2010 Montana Snow Pack
The recent cool weather and precipitation has increased our Montana snow pack in the upper and lower Yellowstone river valleys. About this time of the year we stop looking at the snow pack levels and start looking at SWE or Snow Water Equivalent. SWE is a measure of the the amount of water left in the snow.
Currently the Upper Yellowstone is at 86% of normal levels. The Lower Yellowstone is at 128% of normal. What does this mean to anglers, tourists and Montana travelers? Good water conditions for trout and conditions that lower our chances for major forest fires in the late summer and fall. All-in-all it’s looking like a positive start to our summer fishing season. We’ll keep you posted.
Most of the time we will be the first one’s to say, “Fishing and politics don’t mix”! At least when you’re floating the river looking for Mr. Trout to eat your dry fly. Sometimes anglers/hunters/avid outdoorsmen have to take a serious look around and become involved. We here at Montana Fly Fishing Guides aren’t political by nature, but when topics are debated that directly effect our resources we try to stand up and be counted. Please visit the resource below to learn more about how you can ensure your children will enjoy the same recreational activities you do today. We aren’t saying that the proposed legislation is THE solution, but all of us should be informed and willing to get involved in this discussion!
The following is an excerpt from Climate Central, we encourage you to watch the video and learn more. We’ve already contacted our Montana Congressmen and given them our opinions. We urge you to learn more about this topic, contact your local congressmen, and get involved:
“The flow of water in Montana’s rivers is lifeblood for its economy, both through tourism and agriculture. Montana’s trout and the $300 million recreational fishing industry depend on cool waters flowing from melting snow high in the mountains throughout the summer. Irrigated crops play a prominent role in Montana’s $2.4 billion agricultural industry, and these crops rely on the same strong river flows during the summer when soils are driest and plants thirstiest. But a broad trend is changing the way streams and rivers flow in Montana. Read more & view video…
You can also email Derek Goldman directly at dgoldman@mrss.com to become involved.
If you haven’t heard we’ve gotten plenty of snow in the past couple weeks. Winter is off to a great start here in our part of Montana, hopefully it will continue. As of today our Montana snow pack is over 120% ! Lot’s of snow means plenty of cool water for our trout in the summer time. Keep it coming.
Here’s the link if you want to check it out yourself.
