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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Montana snowpack near normal for most regions
The Jefferson River near Cardwell, Montana, on June 19, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) As Montana moves towards warmer weather, scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture continue to monitor the status of the state's snowpack and forecast how the waterways will flow this summer. But, much of the state appears to be better shape than the same time last year. Most sites in Montana have passed their peak snow water equivalent accumulation for the season, with a majority of sites reaching near to below normal peak snowpack. That's according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which released its May Water Supply Outlook Report last week. 'The shift to spring brought to a close the bulk of the snowpack accumulation season and started the snowmelt and runoff season,' said Florence Millers, a NRCS hydrologist, in a press release about the report. Weather in April was slightly warmer than normal for much of the state, while precipitation varied. Across the southwest and central Montana, precipitation for the year is near normal, while in the Northwest, an early water deficit has not been overcome, and the region is between 75-90% of median precipitation. 'Several April warm spells that brought periods of above normal temperatures and initiated snowmelt across many low-to mid-elevation SNOTEL sites,' Miller said. As of May 1, snowpack percentages in the southwest and central parts of the state range between 95-110% of median, while snowpack in the western portion of the state has decreased to between 75-90% of median. The Sun-Teton-Marias basis saw 'well below normal' snowpack throughout the winter and is at just 61% of median snow water equivalent. Snow-water equivalent, rather than snow depth, is the measurement used to gauge the amount of liquid water contained within snowpack, which will be released when the snowpack melts. The snowmelt plays a key role in agriculture, hydropower production, water storage, aquatic ecosystem health and recreation such as boating and fishing, as well as flood and drought forecasting. The May water supply report highlights that while some early season melt has already occurred at some monitoring sites across the state, 'there is still a lot of water stored within the higher elevation snowpacks' and weather in the coming weeks will shape the water supply for the summer. In April, the Beartooth and Bighorn mountains saw roughly double their normal precipitation for the month, much of it as snow, bolstering water supply in the regions. The Flathead and Kootenai basins also saw much more precipitation than average, which could benefit Flathead Lake in the early summer months. The Tongue River Basin in the Bighorn Mountains has the highest snowpack compared to the 20-year median, according to NRCS data, at 111%. Meanwhile the Sun-Teton-Marias basin measured just 61% of median as of May 1. Despite relatively good conditions throughout April, much of Montana is under drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Nearly three-quarters of the state is under some level of drought conditions, which range from 'abnormally dry' to 'exceptional drought.' More than 43% of the state is under 'moderate drought' conditions, while a portion of the Upper Clark Fork and Blackfoot basins are classified as 'severe to extreme drought.' The water supply forecast currently predicts much of state the will be near or below normal, ranging from 70-110% of median. At the low end of that prediction scale is the Powder River basin, currently forecast at between 60-70% of normal. The Flathead River Basin is at 86% of median snowpack, compared to 68% at this time last year. Streamflows on the main Flathead River are forecast around 80% of the 20-year average. The Upper Clark Fork Basin is sitting at 91% of median snowpack, a significant improvement from last year when it has just 56% of normal. The Madison River Basin has a snowpack at 86% of normal, higher than at this point last year and is forecast to have streamflows around 85% of normal. The Upper Missouri River Basin had a May 1 snowpack of 74% of median, significantly higher than the 42% seen in 2024. For a complete look at each river basin's snowpack conditions and streamflow forecast, visit the NRCS May report here. Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, has become a contentious point for water policy debates following extreme drought in 2023 that saw the lake fill to less than two feet below normal. During the 2025 Legislative session, Montana lawmakers passed a resolution supporting recreational uses on Flathead Lake to be considered during management discussion by the myriad local, state, tribal and federal partners that coordinate the lake's water level. Energy Keepers Inc., the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes company that operates the Se̓liš Ksanka Qĺispe̓ Dam on the south end of the lake, published regular updates using the latest streamflow predictions to inform the public of where it expects the lake levels to be. According to a May 13 update, Energy Keepers expects the lake to reach its full-pool elevation of 2,893 feet by early to mid-June. So far, the SKQ project has not had to coordinate flood risk management changes to its operating plan, as it has done the last two years when streamflow forecasts were much lower than normal. The latest update from Energy Keepers states that while expectations are for the lake to fill to normal levels, 'both weather and streamflows are highly uncertain.' 'SKQ Project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.'
