Snowmelt shouldn’t cause much flooding along North Platte

MILLS, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The Bureau of Reclamation in Mills has issued it’s snowmelt forecast for the North Platte River basin. The forecast for the spring is promising, overall... But could potentially come with drawbacks, as well.

The forecast indicates the spring runoff will be above average. This due in large part to the amount of snow that fell this winter. The total April-July runoff above the Glendo Dam is expected to be at 125% of the 30 year average. But with the drought the area has had the past couple years, the bureau says the excess this year is a good thing.

Mahonri Williams, the Chief of the Resources Management Division for the bureau, says “So there’s multiple benefits. There’s the water supply benefit for those that use it for irrigation. Our reservoirs are also... We use for multiple purposes. We store that water for irrigation, but it also... Our reservoir system provides flood control benefits. For those on the river down stream.”

The bureau says there may be a slight chance of localized flooding this spring, but the dams and reservoirs should mitigate that risk.

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