The Bureau of Reclamation’s June forecast shows that snowmelt runoff for both the Bighorn and North Platte river basins is expected to remain well below the 30-year average.
In the Bighorn River Basin, June to July inflows are forecast at 47% of average for Bighorn Lake, 61% for Buffalo Bill Reservoir, 45% for Boysen Reservoir and 82% for Bull Lake Reservoir.
Meanwhile, the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to receive only 476,000 acre-feet of runoff from April through July, which is 50% of the average. As of May 31, the North Platte Reservoir System was 81% full, with no spill expected from Pathfinder Reservoir. Despite low inflows, a near-normal irrigation supply is expected due to current reservoir levels and a declared irrigation allocation in mid-May.
