PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula’s water supply outlook has declined, with snowpack levels and spring precipitation both trending below normal, according to the May 1 Water Supply Outlook Report from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Snowpack in the Olympic Basin is at 74% of the median for this time of year, down from 86% on April 1. April precipitation was just 65% of normal, and total precipitation since the start of the water year on October 1 has reached only 89% of the median.
Statewide, snowpack is at 70% of normal. Most of Washington experienced a warm, dry April, which accelerated snowmelt and reduced snowpack levels. Several basins east of the Cascades lost their remaining snowpack nearly a month ahead of schedule.
The outlook for water supply from May through September is below normal across much of the state. Forecasts are particularly low—less than 70% of average—in the central Washington Cascades, Wenatchee, Entiat, Okanogan, and Spokane basins. Western Washington basins, including the Olympic Peninsula, are also trending below normal, although to a lesser degree.
In the Olympic Basin, streamflow forecasts include the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge at 75% of median. Other rivers, including the Dungeness, are also expected to run below average in the coming months, raising concerns for summer water availability.