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<br />:1.1:1!33 <br /> <br />DISTRICT UPDATE <br /> <br />-1990 Water Year in Review <br /> <br />When the NCWCD Board <br />declared a 50% quota in April, <br />they did so with an eye on the future <br />and in hopes Ihal1990 would bring <br />above average ramfall. II did. and <br />along with adequate local reservoir <br />storage. provided enough waler to <br />northeastern Colorado farmers and <br />domestic users that an additional <br />C.ST quota was not necessary <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />Mother Nature could not have <br />provided precipitation at more <br />opportune limes than she did In <br />1990. During the spring runoff period <br />(April - June) precipitation was well <br />below normal. Steady snowmelt thaI <br />increased slreamflows in a tImely <br />manner. provided enough water to fill <br />local reservOirs and allow farmers to <br />begin irrigating their crops. <br /> <br />Then, once the runoH slowed and the <br />hot summer months amved. <br />precipitation increased. With rainfall <br />desperately needed to avoid draining <br />reservOirs, Mother Nature obliged. <br />District-wide precipitation lor July and <br /> <br />August was 2.93 and 2.28 Inches or <br />175 percent of average for each <br />month. <br /> <br />As a result of these timely rains, <br />water users throughout northeastern <br />Colorado were never in seriOus <br />trouble. The accompanying <br />precipitatiOn chart details those <br />amounts. <br /> <br />The District has become concerned <br />With low storage reserves in recent <br />years, Lake Granby has not filled <br />since 1986. reaching as low as 14 <br />percent of active usable capacity, or <br />63,500 acre.feet at water thiS past <br />April. <br /> <br />Associate General Manager Darell <br />Zimbelman discusses this Situation. <br />He says. "The CoST is a <br />supplemental supply and as such <br />serves as the region's hedge against <br />drought. <br /> <br />"We have to have water in storage to <br />satisfy Ihose dry years and to thai <br /> <br />end the Distnct will always manage <br />the Project to maintain those <br />reserves," he adds. <br /> <br />With the 50 percent quota, 160,000 <br />acre-feet of water was made <br />available for C.BT allottees In 1990. <br />Of that amoun1127,089 af (one of the <br />lowest delivery totals on record) was <br />actually delivered while the remaining <br />will be "carryover~ water for 1991. <br />(See article ned page.) <br /> <br />What did the adequate water year <br />mean for C.BT alfottees? It meant <br />that Cities had enough water for their <br />reSidents Without being forced into <br />water rallonlng programs. It meant <br />that ditch and reservoir companies <br />had enough water for their farmers <br />and it meant that farmers had <br />adequate water for their crops. <br /> <br />In retrospect. it was the timely July <br />and August rains combined with <br />adequate runoff that allowed the <br />CoST system to survive with more <br />water in storage than anticipated. <br /> <br />1990 PRECIPITATION WITHIN NCWCD <br />(Inches) <br /> <br /> Year to (-) <br /> Station !Wi! MID' .!l!M ,MJ1 Al& ~ ~ Date Totals <br /> Ft. Collins ,98 2,83 ,54 1.39 1.69 1.36 ,57 16.74 <br /> Greeley ,94 1.38 ,21 1.14 1.46 1.33 ,45 12,72 <br /> Longmant ,43 2,03 ,19 1.24 1,88 1.37 ,28 12.47 <br /> Ft. Morgan .59 1.92 1,22 6,20 2,90 1.04 ,66 18,10 <br /> Sterling UO ~ ..llZ till MZ ~ LQ;l JLZll <br /> 1990 Average ,90 200 ,62 2,93 2,28 1.22 ,60 15.47 <br /> 1957.1989 Average UO ~ z.u L2Z UQ UQ .Jl1 ll..l.a <br /> 1990 <br /> % of Average 58% 71% 29% 175% 175% 102% 66% 109% <br /> Loveland Station ,96 2,88 ,28 1.66 1.42 2,36 48 16,58 <br />- n Includes Winter Precipitation (November Thru March) <br /> <br />WATERNEWS FALL 1990 <br /> <br />3 <br />