Broadcast Pro
02-05-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
EditShare to unveil AI-powered workflows and NVMe storage at CABSAT
To further streamline operations, EditShare is also introducing FLOW CoreUnlimited, a new licensing model that eliminates seat restrictions. This innovation allows media organisations to scale user access instantly, offering unmatched flexibility for studios of all sizes — from independent creators to large global production houses. The company's CABSAT showcase will also feature a new newsroom integration with leading Newsroom Computer System (NRCS) provider Octopus, enabling faster, more collaborative workflows for modern journalism teams. Additionally, EditShare will present new capabilities across its EFS platform, including multi-channel Live NDI support for real-time, high-performance live production and the launch of the All-in-One 410 — a compact powerhouse offering up to 600TB of raw storage per node, suitable for environments where space and performance are critical. EditShare is also expanding storage capacities across its entire product line to meet the growing demands of high-volume, high-speed media operations. Tara Montford, Co-Founder and EVP of Sales at EditShare, said: 'At CABSAT 2025, we're bringing the full force of EditShare innovation. From blazing-fast performance to limitless scalability and smart automation, we're empowering creative teams to tell bigger, bolder stories faster and from anywhere.' Stand S1-D20
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cox considers emergency declaration as drought worsens in southern Utah and Lake Powell levels drop
Boats can be seen at anchor at the Wahweap Marina in Lake Powell near Page, Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. With drought conditions worsening in southern Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox says he's working on issuing an emergency declaration. Despite northern Utah seeing average snow this year, counties in the south are exceptionally dry. Cox said he's currently working with local officials on the declaration, which could extend to a handful of counties in the southwestern corner of Utah that have seen a meager snowpack this winter. 'We feel really good about where we are,' Cox said about water conditions on Thursday during his monthly PBS Utah news conference, calling it a 'pretty normal year for most of the state.' 'However, I will say it wasn't a great year for all of the state. And southern Utah, especially southwestern Utah, was well below average and they are seeing some elevated drought conditions there. I would say, yes, there is a very real possibility; in fact, we're working on it right now, of an emergency declaration,' the governor said. Statewide, the snow water equivalent — which is basically the amount of water currently in the snowpack — is at about 78% of normal, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, which tracks the snowpack at sites around the state. Much of northern Utah is between that or higher, with Snowbird's site at 96%, and a site in Big Cottonwood Canyon at 115%. But many NRCS sites in southern Utah are below 50% of the median snow water equivalent, some with just 1%, even 0%. Much of Washington and Iron counties are currently in extreme drought, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources, while swaths of Beaver, Millard, Juab, Tooele, Uintah, Grand and San Juan counties are in severe drought. The rest of the state is either in moderate drought or abnormally dry, except for a sliver of northwestern Box Elder County and the high elevation portions of Salt Lake, Utah, Morgan, Wasatch and Summit counties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'The Drought Response Committee has been meeting more regularly to address concerns in drought-impacted areas,' said Candice Hasenyager, Utah Division of Water Resources director, in a statement Friday. 'Many state agencies are coordinating their response to drought conditions that will likely intensify heading into summer.' Hasenyager reminded Utahns to hold off on irrigation until 'your landscape needs it.' 'Most of northern Utah can hold off on irrigating until Mother's Day or until temperatures are in the mid-70s for several days,' she said. The state's reservoirs somewhat mirror the snowpack, with northern Utah looking good and southern Utah falling behind. In the north, the larger lakes and reservoirs — Strawberry, Bear Lake, Jordanelle, Flaming Gorge, Utah Lake, Deer Creek, Starvation and Pineview — are all above 75% capacity, with some hovering just below 100%. But south of Price, all but five reservoirs — Huntington, Joes Valley, Otter Creek, Quail Creek and Sand Hollow — are above 75%. Some, like Yuba Reservoir or Panguitch Lake, are below 50%. The outlook is particularly bad for the country's second-largest reservoir, Lake Powell, which is federally controlled by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. As of Friday, the reservoir was at about 32% capacity. According to the Utah Rivers Council, Lake Powell is about 70 feet above the minimum level for the Glen Canyon Dam to generate hydroelectric power. That level will continue to decline into the summer and fall, the council said, pointing to an 'increasingly dire runoff future.' 