Oregon Public Broadcasting

Heavy snow in the Cascades last month brought snow levels well above average.  Pete Springer went on a federal snow survey Thursday near Timberline and has this report.

The snow blew sideways at times as Jon Lea with the Natural Resources Conservation Service snowshoed into the survey site. 

Lea jammed an aluminum tube into the snow then pulled it out and weighed it. 

The tubes measure water content of the snow.

John Lea: “This site was 123 percent of average.  When you look at the other stations that we have, we have eight sites that ring Mt. Hood, the snow pack is 148 percent of average so right around here, it’s very good, the Willamette Valley is real good.  The snow pack in the Willamette is 126.”

Lea says other snow surveys conducted this week around the state show the Rogue and Umpqua basins at about 103 percent of average.

But two east side basins -- in Lake County and the Owyhees -- are below average this year.

Lea says snow surveys are crucial for predicting how much water will be available for agriculture, rivers, and hydroelectric power this summer.

Up to 80 percent of summer water in the west comes from melted snow.