PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (WY) Weekly Drought Update 2012 Sep 14

Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 08:16:34 EDT

Summary: Drought deepens in Wyoming as 58 percent of the State is experiencing extreme drought conditions, an increase of more than 20 percent over the last two weeks.

The U.S. Drought Monitor for September 11 categorized all of Wyoming as experiencing moderate or worse drought intensity, unchanged for the last two weeks. About 58 percent of the State comprising much of the Wind, Bighorn, Cheyenne, North Platte, and Green River basins is in extreme drought conditions, an increase of more than 20 percent.

Daily mean streamflows at 51 of 73 streamgages with 30 or more years of data are below normal, an increase of 21 percent over the last two weeks. Record low streamflows are occuring at 3 of those streamgages.

USGS personnel measured streamflow at 23 streamgages in the last two weeks to extend and verify the lower end of stage-discharge ratings and document shifted ratings.

Sub-Region: Mountain West; Region: