Despite rain, Wyoming drought persists

Wetter spring not enough to snap long dry spell

Associated Press

Monday, June 11, 2007

GILLETTE, Wyo. - Despite last week's heavy rains that caused local flooding of creeks, streams and basements, the drought still persists in northeast Wyoming.

"It's kind of a confusing situation," state climatologist Steve Gray said. "The short-term situation has really turned around."

But the long-term situation of below-average snowpack, aquifers and reservoirs has not disappeared with spring rain, even though it has been more than twice the normal average, he said.

Gray noted that the Keyhole Reservoir, situated east of Gillette, is still 37 percent of its average level.

It would take steady rain and snow through next spring for the long-term effects of the eight-year drought to begin to work themselves out, Gray said.

While the rest of the year looks good, he acknowledged that long-term predictions are at best tough to make.

"It's not a matter of flipping a switch," he said. "The picture is improving, but the bottom line is when you're in a drought for that long, it takes several years to get out of it."

While the wetter spring may not be enough to end the long-term drought, it has given county firefighters a bit of a breather after the hectic fire season of 2006.

"The grass is going to be green longer," said Rich Hauber, wildland coordinator for the Campbell County Fire Department, adding that reports he's seeing are calling for above-normal precipitation levels and near-normal temperatures.

That's in stark contrast to last June and July, which saw several record highs broken while only 0.05 inches of rain fell, parching the ground and curing tall grass.

Even if rain stopped falling today, the threat of fires likely would be at least several weeks away, Hauber said.

"Every little bit helps," he said.