The Courier
NEWS
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
January 13, 2021
Vol 45 Num 2
Soldier Mountain Making Snow - Magic Carpet Opens Minidoka National Historic Site
Soldier Mountain fired up its new snow guns last Saturday night. As a result, the resort was able to open up its new magic carpet and the beginner hill on Sunday for the first time this season. Post holidays, the resort has resumed its normal operating schedule and is open Thursdays through Sundays and holidays through the remainder of the season. You can book the ski resort privately on the days it's closed. The base price to rent Soldier Mountain for a day of skiing and snowboarding is $7,500. Any gear rentals are extra. The resort also offers custom foodservice options that can include breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. Soldier Mountain is the only ski resort in Idaho you can book privately and among 10 such ski areas in the U.S., including Anthony Lakes in Oregon, Turner Mountain and Showdown in Montana, and Beaver Mountain and Eagle Point in Utah.
NRCS Water Supply Outlook Report
January 11, 2021 – The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho has released the January Water Supply Outlook Report for the 2021 water year. Water year 2021started off slowly with below normal precipitation during the fall across most of Idaho and the Snake River headwaters. As of January 1, total snowpack and precipitation are below normal across all basins, with the Clearwater, Coeur d’Alene-St. Joe, and Pend Oreille-Kootenai basins faring closest to normal conditions. However, at the time of compiling the Water Supply Outlook Report this month, early January storms increased total snowpack across all basins. Streamflow, snowpack, and precipitation data for each basin can be accessed on the NRCS Idaho Snow Survey web page.
Erin Whorton, the new Hydrologist-Water Supply Specialist for NRCS Snow Survey in Idaho, noted “With nearly three more months of the normal snow accumulation season, and the continued prediction for moderate La Niña conditions, the outlook looks promising for meeting this year’s water supply demands. Historically, La Niña conditions have resulted in increased precipitation across Idaho.” January 1 streamflow forecasts are affected by the inherent uncertainty in how the snowpack will develop. Water users can expect streamflow forecasts, issued by the National Water and Climate Center team, to grow more accurate as we near peak snowpack timing. For information on specific basins, streams, and reservoirs, please view the full report online at January Water Supply Outlook Report.
Celebrates 20th Anniversary
On January 17, 2021, Minidoka National Historic Site will be commemorating our 20th Anniversary of being a park unit of the National Park Service. We will be hosting a virtual program in partnership with Friends of Minidoka, Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee, and the Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages; and with support from Boise State School of Public Service, ACLU Idaho, the Community Library (Ketchum), and Boise City Department of Arts & History. Below are the three live program descriptions for Sunday, January 17, 2021: Minidoka Survivors Panel (10am PST/11am MST) – Join us for a survivors panel with Paul Tomita, Joni Kimoto, and Dave Sakura to hear about their family's experiences at the Minidoka War Relocation Center. All three panelists were incarcerated at Minidoka as children. This panel will be moderated by Erin Aoyama (Minidoka NHS fellow). Link to watch: https://youtu.be/pH2iNqT1hEQ Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/215800583501082/ Origin Story of the Minidoka National Historic Site (12pm PST/1pm MST) – Join us for a discussion about how Minidoka War Relocation Center was established as a park unit and how it became Minidoka National Historic Site. Learn about the early days of the development of the site with Neil King (First Superintendent of Minidoka), Dan Sakura (Clinton Administration Staff), Emily Momohara (Co-founder of Friends of Minidoka), Anna Tamura (National Park Service Planner), and Hanako Wakatsuki (Chief of Interpretation at Minidoka); moderated by Wade Vagias (Superintendent of Minidoka). Link to watch: https://youtu.be/rwfKmOwvyXM Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/419319019269540/ Origin Story of the Minidoka Pilgrimage (2pm PST/3pm MST) – Join us for a panel discussion covering the beginning and evolution of the Minidoka Pilgrimage with Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee members: Anna Tamura, Dale Watanabe, Stephen Kitajo, and Gloria Shigeno. continued on page 8...