Arizona republican., 1914-04-15
SNOWFALL SCARCE IN
 CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
Section Director Briggs Explains Conditions in Snow Beds; Writes
 for Monthly Bulletin

Snow dope is still being complied by the United States weather bureau Section Director Briggs is the writer or column or so each month for the Climatological bulletin, and he al ways summarizes the weather condi- tions in Arizona. His latest contri- button deals with the scanty snow supply which was found by the snow explorers in the central noun tain chain last months He writes:
 March was a warm, dry month in the eastern and northern noun tain districts, and there was gen eral decrease in the depth of stored snow.
 In the White Mountains, where a survey of representative area was made, March 21, 27, the snow on the north slopes ranged from a trace at the 5000 foot level to about 30 inches at 10000 feet, while on the south slopes there was but little snow be- low 5000 feet and at 10000 the depth was about 15 inches. The ex- tensive flats of high elevations sit uated along the Salt-Little Colorado Divide held from 20 to 30 inches of snow. The average of a large num- Der of density measurements gave an equivalent of 033 inch of water for one inch of snow. As no exact data for this section have heretofore been fields in an average season can only be approximately assumed from the reports of forest officials and others who are familiar with conditions in past years From these it is esti- mated that the average snow line at the end of March is probably between 800 and 1000 feet lower than that of this year which WoU4G mean a vastly greater extent of snow area over the watershed.
 Reports indicate that the snow conditions on the Blue, the Graham. about the same as in the White Mountains, while on the Chiricahuse the depths are somewhat less There is little or no snow left in the Tonto and the East Verde watersheds. Drifts from ? to feet remain on the plateaus north of the Colorado river. A few inches remain on the Huachuca mountains.
 The streams, swollen from the February rains, subsided to moderate stages soon after the beginning of the month, and thereafter maintained a steady flow.
 The run off into the Roosevelt re- servoir amounted to about 13,O00 acre feet. as compared with S5000 acre feet during March, 1913. Last year. although there was much more snow to draw from, conditions were distinctly unfavorable for run-off owing to the persistent cold.
 Although the rain tanks and small CT irrigation reservoirs are now full, the diminished supply, together with the early advance of spring and the rapid drying of the ground, gives an unfavorable aspect to the water con ditions over the state for the early summer. and unless the seasonal rains come early a shortage of wa ter is indicated.
 At the close of March, conditions affecting the stored water supply for the Salt river project are mucn less promising then at the same date last year. The reservoir now con- tains less than 70 per cent of the amount that was in storage a year ago Although the results fell Tar below what was expected from re- ports from the snowfields at the end of last season, probably due to weather favorable for loss by eVap- oration. there was steady run-oil from melting snow throughout the month of April last year amounting to a daily average of approxlmateiy OOO second feet. owing to de- ficiency in the winter accumulation of snow at high attitudes, the spring run off this year, should the weather in April present no unusual features will be below the average. It IS probable, therefore, without the strictest economy, and unless sum mer showers over the irrigated area be frequent and opportune and lresh- cts sufficient for irrigation occur III the Verde river and the water there- from fully utilized, that the amount of water in the Roosevelt reservoir at the end of the season Will De much below that of the minimum reached last fall