'The countdown can start on Utah having to cut its portion of Colorado River water,' said Zach Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council. 'Other states in the basin are putting odds on how soon that will happen and it's definitely coming, alongside the shutdown of Glen Canyon hydropower.' During the news conference on Thursday, Cox said he is 'always worried about Lake Powell,' and has been for years, with the Colorado River plagued by drought and decreased flows. 'The good news is that Lake Powell, that water going into Powell does not come from the southwest side of the state,' said Cox, referring to the source of the Colorado River, which is in alpine areas of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. 'The water content in the mountains is a little bit better there.' The governor can declare a state of emergency in response to natural disasters or public health threats. However, after tension brewed between the Legislature and former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert over his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers passed a law in 2021 limiting emergency declarations to 30 days. The Legislature could extend that emergency declaration if lawmakers pass a joint resolution. Cox hinted that lawmakers could convene in May for a special session — so if he issues an emergency declaration this month, he'll have the opportunity to work with legislators to extend the declaration, since it's likely drought conditions will worsen during the spring and summer months. Although he didn't elaborate on what the order will entail, Cox issued executive orders related to drought in 2021 and 2022. Both orders allowed drought-effected communities and agricultural producers access to state and federal emergency resources. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Dakota leads U.S. hemp industry, though USDA report shows Texas rapidly gaining ground
Hemp plant (NRCS photo, Brandon O'Connor) South Dakota continued to expand its industrial hemp footprint in 2024 as Texas quickly gained ground, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Hemp Report. As defined in the 2018 Farm Bill, the term 'hemp' is a cannabis plant with a no more than 0.3% concentration of the chemical that results in a high, known as THC. According to the report, which was released on Thursday, South Dakota farmers planted 3,900 acres of hemp – a 22% increase from 2023. They harvested 3,700 acres, up 27.6%. Most of that growth came from hemp grown for fiber, a product for which South Dakota reigns as the nation's top supplier. Texas farmers planted 4,900 acres, a 1,860% increase from last year. Only 1,500 acres of that was harvested, though. Former Democratic state lawmaker Oren Lesmeister, a rancher from Parade, championed the bills that created South Dakota's hemp industry. He now serves on the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association's board of directors. He said Texas' numbers mean little if farmers do not have a place to process their hemp. 'We're kicking a– and taking names when it comes to production and processing,' Lesmeister said. South Dakota leads the nation in hemp processing and the production of hemp fiber, according to the report. There were 13.6 million pounds of hemp harvested for fiber in South Dakota last year. That's a 14% decrease, even as the number of acres harvested, 3,550, increased by 22%. Every harvested pound was processed, according to the report. About 23% of the 59 million pounds of hemp processed in the U.S. was processed in South Dakota. The mismatch between pounds harvested and acres planted is the result of lower per-acre yields for farmers. The average yield in the state dropped sharply by 30% in 2024, to 3,840 pounds per acre. Despite that, the value of South Dakota's fiber hemp climbed to $3.54 million, a 50% year-over-year increase, buoyed by a 73% rise in price per pound. 04-17-2025 SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Where Trump administration cut local food support, Colorado should step in
(NRCS/USDA photo by Brandon O'Connor) Impacts from the Trump administration's funding and program cuts are trickling — or gushing — down to Coloradans. Local food purchasing programs are some of the latest government programs summarily guillotined by the administration. These programs, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture via the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food for Schools & Child Care Agreement Program, would have appropriated $13.1 million to provide local food to food banks, students and food insecure populations. By supporting Colorado farmers and ranchers, local food procurement programs also promised to strengthen regional food systems. The local food purchasing programs were true win-win initiatives for Colorado's consumers