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<br />RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was 2.4. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that May 1 <br />snowpack is 117% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Rio <br />Grande near Del Norte averaged 1008 cfs (153% of normal). <br />The Conejos River near Mogote had a mean flow of 314 cfs <br />(97% of normal). Streamflow in the upper Rio Grande basin <br />was near or above average during the last three weeks of April <br />as temperatures warmed and melted out the lower elevation <br />snow. The higher elevations and the Valley floor received <br />below average precipitation during April. Storage in Platoro, <br />Rio Grande, and Santa Maria reservoirs totaled 100% of <br />normal as of the end of April. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />The lack of snowfall during March and April lowered <br />Natural Resources Conservation Service forecasts to 128% of <br />average on the Rio Grande near Del Norte and 138% for the <br />Conejos near Mogote. These forecasts are a significant <br />reduction from the March 1 and April 1 forecasts. Culebra <br />Creek, in the southeast part of the San Luis Valley has the <br />lowest forecast at 80% of normal. The Rio San Antonio, in the <br />southwest portion of the Valley, has the highest forecasted <br />runoff at 159% of normal. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />Pursuant to the Ground Water Measurement rules <br />approved in Case No. 05CW12, all flow meters must be verified <br />by a certified tester no later than March 1, 2008. Compliance <br />with this deadline has been satisfactory. However, many <br />irrigation well meters remain uncertified, subjecting well owners <br />to fines and legal action if the well is used. For more <br />information regarding the metering rules, please contact the <br />Division 3 office at (719) 589-6683. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The abundant snowfall in December, January, and <br />February was replaced by very dry and windy conditions during <br />March and April. Thus, the initial concern for localized flooding <br />during the 2008 runoff season has lessened. If weather <br />patterns sustain warm temperatures for more than a week, the <br />snowmelt could result in bank-full conditions. But so far, bouts <br />of cooler temperatures have slowed the melt and kept local <br />streams at manageable levels. Currently, reservoir storage in <br />the basin is near normal. <br /> <br />f- <br />W <br />S <br /> <br />w <br />::: <br /><t <br />> 0 <br />x <br />w <br />o <br />Z <br />-.1 <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br />.2 <br /> <br />~ 1, QCXJ,OOO <br />" <br />" <br />LL <br />" <br />~ 800,OCO <br /> <br />S" <br />0 <br />-' 600,000 <br />LL <br />w <br />> <br />>= <br /><t 400,000 <br />-' <br />::J <br />::< <br />::J <br />u 200,000 <br /> <br />Q) <br />2 <br />" <br />g 15,000 <br /><Ii <br />OJ <br />ro <br />o <br />~ 10,000 <br />:0 <br />ro <br /><f> <br />::J <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />May-08 <br /> <br />RJO(R.l>J\,[EBA.SN9fIS HSTCRY <br /> <br /> <br />.3 <br /> <br />Jm..OO Jm-01 Jm-02 Jm-03 Jm-04 Jm-05 Jm-OO Jm-07 Jm-OO <br />M:N1H/\S'R <br /> <br />RIO GRANDE NR DEL NORTE FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />1.200,000 <br /> <br /> /" ~ <br /> / <br /> / <br /> / ~ <br /> / / <br /> JI/ / <br /> ~ ~ ~ <br />~ ~ ...-----: <br /> <br />o <br />Oct Nov Cec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept <br /> <br />--{}-.. WET (1987) -+-- DRY (=) -fr- A VG ""* 2CXJ8 <br /> <br />RElPRESENTATlVE RESERVQRS <br /> <br />25,000 <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br /> <br />5,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Rio Grande <br /> <br />Platoro <br /> <br />Santa Maria <br /> <br />II Avg. 4/30 Contents <br /> <br />114130'08 Contents <br />