WSP08775

• File Number: 8056
• Description: Drought Preparedness
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 1/1/1979
• Author: USGS
• Title: Hydrologic and Human aspects of the 1976-77 Drought
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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CONTENTS

Hydroelectric power
generation . . .
Forests . . . . . .
Activities resulting from
the drought . . . .
Hawaii-WRC Region 20 . .
Previous droughts. . . .
Precipitation and runoff .
Ground-water conditions.
Water quality. . . . . .
Activities resulting from
the drought . . . . .

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The eleven other WRC Regions
Precipita tion and runoff .
Ground-water conditions. .
Water quality. . . . . .
Activities resulting from
the drought
Epilogue . .'. .
Summary . . . . .
A look to the future.
Selected references .

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ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURE 1. Map of the United States showing regions designated by Water
Resources Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Graphs of low-flow frequency curves for six streams in areas
affected by the drought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. Maps of United States showing number of months of deficient
streamflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4. Graph of water level decline caused by reduced natural
recharge during the drought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
5. Graph of fluctuations, of water level, 1960-77, in well 16/15-34N4
near Cantua Creek, 35 miles southwest of Fresno, Calif. . 11
6. Maps of United States showing values of the Palmer index
on four selected dates in 1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
7. Maps of United States showing values of the Palmer index
on four selected dates in 1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
8. Photograph of stunted ears of corn caused by drought in Midwest 17
9. Map of Great Lakes-WRC Region 04 . . . . . . . . . . .. 25
10. Graph of monthly discharge of Fox River at Rilpide Croche Dam,
near Wrightstown, Wis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
11. Map of Upper Mississippi-WRC Region 07 and Souris-Red-
Rainy-WRC Region 09 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
12. Photograph of parched soil in Iowa in 1976 . . . . . 30
13. Map of Missouri Basin-WRC Region 10 (upper part) . 34
14. Map of Missouri Basin-WRC Region 10 (lower part) . 37
. 15. Map of Arkansas-White-Red-WRC Region 11 40
16. Map of Upper Colorado-WRC Region 14. . . . 42
17. Photographs of snow cover in Colorado Rockies
a. April 1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
b. April 1977 .............. 45
18. Map of the Great Basin-WRC Region 16. . . . 48
19. Map of Pavant Valley, Utah showing change of water
levels from March 1977 to March 1978. . . . . . . 52
20. Map of Pacific Northwest-WRC Region 17 . . . . 54
21. Graph of water content of Columbia River basin snowpack
as a percentage of the April 1 average. . . . . . . . . 55

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