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<br />Precipitation <br /> <br />May's precipitation, measured at Colorado's mountain SNOTEL sites, was a disappointing <br />37% of average. All of the major river basins reported well below average totals for the <br />month. The lowest totals, as a percent of average, were measured in the Rio Grande and <br />the combined San Juan, Animas, Dolores, and San Miguel basins, at only 19% and 18% of <br />average, respectively. While the highest percentages were measured in the Yampa and <br />White basins, those totals were only 53% of average. For the water year, which is now <br />eight months old, the statewide precipitation has decreased to 83% of average and all <br />basins are reporting below average totals. The Colorado and South Platte basins are <br />reporting the lowest water year percentages, both at only 77% of average. While the Rio <br />Grande basin is reporting the highest water year percentage, it remains at only 95% of <br />average. <br /> <br />Reservoir Storage <br /> <br />Reservoir storage volumes across Colorado continue to be generally below average, yet <br />better than those of last year. Statewide storage is 85% of average and is 125% of last <br />year's volumes. Those basins reporting the lowest storage volumes, as a percentage of <br />average, are the Rio Grande at 49% of average, and the Arkansas at 56% of average. The <br />Gunnison basin is the only basin reporting an' above average volume at 109% of average. <br />Early snow melt has produced good inflows across southwestern Colorado and the <br />combined San Juan, Animas, Dolores, and San Miguel basins have improved to 98% of <br />average. Although the current storage volumes are below average, these levels remain <br />much better than the low point reached in 2002. Current storage totals are nearly two times <br />those levels and are equivalent to nearly 1.5 million acre-feet. With this summer's heavy <br />demand season just beginning, the current volumes will be significantly reduced as we <br />enter the 2005 water year in October. <br /> <br />Streamflow <br /> <br />Colorado's below average snowpack, coupled with rapid snow melt and a dry May, is <br />expected to produce below average runoff nearly statewide this summer. While the best <br />outlook remains across those basins of southern Colorado, runoff forecasts drop <br />significantly towards the basins of northern Colorado. Some of the lowest streamflow <br />forecasts occur in the Colorado, Yampa, White, and North and South Platte basins. With <br />May's continued dry conditions, forecasts in these basins further deteriorated this month <br />and now a number of locations can expect less than 50% of average volumes this summer <br />in these basins. While May's dry weather has taken a toll on streamflow forecasts across <br />southern Colorado as well, these forecasts continue to be the best in the state. Forecasts in <br />the Rio Grande basin show promise for stream flows of 80% to 90% of average along the <br />major streams, and near average along some of the smaller tributaries. <br />