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<br />GUNNISON RIVER BASIN <br />as of May 1, 2003 <br /> <br />Mountain Snow pack" (inches) <br /> <br />-X-Current -""'-Average <br />___Maximum -+-Mlnlmum <br /> <br />30 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br /> <br /> 2S <br />0 20 <br />- <br />0 <br />. <br />.. <br />2: 15 <br />, <br />" <br />w <br />- <br />. <br />- <br />. 10 <br />;: <br /> 5 <br /> <br />Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun <br /> <br />.nased on sdccled stations <br /> <br />Precipitation'" (% of average) <br /> <br />I_Monthly DYear.to-dale I <br /> <br /> 140. <br /> 120 <br />. 100 <br />'" <br />. <br />- <br />. <br />> 80 <br />< <br />- <br />0 <br />- <br />0 60 <br />. <br />u <br />- <br />. <br />.. 40 <br /> ,- <br /> 20 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />0.. <br />Oct No" Dee Jan Feb Mar Apr May <br /> <br />The melt-out season is well under way in the Gunnison Basin. Basin-wide, the snow has mclted <br />about 4.5 inehes of snow water; the remaining amount is only 66% of average, which is down <br />20% of average from last month. If the snow continucs to melt at the current rate, most of the <br />measurable snow will be gone before the first of June, which is over a month earlier than the <br />average melt-out date. The snowpack measurements range from only 50% of average in the <br />Uncompahgre Watershed, to 77% of average in the Surface Creek Watershed. Precipitation <br />during April was only 73% of average, and the water year total is now 84% of average. There has <br />been 33% more precipitation this water year compared to last water year by this time. Reservoir <br />storage is at 83% of average, which is not much of an improvement from last month. There is only <br />71% of the amount there was last year at this time. Streamllows in the basin have not increased <br />as much as would be expected during the snow melt, and therefore most of the forecasts have <br />been reduced. They range from only 49% of average on Cochetopa Creek below Rock Creek, to <br />72% of average on Tomichi Creek at Sargents. <br />