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<br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was +3.6 The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that April 1 <br />snowpack is 133% of normal. Flow at the gaging station <br />Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was 81.6 cfs, as <br />compared to the long-term average of 62.0 cfs. Storage in <br />Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs totaled 126% <br />of normal as of the end of March. <br /> <br />Outlook <br /> <br />Snowpack conditions have decreased in the <br />Gunnison Basin over the month of March, with the average <br />snow water equivalent measurements from NRCS SNOTEL <br />sites reporting 146 percent of average on February 29th to <br />128 percent of average on March 31 st. Supply conditions still <br />look excellent for 2008. Given the cooler than average <br />temperatures this winter, runoff appears to be about a month <br />later than normal this year. Low snow still exists in most <br />areas of the basin at and above 7000 feet, which will <br />significantly add to this year's runoff. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />The Bureau of Reclamation completed their <br />scheduled maintenance operations on the stilling basins <br />below Crystal Dam and Blue Mesa Dam in March. Flows out <br />of the Aspinall Unit were stopped briefly for the work but <br />have returned to 2,170 cfs in order to bring down Blue Mesa <br />Reservoir elevation and to supply the Gunnison Tunnel <br />diversion. Ridgway Reservoir and Taylor Park Reservoir <br />have also significantly increased releases in March to <br />accommodate expected runoff. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />Farmers in the Uncompahgre Valley will be ready for <br />irrigation water by the beginning of April. However, the upper <br />Gunnison River basins above Gunnison are still heavily <br />covered with snow and will be at least a full month behind the <br />normal irrigation season. <br /> <br />Apr-08 <br /> <br />G..N\ISCN BA.SN 9/LS HSTCRY <br /> <br />f- 2 <br />w <br />S <br /> <br /> <br />w1 <br />::: <br />::; <br />x 0 <br />w <br />o <br />Z <br />.1 <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br />.2 <br /> <br />.3 <br /> <br />.4 <br />Jan-OO Jan-CD Jan-01 Jan-C12 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-CE Jan-OO Jan-07 Jan-OO <br />M:N1H/\S'R <br /> <br />UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR RIDGWAY, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />30,000 <br /> <br /> <br />~ 25,000 <br />Q) <br />Q) <br />LL <br />dJ <br />.'{ 20.000 <br /> <br />~ <br />o <br />u: 15,000 <br />w <br />> <br />>= <br />:s 10,000 <br />::J <br />::;; <br />::J <br />U 5,000 <br /> <br />o <br />Cct Nov <br /> <br />Dee Jan Feb M3rch <br /> <br />--8- V\ET (1934) <br /> <br />-+-DRY (1977) ~AVG "*-2008 <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />80,000 <br /> <br /> <br />70,000 <br /> <br />~ 60,000 <br />Q) <br />2 <br />~ ED,GOO <br />ro <br /><Ii <br />g> 40 000 <br />o ' <br />ii5 <br />~ 30,000 <br />ro <br /><f> <br />::J <br />20,000 <br /> <br />10,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Taylor Park <br /> <br />QavJord <br /> <br />Fruitland <br /> <br />II Avg. 3131 Contents <br /> <br />11II3/31/08 Contents <br /> <br />6 <br />