The Natural Resources Conservation Service and Water Resources Data System report lower than average precipitation levels in Wyoming so far, which could lead to another dry summer.
Many areas of Wyoming may face the same drought dangers they faced last summer as the state has received little moisture in the past year.
With low water levels, Wyoming is the fifth driest state and has faced a drought almost consistently since 1999. The severity of the droughts have varied since then, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Water Resources Data System.
Low water levels have been consistent within the year as little snow and rain precipitation has been a harsh reality for the state. Areas around Laramie Valley have been no exception to a possible drought as bodies of water leading into the Laramie River have been well below average.
The precipitation as of now is 15.2 percent in Brooklyn Lake, 16 percent in Cinnabar Park, 7.3 percent in Crow Creek, 12.8 percent in Deadman Hill, 12.9 percent in Rawah, and 13.6 percent in Roach.
While these percentages might not mean much, they are considerably lower than the averages, which is 76 percent for Brooklyn Lake, 70 percent for Cinnabar Park, 72 percent for Crow Creek, 78 percent for Deadman Hill, 74 percent for Roach. Information for Rawah average was unavailable.
Though there has been precipitation, it is not enough to make up for what the state lacks.
“We got snow,” Lee Hackleman, of the service’s Casper office, said in an article by The Casper-Star Tribune. “We’re supposed to get snow this time of year. We’re supposed to get more snow this time a year than what we’re getting.”
Last year’s low moisture levels could potentially be an indicator of the dangers Wyoming will face this summer.
In April 2012, the snow water equivalent was also below average at 67 percent. There were, however, a few exceptions with the Yellowstone and Madison basing being above average by about 18 percent.
Still, the majority of the basins were below average with the majority of the basins below average by at least 50 percent, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Last year Wyoming and Colorado were ravaged by wildfires due to dry conditions and minimal precipitation. Time will tell if both states will face the same dangers this summer.
