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<br />ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN <br />as of May 1,2005 <br /> <br />Mountain Snowpack* (Inches) Precipitation- (% of average) <br /> <br />-i+-Curronl ---"-Average I_Monthly DYear-lo-date I <br />-__Maximum -+-Minimum <br /> <br /> <br /> 18 <br /> 16 <br /> 14 <br />c 12 <br />- <br />c <br />. <br />;; 10 <br />1: <br />, <br />CT 8 <br />w <br />" <br />. <br />- <br />. 6 <br />;: <br /> 4 <br /> 2 <br /> 0 <br /> Jan Feb Ma< <br />*Based 011 selected stations <br /> <br />Apr May <br /> <br /> <br /> 140 <br /> 120 <br />. 100 <br />'" <br />. <br />" <br />. <br />> 80 <br />'" <br />- <br />0 <br />- <br />c 60 <br />. <br />u <br />" <br />. <br />Q. 40 <br /> 20 <br /> 0 <br /> Oc' Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Nowhere in the state is the division between a wet water year in the south and a dry water year <br />in the north more evident than in the Arkansas River basin. Simply saying that snowpack <br />levels are at 107% of average as of May I does not paint a very detailed picture of water <br />supply. The southern sub-basins of the Arkansas are carrying snowpacks of well above <br />average, with the Cucharas and Huerfano watersheds at 173% of average and the I'urgatoire at <br />234% of average. Snowpack levels on the Upper Arkansas, on the other hand, remain below <br />average and are more in line with the snowpack levels of the neighboring Upper Colorado and <br />Upper South Platte watersheds. The Upper Arkansas is at 84% of its average snowpack, down <br />from 94% of average last month. The distribution of snow will favor water users in the <br />southern and downstream portions of the Arkansas watershed. April saw] 09% of its average <br />basin wide precipitation, leaving the year to date precipitation at 104% of its average. <br />Reservoir levels in the Arkansas basin are at 75% of average and 142% of storage at this time <br />last year. Look for streamtlows to be higher in the southern sub-basins and points downstream. <br />The Arkansas at Salida is predicted to post average nows, with Grape Creek near Westc\ilTe at <br />133% of average and the lIuerfano near Redwing at 148% of average. The highest nows in the <br />Arkansas basin are expected on the Cucharas near La Veta at 169% of average. <br />