There is plenty of room for the large spring snows right now.  This
may be an interesting spring, as the predictors are not very solid
and we, in the South Paltte drainage, may be looking at low stream flows
if the snowpack does not catch up a bit in the next two months.

On 28 February 2001, there was 7.125 inches of snow water equivalent
on the ground at C1.  This is 65% of the 19 year average, and
just over 27 inches in depth.  This is about the same percentage
of average as last month, so one could say that February snowfall
kept up with its seasonal expectations.  Now it is up to March and April,
and perhaps May, to pull us ahead.

Statewide, the relative snowpack did not change from last month either,
with the southwest at or above normal, and the northeast well below.
The basin with the highest average snowpack right now is the Upper Rio
Grande with 107% (Wolf Creek is 102%), and the lowest is again our S. Platte 
with 67%
 according to the SnoTel data base (which reports C1 with 57% of average).
 Within the S.Platte basin, areas west and high have the most.  Hoosier
Pass
 reports 89%, Loveland Basin 88%, and Eldora 66% (good that they have
snowmaking).

 Unitl next month ...
 Mark

Sno Tel Data  Niwot Ridge, C-1
Snow Water Content (inches)
Values are for the end of given month
except as noted for May and June

      Season     Dec      Jan      Feb      Mar      Apr     May	Jun
       81/82    4.75     10.5     11.75    15.5     14.9    12.0   (17th)
       82/83    3.63              4.75     12.75     17     11.75  (30th)
       83/84    12.6     13.25     15      18.9     20.75
       84/85    3.75     6.25      8.5     10.25    8.75
       85/86     6.5      7.5      14      15.38    17.5
       86/87    6.25     8.75     11.25    12.75    11.75
       87/88     6.5      9.1     12.4     15.75    14.5
       88/89     5.5      7.6      11      10.25     5.6
       89/90     6.5     9.25     10.75    16.1     16.5
       90/91      3        5       7.1     9.38      10
       91/92    6.65     6.75      8.5     12.25    10.25
       92/93    5.75     6.75     10.75     14      15.875
       93/94    7.125    9.063    12.25    13.25    13.25     2.5  (18th)
       94/95    2.625    3.925     7.0     10.125   16.75    17.0  (22nd)	12.375  (13th)
                                                             19.75 (30th)
       95/96    7.50     12.00    17.5     20.375   18.75     6.125 (15th)
       96/97    8.75     12.625   15.125   14.625   20.375   18.0   (15th)
       97/98    7.0625   10.0     10.125   12.875   17.25    12.875 (15th)
       98/99    3.25     6.625     8.375    9.125   14.125   14.25  (15th)
       99/2000  3.5      7.5      10.625   12.375    7.625
       00/2001  4.375    5.375     7.125

      Average   5.778    8.306    10.694   13.474   14.289