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<br />Precipitation <br /> <br />Precipitation totals for March, measured at NRCS SNOTEL sites, were well below average <br />across most of the state. Monthly accumulations exceeded 70% of average in only two basins. <br />Those include the Gunnison at 81 %, and the Colorado at 73% of average. Southern Colorado <br />continued to report the lowest monthly percentages. Totals of only 53% to 56% of average <br />were measured in the Arkansas, Rio Grande, and the combined San Juan, Animas, Dolores, <br />and San Miguel basins. Statewide, March totals were only 65% of average. For the water <br />year, which began on October 1, 2001, totals remain well below average in all basins. <br />Basinwide water year totals range from only 49% of average in the San Juan, Animas, <br />Dolores, and San Miguel basins, to a high of 70% of average in the Yampa and White, and <br />Colorado basins. Statewide water year totals are now reported at only 63% of average, <br /> <br />Reservoir Storage <br /> <br />Most basins are reporting below average reservoir storage across the state. The exceptions <br />include the Gunnison Basin, which is reporting 115% of average storage, and the Yampa and <br />White basins, which are storing 10 I % of average volumes for this date. Storage volumes in <br />the remaining basins range from only 76% of average in the Rio Grande Basin, to 85% of <br />average in the South Platte Basin, Statewide, reservoir storage is 88% of average, nearly a <br />400,000 acre-foot deficit. As compared to last year, the 2002 volumes are lagging behind <br />nearly statewide. Only the Gunnison Basin is storing slightly more than last year. Volumes in <br />the Arkansas Basin are substantially down from last year, with the current volume only 65% <br />of last year's. The current below average reservoir storage marks the first time in nearly 20 <br />years since volumes have been below average. <br /> <br />Streamflow <br /> <br />Colorado's water users can anticipate very low streamflow volumes this summer. This is <br />especially true across southern Colorado, where conditions are extremely poor, and volumes <br />may be approaching minimum on record, The lowest forecasts occur along the San Juan <br />River. With the projected inflow into Navajo Reservoir only at 26% of average, and upstream <br />forecast points only slightly better. Other basins with extremely low forecasts include the Rio <br />Grande, Animas, Dolores, San Miguel, Gunnison, North Platte and upper South Platte. <br />Streams in all of these basins are expected to produce less than 50% of average this year. <br />Forecasts are only slightly improved in the Colorado, Yampa, White, and the northern <br />tributaries of the South Platte and the Arkansas mainstem. Volumes of 50% to 65% of <br />average are forecast in these areas, All of these forecasts assume nonnal precipitation <br />throughout the forecast period. Should the current weather trend continue into spring and <br />summer, these forecasts will continue to decline even further, <br /> <br />\ <br />