WSP12947

• File Number: 8040.800
• Description: Water Resources for Colorado
• State: CO
• Date: 6/1/2004
• Author: US Dept of Agriculture - Natural Resoruces Conservation Service
• Title: Colorado Basin Outlook Report June 1, 2004
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

SAN MIGUEL, DOLORES, ANIMAS. AND SAN JUAN RIVER BASINS
as of June 1, 2004

Mountain Snowpack. (inches)

~Current ___Average
-__Maximum ---+-Minlmum

45
40
35
" 30
.;
c
.!? 25
.
>
'5
C' 20
w
"
~
. 15
;:
10
5

/
/' "- 1/
,/
/
V
....
V ..........
- V- 1\".
\
~ \

o
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

.Bas~d on selected stations

Precipitation. (% of average)

I_Monthly OYear-lo-dale I

160
140
120
.
'"
. 100.
"
.
>
.. .
- 60
0 .
-
c
.
u 60
"
.
0.
40
20
0,.
Oct Noy Doc Jan Fob Mar Apr May

Extremely warm and dry eonditions in these basins have spurred rapid snow melt during May,
and have reduced most of the measurable snow to zero, While snow pack measurements were 85%
of average on May I, they are only 26% of average on June I, Only three of 16 automated
SNOTEL measuring sites have snow remaining at them, Measurements range from no snow in the
Dolores and San Miguel basins, to 48% of average in the San Juan l3asin, Monthly precipitation
was only 18% of average during May, which is quite a contrast to the 147% of average during
April. The water year total is 88% of average, The six major reservoirs in these basins have
benefited from the recent snowmelt, and their eombined storage is now 98% of average, which is
13% of average higher than last month, There is 29% morc storage than last year at this time,
Streamflow forecasts in these basins have steadily dropped each month since March I, when near
average flows were forecast. Runoff foreeasts now range from only about 65% to 85% of avcrage
in these basins,