Runoff Forecast Improves

The winter weather we’ve seen recently has improved the water storage predictions for the Bighorn Basin.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s March forecast of the April through July runoff shows that inflow to Bighorn Lake is forecast now at almost 1.18 million acre-feet, which is 96 percent of the 30-year average. And the Shoshone River should bring about 775 thousand acre feet into the Buffalo Bill Reservoir – that’s 105 percent of the 30-year average.

Just last month, the water forecast was for 72 percent of the average inflow to Bighorn Lake and 88 percent of average for Buffalo Bill.

The National Weather Service says that last month’s precipitation across the state was 115 to 125 percent of average, and that the current water year precipitation is averaging 100 to 110 percent of normal across Wyoming.

The total reservoir capacity across the state continues to be 70 to 75 percent currently.