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<br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was 2.4. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that January 1 <br />snowpack is 117% of normal. Flow at the gaging station <br />Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was 65.0 cfs, as <br />compared to the long-term average of 53.3 cfs. Storage in <br />Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs totaled 118% <br />of normal as of the end of December. <br /> <br />Outlook <br /> <br />October and November were dry months in the <br />Gunnison Basin with temperatures well above normal. Grand <br />Junction set an all time record for December precipitation, <br />receiving 2.04 inches for the month, breaking the 1951 record <br />of 1.89 inches. It will be a December to remember and <br />hopefully this generous trend will persist and place the basin <br />in great shape for the 2008 irrigation season. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />The mediation process for quantifying flows in the <br />Black Canyon National Park is making favorable progress at <br />developing a flow run scenario acceptable to all parties. The <br />scheduled meetings in January will complete the mediation <br />process for resolution of this issue. If resolution is reached <br />within this period, lengthy legal proceedings will be avoided. <br />By the end of December, releases out of the Aspinall <br />Unit brought Blue Mesa Reservoir elevation down to the <br />target level of 7,490 feet, which is necessary to prevent <br />upstream flooding due to river channel clogging by winter ice. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />Hopes are high now that December storms have <br />salvaged what looked to be a dismal snowfall season, erasing <br />visions of severe drought for 2008. Telluride, Crested Butte, <br />and Powderhorn ski resorts are receiving a lot of attention in <br />the news with winter sport enthusiasts taking advantage of <br />ample snowfalls in recent weeks. With temperatures colder <br />than normal over the last month, conditions are also perfect <br />for the very popular annual ice festival in Ouray, January 9th <br />through the 13t1i. <br /> <br />Jan-08 <br /> <br />G..N\ISCN BA.SN 9/LS HSTCRY <br /> <br />f- 2 <br />w <br />S <br /> <br /> <br />w1 <br />::: <br />::; <br />x 0 <br />w <br />o <br />Z <br />.1 <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br />.2 <br /> <br />.3 <br /> <br />.4 <br />Jan-OO Jan-CD Jan-01 Jan-C12 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-CE Jan-OO Jan-07 Jan-OO <br />M:N1H/\S'R <br /> <br />UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR RIDGWAY, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />25, CXXJ <br /> <br /> <br />Q) 20, CXXJ <br />Q) <br />LL <br />'" <br />" <br /><{ <br />5 15,CXXJ <br />o <br />-' <br />LL <br />W <br />~ 10,CXXJ <br /><{ <br />-' <br />::J <br />::;; <br />G 5,CXXJ <br /> <br />o <br />Oct <br /> <br />NCN <br /> <br />cec Jan Feb <br /> <br />M3rch <br /> <br />--8--V\ET (1004) <br /> <br />-+-DRY (1977) ~AVG ""*2008 <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />00,000 <br /> <br />80,000 <br /> <br /> <br />70,000 <br /> <br />Q) <br />~ 60,000 <br />" <br />ro <br />ai 50,000 <br />'" <br />ro <br />~ 40.000 <br />Q) <br />:0 <br />rn 30,000 <br />::J <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br />10,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Taylor Park <br /> <br />OavJord <br /> <br />Fruitland <br /> <br />III Avg. 12/31 Contents <br /> <br />11I12/31/07 Contents <br /> <br />6 <br />