White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-04-21
Heavy Snowfall
May Mean High
Water This Year
SNOW IN HIGHER LEVELS OF
WATERSHED CONSIDERABLY
ABOVE NORMAL

while the precipitation for the win
ter as a whole, over the Columbia river
drainage area, was not greatly above
normal, temperatures prevailing while
precipitation was occurring were such
that large part of the precipitation
was snow" says an extract from
Chronological report dated at Portland.
April Is, on the seasons snowfall in
the Columbia river drainage basin for
the winter 1892
Continuing, the report says: "Thaws
in February and March ran off con-
siderable amounts of snow at low and
moderate levels, but there has been
little runoff from the higher levels.
The depth remaining at high levels.
from which most of the summer rise
of the Columbia comes, is generally
above normal, and in some areas it is
the greatest in several years. The snow
is we'll packed and the water content
is high. Much of it is so compact that
it is expected to melt slowly. If soil
moisture were normal, the runoff would
be considerably above normal, but it
is believed that considerable part
of the excess in snow water will be
taken up by the soil. 1t is expected,
however, that with normal weather
prevailing during the spring and early
summer the annual rise in the Col
umbia will give a crest at Portland
somewhat above the average of 20 feet.
The occurrence Of unusually hot wea-
Their in late May or early June might
result in crest of % or % feet"
Of the conditions in the state OF
Washington, Lawrence G. Fisher, met
eorologist, in the report says:
Snowfall for the winter was con-
siderably greater than normal, especial
ly in the high mountains, but the warm
period, accompanied by heavy rains
and high Winds which occurred in the
last week Of February, SO reduced the
depth at lower elevations that by
March 81 the depth remaining on the
east slope of the Cascades in the
Okanogan Highlands and in the Blue
Mountains was somewhat below nor
NAL.
However, at the comparatively high
elevations in all sections of the state
there still remains more than the nor
NAL depth of snow. Density measure
ments at number Of points, as we'll
as the opinion of observers, indicate
that the remaining snow is unusually
compact. There Is little or no frost ia
the ground under the snow, and at
higher elevations much moisture is
found in the SOIL although at lower
elevations in the Okanogan Highlands
ing the unfrozen condition of the soil
and it's comparative dryness in some
sections, it is the concensus of opinion
that unusually deep and dense snow
at the higher elevations will produce
more than normal stream flow; more
than that of 1923. The maximum flow
at any time will depend considerably
on the combination of weather con-
ditions during the spring"
The last paragraph in the report
which deals with the conditions in
British Columbia and Canada, reads:
"The depth Of the snow on the noun
tains in the upper Columbia river
area in British Columbia is consider
ably above the average, and the runoff
will be above the average, and in the
event of pronounced warm spells in
May or June in the mountains, SER
ious floods may occur on the lower
levels"