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<br />SAN JUAN/DOLORES BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was 3.4. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that February 1 <br />snowpack is 1550/0 of normal. <br />Estimated average daily flows at the Animas River at <br />Durango were 247 cfs. The estimated average daily flows <br />for Dolores River at Dolores were 59 cfs. The average daily <br />flows at the La Plata River at Hesperus were7.3 cfs. Durango <br />recorded 4.43 inches precipitation for the month which is well <br />above the 30-year average of 2.03 inches (2180/0 of normal). <br />Precipitation in for the month was the 7th highest amount <br />within the last 112 years of record. Precipitation to date in <br />Durango, for the water year, is 10.53 inches which is 156.30/0 <br />of the historic average. Temperatures in January were below <br />normal for the month. Durango was 6.30 below its 30-year <br />average high and 5.10 below its 30-year average low. <br />At the end of the month Vallecito Reservoir contained <br />76,150 acre-feet compared to its normal contents of 53,485 <br />acre-feet. McPhee Reservoir has 286,282 acre-feet <br />compared to its normal contents of 255,772 acre-feet. <br />Lemon Reservoir has 22,770 acre-feet as compared to its <br />normal content of 19,722 acre-feet. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />Snow, Snow, Snow and more Snow. Many major <br />storm systems have hit the southwest part of Colorado this <br />year. There is no shortage of snow in the high country as <br />well as the low farm land. The latest storm occurred the first <br />weekend in February and brought several feet of snow to the <br />mountains and 18+ inches to many in the lower elevations <br />within the region. The ski area at Wolf Creek Pass has <br />received 432 inches of snowfall to date. Colder than normal <br />temperature has not had much impact on melting snow left <br />by previous storms. To date the total snow-water-equivalent <br />within the basin has exceeded the average snow-water- <br />equivalent for the year with the average peak date occurring <br />in April. The NRCS data on January 31, 2008 reported a <br />snow-water-equivalent of 1590/0 of average. This increased <br />to 1670/0 of average on February 5, 2008. Typically the <br />regions heavier snow months are yet to come. Time will tell <br />where we end up but it would appear filling reservoirs and <br />rivers will not be a problem this water year. <br /> <br />Feb-08 <br /> <br />SAN JUAN-OOLORES BASIN SNSI HISTORY <br /> <br />I- <br />W <br />S <br /> <br /> <br />W <br />::J <br />....J <br /><C <br />> 0 <br />>< <br />w <br />o <br />z <br />- -1 <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br /> <br />-2 <br /> <br />-3 <br /> <br />-4 <br />Jan-99 Jan-OO Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-05 Jan-OO Jan-07 Jan-08 <br /> <br />rvDNTH / YEAR <br /> <br />ANlrvlAS RIVER NR DURANGO, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />200,000 <br /> <br />180,000 <br /> <br />~ 160,000 <br />LL <br />~ 140,000 <br /><( <br />S~ 120,000 <br />o <br />Li 100,000 <br />w <br />~ 80,000 <br /><( <br />5 60,000 <br />~ <br />B 40,000 <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br />o <br />O:i <br /> <br /> <br />Nov <br /> <br />Dee Jan <br /> <br />Feb <br /> <br />rvlarch <br /> <br />-----8-- WET (1973) <br /> <br />~ DRY (2002) <br /> <br />---fr-- A VG <br /> <br />-*2008 <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOI RS <br /> <br />400,000 <br /> <br /> <br />350,000 <br /> <br />300,000 <br />Q3 <br />~ <br />~ 250,000 <br />co <br />ai <br />~ 200,000 <br />o <br />U5 <br />~ 150,000 <br />~ <br />:J <br />100,000 <br /> <br />50,000 <br /> <br />l\t1cPhee <br /> <br />Vallecito <br /> <br />Lerron <br /> <br />II Avg.1/31 Contents <br /> <br />iii 1 /31 /08 Contents <br /> <br />9 <br />