and producers. From Pueblo to the Western Slope, food banks, schools, day cares, churches and veteran service centers used USDA dollars to buy local produce, beef, dairy, grains and other agricultural products from Colorado farms, ranches, dairies and more. Between May 2022 and June 2024, 220 food producers earned $6.7 million from local food purchasing programs. More than a million dollars funneled into the pockets of Western Slope farmers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX For producers participating in the programs, the short-term outcomes were financial stability, new partnerships with large institutions, and the expansion of business operations. For the entire state, the long-term outcome could have been a thriving regional food system — so that in time, Coloradans could purchase local, sustainable, and highly nutritious food not just at farmer's markets, but from grocery stores and restaurants. Most of the food in Colorado grocery stores is produced and processed out of state or internationally then shipped to various warehouses across North America before being shelved in King Soopers, Trader Joe's or elsewhere. This globalized and opaque system obscures food production from consumers, facilitating the concealment of environmental and humanitarian issues in American food supply chains (such as excessive pesticide use, child labor, deforestation). Regional food systems, or systems in which food is produced, processed and consumed all within the same region, offer an alternative paradigm for feeding Coloradans. Regional food systems reduce food waste, increase farmers' profit margins, generate local jobs, and strengthen local economies. And by supporting small- and mid-sized farmers growing diverse crops, regional food systems protect biodiversity, improve soil quality, and reduce energy use. The local food purchasing programs accomplished the non-controversial goals of stimulating local economies and feeding people in need — so what instigated the Trump administration's ire? Because the administration offered no explanation, the answer may only be conjectured: perhaps because these programs emphasize supporting socially disadvantaged food producers, and almost certainly because the Trump administration is determined to dismantle Biden-era initiatives, regardless of their merit. And on the surface, cutting local food purchasing programs aligns with the Trump administration's efforts to rein in unnecessary spending (a subjective assessment) in the name of government efficiency. Yet, these claims of government efficiency ring especially hollow and hypocritical considering that ongoing inefficient government spending is the reason these programs are necessary in the first place — $478 billion of subsidies benefitted the nation's largest and wealthiest farms between 2015 and 2022, creating an uneven playing field for the country's small- and mid-sized food producers. The approximately $1 billion budget for local food purchasing programs is a drop in the bucket compared to the subsidies lavished on farmers that don't even grow food for people. Instead they farm corn, soy and other commodity crops to create ethanol, livestock feed, and other products. Regardless of the justification and injustice driving the termination of the USDA's local food purchasing programs, they leave a void that needs filling. The benefits of strong regional food systems are too great to neglect, and the programs were too successful to abandon. The state of Colorado must step up to support farmers, ranchers and food insecure people. And because the state is currently struggling with a $1 billion budget deficit, additional government spending requires more state income. To support regional food systems and food security, state legislators should look into creating an enterprise, or otherwise refer a small excise tax on soft drinks to the ballot for Coloradans to vote on. Boulder, which adopted a soft drink excise tax in 2016, demonstrates the profitably of such taxes — so far, it has generated $29 million for health-related programs. If expanded throughout the entire state, an excise tax on soft drinks could provide a huge sum to fund regional food systems and other state priorities, like healthy meals for all public schools. According to an online calculator developed by the University of Connecticut Center for Food Policy and Health, a $0.02/ounce excise tax on soft drinks in Colorado would have generated between $227 million and $287 million in 2023 (depending on the tax pass through rate). Colorado leaders face a difficult task: maintaining Coloradan's quality of life and rights, as well as the state's environmental and social prerogatives despite opposition at the federal level. An arsenal of state policies is necessary to combat perverse federal policy decisions, and policies to resuscitate local food purchasing programs should be a top priority — for the sake of food insecure Coloradans, local food producers, and the state's regional food systems. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
