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<br />TABLE XXI. --Continuous stormy periods at Wolf Creek Pass <br />that resulted in total precipitation exceeding 3. 5 inches water <br />equivalent at Wolf CrE:ek West and/or Wolf Creek Summit. <br /> <br />W. C. Summit W. C. West <br />Precip. Precip. <br />Winter Season Period Treatment (Inches) (Inches) <br /> <br />1964-65 Dec. 24-28 Seeded 4.02 M <br /> Jan. 5-8 Seeded 3.57 4.86 <br /> April 2-15 Seeded 4.89 M <br />1965-66 Nov. 23-27 Not Seeded M 3.89 <br /> Dec. 22-25 Not Seeded 3.26 M <br /> Dec. 3)-Jal1. 2 Not Seeded 3.21 M <br />1966-67 Dec. 4-E: Seeded 6.21 5.36 <br />1967-68 Dec. 13-21 Not Seeded 7.52 7.83 <br /> Jan.27-FEb.1 Not Seeded M 3.89 <br /> <br />on the high elevation tributaries with the heavie::;t <br />annual snow packs. Typically, flows are within 20"/0 <br />of average about one-half the time. Extreme flows <br />range from 30 to 175"/0 of average. <br /> <br />From a hydrologic standpoint, the best <br />areas for attempts to increase runoff through weather <br />modification are the areas of relatively heavy snow <br />pack. In Colorado, these areas include the San Juan <br />Mountain range, the headwaters of the Roaring Fork <br />and Crystal Rivers, the headwaters area of the Upper <br />Colorado including the Blue River and the Park Range <br />tributaries to the Elk and Yampa Rivers. The Grand <br />Mesa area of west central Colorado is a limited size <br />but is also an area of relatively heavy snow pack. <br /> <br />Most of the surface water developed in <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado (indud- <br />ing the San Juan and Green River Tributaries) flows <br />out of the state. In the past 20 years it is estimated <br />that an average of about 10 million acre-feet wa.s <br />produced in the Colorado River Basin in Colorado. <br />Of this amount about 4"/0 was delivered to other basins <br />through trans -mountain diversions, and about 14"/0 <br />was consumptively used within the Basin. <br /> <br />The principal diversions to other <br />basins include the Colorado-Big Thompson through <br />Adams tunnel, the Twin Lakes Tunnel diversion from <br />the Roaring Fork to the Arkansas, the Moffatt <br />I Tunnel diversion by the city of Denver from the <br />Fraser to Boulder Creek, and the recently completed <br />Blue River diversion by the city of Denver. ThE: <br />latter diversion had little effect on long term <br />averages. <br /> <br />For the Green River in Wyoming, <br />there are no diversions to other basins. It is roughly <br />estimated that less than 10"/0 of the water generated in <br />Wyoming is comsumptively used in that state. In <br />Utah, much of the wa ter produced within the basin is <br />taken out by trans-mountain diversions or is con- <br />sumptively used. A rough estimate is that one-half <br />, of the flow generated within the Utah basins reaches <br />the Green or Colorado Rivers. Flows of less' than <br />100,000 acre feet a year are generated on the water- <br />. shed of the Colorado River in New Mexico. <br /> <br />2. Snowpack-Runoff Characteristics <br />Snow water equivalent measured :::,t <br />mountain snow courses and winter precipitation <br /> <br />measurements at high elevations have been the <br />principal factors used in forecasting snow melt <br />season flow in western streams for up to 60 years. <br />The major effort in making streamflow forecasts <br />started some 35 years ago. Forecasts are now <br />made for all snow melt streams of the west. <br />Extensive application of these forecasts has been <br />made to various water management operations. <br /> <br />The characteristics of snowpack and <br />streamflow relationship are important to various <br />aspects of a program of weather modification for <br />increasing water supplies. The quality of these <br />relationships largely determines their usefulness <br />for evaluating seeding effects, making conversions <br />of measured precipitatim changes to quantities of <br />streamflow added, determining flood threats that <br />might be accentuated from weather modification, etc. <br /> <br />A study has been made relating <br />April 1 snow water equivalent on selected snow <br />courses to April-August stream flow for 70 <br />representative stations in the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin. Streams in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah <br />have been included. ' The selection of individual <br />snow courses tobe used was based on high correla- <br />tion with runoff, a logical location in or near the <br />watershed, and an adequate length of record (also <br />runoff record). The longest record used was <br />20 years. The use of this length of record minimizes <br />problems of the continuing changes in data gathering <br />procedures and in water use practices. Snow course <br />data is subject to ,gradual change because of changes <br />in overhead interception and general exposure of <br />terrain. There are at times drastic changes in the <br />data sites caused by timber cutting, fire, wide- <br />spread timber disease and construction activities. <br />Snow courses affected by material change were not <br />used in these comparisons except in perhaps two <br />instances and these are not considered as extreme. <br />Some snow, courses have much better correlation <br />with runoff than others. The reason is not always <br />apparent but it generally is related to high elevations <br />and a protected sampling area. Runoff records are <br />affected by changing patterns of water use as well <br />as improvements in water measuring techniques. <br />Some cf the stations in these comparisons are <br />affected by trans-mountain diversions and water use <br />above the station where measurements of diversions <br /> <br />63 <br />