Laserfiche WebLink
<br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month of October was 2.2. <br />Flow at the gaging station Uncompahgre River near <br />Ridgway was 189 cfs, as compared to the long-term average <br />of 87.7 cfs. Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland <br />reservoirs totaled 1140/0 of normal as of the end of October. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />The month of October continued the wet cycle that <br />this basin has had since July. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />The continued wet weather in October had <br />increased water supplies to users and reservoir storage and <br />all but eliminated demand for irrigation diversions. <br />The increased storage in Ridgway Reservoir was <br />indicative of the amount of precipitation the basin received in <br />October. During the month, the reservoir gained 13 feet, this <br />being a period when it usually drops several feet. The <br />reservoir is now less than 5 feet from spilling and the <br />releases will have to be increased to keep it from spilling and <br />drop the elevation to eventually make room for spring runoff. <br />Taylor Park reservoir gained 3 feet from the October <br />rains and snows and Blue Mesa stayed about the same <br />elevation. Blue Mesa usually drops 5 to 7 feet during the <br />month of October. On the Grand Mesa, they are going into <br />the winter with 500/0 carryover storage in the reservoirs, the <br />normal being about 150/0. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />Because of the continued rains, the farmers have <br />been struggling to get their crops harvested. Some of the <br />hay and small grain crops have been damaged by the <br />moisture, and there may be very few onions able to be <br />harvested. One farmer had kept very careful records, and <br />has not seen this excessive summer and fall moisture since <br />the early 70's. <br />In the mountains, there is a great start to the <br />snowpack season, and the soil moisture conditions are the <br />best this basin has seen in a long time. <br /> <br />Q) <br /><1.) <br />LL <br />Q, 25,000 <br />t5 <br /><( <br />$- 20,000 <br />o <br />.....J <br />LL <br />~ 15,000 <br />i= <br /><( <br />~ 10,000 <br />:J <br />u <br /> <br />Q) <br />~ 60,000 <br />t5 <br />ro <br /><1.)- 50,000 <br />0) <br />ro <br />a 40,000 <br /><1.) <br />::c <br />~ 30,000 <br />:J <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />Nov-06 <br /> <br />GJNNISQ\J BASIN S/IJS. HISTCRY <br /> <br />4.0 <br /> <br /> <br />3.0 <br /> <br />I- 20 <br />W <br />S <br /> <br />W 1.0 <br />::J <br />---l <br /><( <br />> <br />x 0.0 <br />w <br />o <br />~ <br />-1.0 <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br />-2.0 <br /> <br />-3.0 <br /> <br />-4.0 <br />Jan-97 <br /> <br />Jan-98 Jan-99 Jan-OO Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-Q4 Jan-05 Jan-06 <br /> <br />MONTH I YEAR <br /> <br />UNCOMPAJ--IGRE RIVER NR Rlrx3WAY, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />35,000 <br /> <br /> <br />30,000 <br /> <br />5,000 <br /> <br />o <br />Oct <br /> <br />I\bv <br /> <br />ca:: <br /> <br />Jan <br /> <br />Feb <br /> <br />March <br /> <br />ppril <br /> <br />~ \.^.ET (1984) <br /> <br />----I:r-- A VG <br /> <br />-*2007 <br /> <br />-+-- DRY (1977) <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />90,000 <br /> <br /> <br />80,000 <br /> <br />70,000 <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br />10,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Taylor Park <br /> <br />Qavvford <br /> <br />Fruitland <br /> <br />II Avg.10/31 O:ntents <br /> <br />1110/31/06 O:>ntents <br />