The best thing about snow in Montana is not for the well-to-do down hill ski industry. I spin it to North Dakota and recharging the Missouri River system, Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe. And it’s about time for some good news, from the Minot Daily News.

The mountain snowfall that eventually melts and drains into the Missouri and Yellowstone river basins that feed Lake Sakakawea is accumulating at normal levels this winter, something that hasn’t occurred since 1999.


“I would guess we would say it’s good news, but it’s still too early to claim victory over the drought,” remarked Jody Farhat, hydraulic manager at the Corps of Engineers Missouri River Basin water management office in Omaha. “Normally, by February 1st, we have about 60 percent of peak accumulation on the ground. We need that other 40 percent over the next couple of months.”

As of Feb. 1, the mountain snowpack water content was tracking along historic norms and was listed at 100 percent of normal. A year ago at this time the snowpack was at 84 percent of normal. Although the critical snowfall months of February and March are still to come, any signs of a normal winter in the mountains is welcome news for the Lake Sakakawea region.


I’d prefer 300% of normal, but even just ‘normal’ is a welcome change.