The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency has released its April spring runoff forecast—which does not include this week’s extensive snowfall over much of the province.

Manual snow surveys were completed at 12 selected sites last week, which were used to develop the new runoff map.  It shows that above normal runoff is expected in the following areas—Meadow Lake, Spiritwood, Prince Albert, Candle Lake, Nipawin and Melfort.  There is also a smaller region that can anticipate a well-above normal runoff, which is classified as a one in ten year event. This includes Tisdale, Hudson Bay and Canora.

A near normal runoff is projected for a relatively narrow diagonal area running from Lloydminster to North Battleford to Saskatoon and over to Watrous and Melville.  Below that line is a very large area where runoff is ongoing and will end when this week’s snowfall melts.

Major water supply reservoirs in southern Saskatchewan are at or above normal levels for this time of year. The exceptions are McDougald and Harris in the southwest, which are below normal levels.

Lake Diefenbaker is currently above the median for this time of year, but remains with the normal operating range. Mountain snowpack remains well above normal and will be the main driver of May and June flows in the Saskatchewan River Basin. If these conditions persist, mountain runoff into Lake Diefenbaker is expected to be above normal.

Long-range forecasts predict normal precipitation and warmer than normal temperatures across the entire part of southern Saskatchewan from May to July.

The moisture was very welcome in southern Saskatchewan, even though it will mean a later seeding start for many growers.

Parts of the southwest was in on the snowfall, including the Cabri area where Kevin Hursh, Chief Agricultural Editor of SaskAgToday.com, farms.

“It came down pretty heavy by times,” said Hursh, “It’s hard to tell how much there was in total because I think it sunk down and kind of concentrated at least in the early stages. But a very welcome amount of moisture. This area, as far as subsoil moisture, has been a worry all year and for many years, so to have a snowfall event like this to provide some moisture is very, very welcome.”