APRIL SNOW SURVEY REPORT RELEASED

High River Flows Forecast for Kenai Peninsula, Southeast and Western Alaska

April 14, 2008, Palmer AK - The April Snow Survey Report released by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service forecasts that high snowpack conditions in the Kenai Peninsula, Western Interior Basin and Southeast Alaska will cause higher than average Spring and Summer flows in the Kenai River, Kuskokwim River, Glacier Creek (Girdwood), Six Mile Creek (Hope), and Gold Creek (Juneau) as the water content inside winter’s snowpack is released as snowmelt runoff.

Conversely, low snowpack in the Delta Junction, Copper Basin, Fairbanks and Arctic Slope areas will mean lower than average stream flows in the Little Chena River, Chena River, Tanana River, Gulkana River, Salcha River, Sagvanirktok River and Kuparuk River.

Ship Creek in Anchorage is projected to have flows slightly higher than normal, and the Talkeetna and Little Susitna Rivers in the Mat-Su will be low – about 80 percent of normal.

Snow Survey data is used to forecast river flow volume, breakup flooding potential, avalanche danger, summer forest fire probability, and fresh water availability for municipalities and power generation. Snow survey information also contributes to an index on the winter severity with respect to wildlife and reindeer calf survival.

Users can also log onto www.ambcs.org to get up to the minute information on temperature, precipitation and snow conditions prior to planning a recreational outing.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service puts 70 years of experience to work in assisting people to conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. NRCS works in partnership with local conservation districts serves almost every county in the nation, and the Caribbean and Pacific Basin. Participation in our programs is voluntary.

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