WATFMeetingSummaryFeb2008

• Title: February 2008 Drought Update
• Date: 2/20/2008
• Description: Summary of February 2008 Water Availability Task Force Meeting
• Basin: Statewide
• Drought Mitigation - Doc Type: WATF Meeting Summary

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FEBRUARY 2008 DROUGHT UPDATE

Water Availability Tasl( Force Co-Chairs

Veva McCaig, CWCB - 303-866-3339
Email [e-mail]

Jack Byers, DWR - 303-866-3581
Email [e-mail]

Executive Summary
As predicted, La Nina* conditions continue throughout Colorado. Colder than normal temperatures in the tropical Pacific
Ocean shows La Nina will continue through the spring. Forecasters predict March through May will be warmer than
normal for spring while April through June will see an increase of precipitation. Before conditions across the State
become drier, wet conditions will add to the snowpack in the near future.

*

**

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Statewide, Colorado's snowpacl( is 133% of average. Most basins are well above average snowpack. The San
Miguel/Dolores and Upper Rio Grande basins have recorded their highest snow pacl( levels as of February 1 st
since 1968. Only the South Platte basin recorded a below average snowpacl( at 97% of average.

.

With median precipitation conditions, the snowpacl( statewide is projected to be 124% of average by April 1 st.
The snowpack for the northern half of the state is projected to range from 104-118%. The snowpack for the
southern half of the state is projected to be well above average ranging from 135-149% of average.

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Statewide, reservoir storage is at 99% of average and 105% of last year. Reservoir storage statewide is at 56%
capacity. Reservoirs in the Gunnison basin have fully recovered from 2002 drought.

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Cumulative storage in the major South Platte basin agricultural reservoirs is at 75% capacity. Major upper-basin
municipal reservoir storage is at 92% capacity. The expectation is that most major municipal and irrigation
reservoirs will fill this year. The Poudre basin is the only exception where a very good runoff will be necessary
to come close to filling all of the maj or reservoirs.

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According to the Colorado Water Supply Index (SWSI)**, all of the river basins have experienced a gain in their
values from last month. The South Platte basin's SWSI value is the lowest at 0.5, which is near normal. The
Rio Grande basin had the highest SWSI value 3.5.

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Colorado's streamflow forecast statewide ranges from 70-150% of average. Most basins are expected to have
normal or near normal runoff. Forecasts for the Rio Grande, Gunnison & San Miguel Basins range from 110-
150% of average, while the northwestern half of Colorado ranges from 70-109% of average. Although it is
early, local officials in the Rio Grande basin are concerned about the possibility of flooding.

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Ranchers in mountain valleys of southern and western Colorado have contended with a difficult winter of
feeding livestock due to heavy snows. Lambing and calving is presently underway - no reports of unusually
high death rates at this time.

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Dry conditions on Eastern Plains in early 2008 combined with very windy conditions have dried topsoil and this
has begun impacting wheat crop due to blowing soil. There are reports that some farmers in Baca County have
resorted to chisel plowing wheat fields to reduce blowing damage.

Sea surface temperatures at the Equator in the Pacific Ocean impact global climate patterns. Depending on
these patterns, Colorado could be experiencing El Nino or La Nina conditions.

SWSI values are based on snowpack, reservoir storage and precipitation for the winter period (Nov-Jan).