
GLDC2N
ST VRAIN CK AT LYONS            APR-SEP 85   89%  113   56    96
LNSC2N
BOULDER CK NR ORODELL           APR-SEP 46   91%  69    37    51
OROC2N
S BOULDER CK NR ELDORADO SPR    APR-SEP 25   68%  45    15    37
BELC2N
CACHE LA POUDRE AT CANYON MOUTH APR-SEP 181  86%  313   103   212
FTDC2N
LIMA RESERVOIR INFLOW           APR-SEP 36   61%  68    22    60
LRRM8N
CLARK CANYON RESERVOIR INFLOW   APR-SEP 108  78%  158   69    137
CLKM8N
BEAVERHEAD R AT BARRETTS        APR-SEP 130  76%  181   90    170
BARM8N
RUBY R RESERVOIR INFLOW         APR-SEP 74   86%  95    53    87
ALRM8N
BIG HOLE R NR MELROSE           APR-SEP 399  79%  567   244   506
MLRM8
BIG HOLE R NR MELROSE           APR-SEP 456  81%  622   300   563
MLRM8N
HEBGEN RESERVOIR INFLOW         APR-SEP 380  97%  486   291   393
HBDM8N
ENNIS RESERVOIR INFLOW          APR-SEP 680  97%  806   507   700
ELMM8N
GALLATIN R NR GATEWAY           APR-SEP 301  65%  391   196   460
GLGM8
GALLATIN R NR GATEWAY           APR-SEP 301  65%  391   196   460
GLGM8N
GALLATIN R AT LOGAN             APR-SEP 273  60%  416   158   455
LOGM8
GALLATIN R AT LOGAN             APR-SEP 407  71%  538   271   575
LOGM8N
MISSOURI R AT TOSTON            APR-SEP 2051 80%  2669  432   2561
TOSM8N
MISSOURI R AT FORT BENTON       APR-SEP 3094 80%  4083  258   3866
FBNM8N
MISSOURI R NR VIRGELLE          APR-SEP 3576 82%  4791  657   4350
VRGM8N
MISSOURI R NR LANDUSKY          APR-SEP 3770 83%  5158  768   4535
LDKM8N
MISSOURI R BLW FT PECK DAM      APR-SEP 4050 84%  5463  937   4817
FPKM8N
GIBSON RESERVOIR INFLOW         APR-SEP 246  70%  447   169   351
AGSM8N
MARIAS R NR SHELBY              APR-SEP 306  71%  595   214   428
SHLM8N
MUSSELSHELL R AT HARLOWTON      APR-SEP 89   81%  142   56    110
HLWM8N
YELLOWSTONE R AT YELLOWSTONE LK APR-SEP 510  78%  661   346   657
YLOW4APR
YELLOWSTONE R AT YELLOWSTONE LK APR-SEP 718  87%  926   499   824
YLOW4N
YELLOWSTONE R AT CORWIN SPRINGS APR-SEP 1367 82%  1685  966   1673
CORM8
YELLOWSTONE R AT CORWIN SPRINGS APR-SEP 1660 87%  2055  173   1912
CORM8N
YELLOWSTONE R AT LIVINGSTON     APR-SEP 1629 85%  1984  196   1913
LIVM8
YELLOWSTONE R AT LIVINGSTON     APR-SEP 1981 90%  2421  442   2209
LIVM8N
YELLOWSTONE R AT BILLINGS       APR-SEP 2717 82%  3397  955   3322
BILM8
YELLOWSTONE R AT BILLINGS       APR-SEP 3761 87%  4517  882   4330
BILM8N
YELLOWSTONE R AT MILES CITY     APR-SEP 5878 80%  7468  400   7334
MILM8N
YELLOWSTONE R AT SIDNEY         APR-SEP 6234 81%  7718  613   7676
SIDM8N
BOULDER R AT BIG TIMBER         APR-SEP 165  61%  216   115   273
BTMM8
BOULDER R AT BIG TIMBER         APR-SEP 264  84%  315   203   314
BTMM8N
STILLWATER R NR ABSAROKEE       APR-SEP 414  84%  493   307   496
SRAM8
STILLWATER R NR ABSAROKEE       APR-SEP 470  85%  549   363   552
SRAM8N
CLARKS FK YELWSTONE R NR BELFRY APR-SEP 380  78%  503   271   490
BFYM4
CLARKS FK YELWSTONE R NR BELFRY APR-SEP 450  80%  573   344   562
BFYM4N
BIGHORN R NR ST XAVIER          APR-SEP 1836 77%  2686  175   2382
STXM8N
LITTLE BIGHORN R NR HARDIN      APR-SEP 95   118% 138   71    80
HRDM8N
TONGUE R NR DAYTON              APR-SEP 85   104% 110   58    82
DAYW4N
TONGUE R NR DECKER              APR-SEP 193  87%  277   125   221
DSLM8N
TONGUE R RESERVOIR INFLOW       APR-SEP 194  87%  284   125   222
DKRM8N
POWDER R NR LOCATE              APR-SEP 171  79%  337   113   215
MHDM8
POWDER R NR LOCATE              APR-SEP 192  78%  425   124   247
LOCM8N

LOCATIONS WITH AN "N" SUFFIX INDICATE NATURAL FLOWS EXCLUDING
STREAM AUGMENTATIONS

KAF: THOUSANDS OF ACRE-FEET

%AVG: CURRENT 50%/AVG

AVG: AVERAGE (50%) SEASONAL RUNOFF VOLUME AS SIMULATED BY THE RIVER
FORECAST MODEL CONSIDERING A CONTINUOUS SIMULATION OF THE BASIN
RESPONSE TO HISTORIC CLIMATE DATA (OBSERVED PRECIPITATION AND
TEMPERATURES) OVER THE PERIOD OF 1981-2010

THE 50%  10%  AND 90% COLUMNS INDICATE THE PROBABILITY THAT THE
ACTUAL VOLUME WILL EXCEED THE FORECAST FOR THE VALID TIME PERIOD

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:  WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MBRFC/WATER