BOISE — Water hydrologist Ron Abramovich has been a staple on the news because every month in the winter for nearly 30 years Abramovich heads up into the mountains to measure the snow pack.
The data collected from the NRCS snow survey gives farmers, irrigators, and river runners the information they need to know in regards to how much water they can expect in the summer.
However, Abramovich will retire this year, next months snow survey will be his last as this iconic Idahoan leaves some big shoes to fill.
"The coolest part is that there are so many relationships with what falls in the mountains and how it runs off because it affects so many people," said Abramovich.
Ron told us the biggest change over the years since he started doing the snow survey in the 90's is the technology, they went to an automated SNOTEL service which started with one reading a day in the 80's, four readings a day by the late 90's and now there are hourly updates that people can check to see how much snow is in the mountains.
Ron also has many memorable winters and he highlights this February as one he will never forget, it was one of two times he can remember the road to the Mores Creek Summit being closed because there was too much snow, he also remembered it being closed in 1997.
"It is kind of neat and amazing because each year is different how the snow falls, accumulates then melts," said Abramovich.
Abramovich will continue to work as a hydrologist but he will do so in a different capacity, we will miss borrowing his snow shoes and trekking up to see what he discovers.
