Water specialists at the Natural Resources Conservation Service say that snowpack throughout the state is well below what’s average at this time of year. The northwest corner of the state is closest to what’s considered normal, but the state-wide average is 54 percent of that.
Water specialist for the NRCS, Lee Hackleman, says this could mean drought.
"If it stays warm and dry like this we’re liable to see some of the drought-like conditions come back into our state, which we haven’t had for a few years. If everybody remembers, 4 or 5 years ago, a lot of the state was in drought. And right now we’re headed in that direction. Doesn’t mean we’re going to get there, but that’s the direction we’re headed."
Hackleman says that those using water directly out of streams above reservoirs may face shortages. The reservoirs are still full from record snowpack last year.
