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<br />Reservoir Storage <br /> <br />Storage in Colorado's major reservoirs continues to track at below average volumes, yet is much better <br />than last year's storage volumes. Current volumes are the lowest, in terms of percent of average, in the <br />Rio Grande at 40%, the Arkansas at 53%, and the San Juan, Animas, Dolores, and San Miguel at 66% of <br />average. These basins suffered from the lowest snowpack accumulations and runoff during 2003, and <br />this is now carried over into this year's storage. Statewide, reservoir storage is 76% of average for this <br />month. While the state's reservoirs continue to track below the long-term average, the current storage is <br />better than those of last year at this time nearly statewide. All basins are reporting volumes greater than <br />last year's with the only exception of the Rio Grande Basin. Volumes in the Rio Grande Basin are only <br />67% of last year's. Meanwhile, the Colorado Basin is storing more than two times that of last year on <br />this date. Statewide, reservoir storage is 147% of last year's volumes. <br /> <br />Streamflow <br /> <br />Without significantly above average snowfall across Colorado during the next two months, near average <br />streamflow volumes during the spring and summer of 2004 will be a rare occurrence. Current forecasts <br />call for below average runoff nearly statewide. Only portions of the San Juan and Rio Grande basins are <br />expected to produce near to above average volumes this year. Elsewhere, volumes decrease to 90% to <br />100% of average in the Gunnison Basin, and 70% to 90% of average across most of the remainder of the <br />state. The lowest volumes are forecast throughout the upper reaches of the South Platte Basin, with <br />forecasted volumes that are less than 50% of average. Streamflow forecasts in the South Platte Basin are <br />near those of last year at this time. However, that was prior to the March blizzard, which dramatically <br />improved water supplies throughout the basin. It appears that it will be necessary to have another <br />extremely wet spring again this year just to reach near average runoff in the upper South Platte Basin. <br />