Milk River Basin - Water Supply Forecasts

As of February 1, 2006, below average natural runoff volumes are forecast for the March to September 2006 period in the Milk River basin (Table 3). Current forecasts in the basin range from 77 to 82% of the median, 13 to 29% higher than volumes recorded during the March through September 2005 period. For the Milk River at Milk River, current forecasted values for the March to September 2006 period would rank 32nd lowest in 91 years of record (1912-2001).

Although snowpack is currently minimal in this low elevation basin, future snowfall and summer rainfall will readily translate into runoff as soil conditions are wet after heavy summer and fall rain last year.