Washington snowpack 137 percent of average

Plenty of snow in the mountains means it should be a good year for the water supply in Washington.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service says the mountain snowpack as of April 1 — when it typically peaks — is 137 percent of average.

Water supply specialist Scott Pattee (pat-EE') compiles the report at his office in Mount Vernon. He says all regions of the state are above average. Any that were lagging made up ground in March storms.

Pattee says the snowpack accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the surface water supply in the state. So, as the snowpack melts, there should be plenty available for drinking water, farm irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, salmon migration, as well as for people who like to go river rafting.