Story Published: Feb 1, 2012 at 3:00 PM PDT
Story Updated: Feb 1, 2012 at 3:05 PM PDT
Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association Facebook
Folks in the river rafting industry in Idaho were also getting a little nervous with the lack of snow. But thankfully, that outlook is looking a little better these days.
A series of major snowstorms boosted snowpacks in the second half of January, quickly re-positioning Idaho's world-renowned rivers into an ideal scenario with plenty of water for a fun-filled spring and summer season, officials said this week.
"What a difference a week makes," Ron Abramovich, Idaho snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service said in a news release via the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.
Ten days of winter storms caused mountain snowpack levels to jump significantly throughout the state. In some river basins, such as the Owyhee in Southwest Idaho, snowpack levels more than doubled. The Boise Basin went from 55 percent of normal in mid-January to 90 percent of normal as of Feb. 1.
The Salmon River, a popular national destination for family river trips, now has 85 percent of normal snowpack, and the Middle Fork of the Salmon, the second-most popular wilderness river trip in the United States next to the Grand Canyon, made a similar leap to 82 percent.
Idaho outfitters said the water levels associated with those snowpack levels should be "ideal."
"We're excited about it, and our customers are excited about it," said Greg McFadden of Canyons, a Middle Fork and main Salmon outfitter. river trips. "The kayak surfing should be great."
Alison Steen, owner of Yellow Jacket River Guides said the water levels "look perfect for us, as long as we continue to get ample amounts of snow the rest of this winter."
Plenty of moisture will ward off wildfires and the rivers will peak earlier at an 85 percent level, making for a longer summer season, warmer water temperatures, bigger riverside beaches in August, and a longer fishing season, Steen said.
The Clearwater River Basin increased from 67 percent to 92 percent of normal snowpack levels as a result of the January storms.
Both the Selway and the Lochsa are robust whitewater rivers with a lot of Class 4 rapids (on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being an unrunnable waterfall) stacked up one after the other. Ninety percent runoff means the rivers will be plenty high for white-knuckle rafting enthusiasts in the spring months, Smith said, but they won't be peaking at super-high unsafe levels.
Idaho's rivers that are fed by reservoirs, such as the Snake River, will have plenty of flows this summer regardless because reservoirs are nearly full throughout the Snake River Basin, Abramovich said.
That means Hells Canyon of the Snake is likely to have robust river flows throughout the summer season, providing lots of thrills for whitewater rafters and kayakers.
