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<br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was 3.0. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that May 1 <br />snowpack is 136% of normal. Flow at the gaging station <br />Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was 146 cfs, as compared <br />to the long-term average of 111 cfs. Storage in Taylor Park, <br />Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs totaled 110% of normal as <br />of the end of April. <br />April was cooler than normal and the Gunnison Basin <br />received higher than average precipitation for the month of <br />April. As a result, snowpack conditions remained high during <br />April. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />Due to the higher than average unregulated inflow <br />forecast for Gunnison Basin reservoirs, Crawford, <br />Fruitgrowers, Paonia, Silver Jack, Taylor Park and Ridgway <br />Reservoirs are expected to fill this year and are being drawn <br />down to receive the anticipated runoff. All of the reservoirs <br />on Grand Mesa are expected to fill as well. <br />The spring runoff season is late in getting started this <br />year. Given the snowpack levels to date, the trend of warm <br />dry spells followed by cool moist spells, which the Gunnison <br />Basin experienced in the last half of April, is expected to help <br />reduce the potential for basin-wide flooding problems. The <br />spring runoff conditions will be monitored closely as the <br />weather warms in May. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />Cool weather and precipitation kept the irrigation <br />demand low for the month of April. Basinwide, pasture grass <br />and alfalfa fields only just started growing by the end of April. <br />Water systems that typically run short are expected to enjoy <br />lengthier free river conditions this water year, keeping <br />administration issues to a minimum. The Grand Mesa <br />reservoir system is not expected to draw off storage until later <br />in July. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The high flows being released from the Aspinall Unit <br />will adversely affect springtime rituals such as the Gunnison <br />River Gorge annual salmon fly hatch in June, as fly fisherman <br />prefer the typically much lower flows for their float trip fly <br />fishing experience. However, white water rafting enthusiasts <br />should experience a year to remember. <br /> <br />May-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 />250,000 <br /> <br /> <br />~ 200,000 <br />LL <br />" <br />" <br /><t <br />S" 150,000 <br />o <br />-' <br />LL <br />W <br />~ 100,000 <br /><t <br />-' <br />::J <br />::< <br />a 5O,cm <br /> <br />o <br />Oct Nov Cec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept <br /> <br />--B--WET(1984) <br /> <br />-+- DRY (1977) --6- A VG <br /> <br />""* 2008 <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />70,000 <br /> <br /> <br />60,000 <br /> <br />j 50.000 <br />" <br />" <br />m4Q,Ooo <br />" <br />OJ <br />ro <br />o <br />en 30,000 <br />" <br />:0 <br />ro <br /><f> <br />::J 20,000 <br /> <br />10,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Taylor Park <br /> <br />Oaword <br /> <br />Fruitlanc <br /> <br />II Avg. 4130 Contents <br /> <br />114/30'08 Contents <br /> <br />6 <br />