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GUNNISON BASIN <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was +2.4. Flow at <br />the gaging station Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was <br />393 cfs, as compared to the long-term average of 335 cfs. <br />Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs <br />totaled 102% of normal as of the end of May. <br />Outlook <br />The much anticipated spring runoff finally got started <br />in the Gunnison Basin by the third week of May. Short <br />intervals of warm weather followed by brief cooling resulted <br />in ideal runoff conditions, which kept flooding issues to a <br />minimum in critical areas such as the East River at Almont <br />and the Gunnison River at Delta. The alternating warming <br />and cooling periods in May resulted in more than one "runoff <br />peak", with the main peak occurring May 22nd and 23rd. The <br />Gunnison River at Delta reached 13,600 cfs on May 22nd. <br />The average flow for that day is 5,210 cfs. Also, a much <br />higher than average high-elevation snowpack existed than <br />usual for the end of May. For example, the snow water <br />equivalent measurement at the Schofield Pass station above <br />Crested Butte still had 41-inches on May 31St <br />Based on updated information from the Bureau of <br />Reclamation, the unregulated inflow to Blue Mesa reservoir <br />during April through July is forecasted to be 1,100,000 acre- <br />feet (153% of normal), a 40,000 acre-feet increase over the <br />May 1St forecast. Based on this forecast, Blue Mesa <br />Reservoir is projected to fill this season in combination with a <br />spill from Crystal Dam, which occurred the week of May 25 <br />through 31. <br />AdministrativelManagementConcerns <br />Typically, many of the irrigation systems in the basin <br />begin to rely on reservoir water for the rest of the season by <br />early June. This will be delayed a couple of weeks this <br />season. As a result of the cool weather and above average <br />snowpack, many irrigators in the basin are still relying on <br />natural stream flow for supply. However, the periodic <br />warming and cooling trends have presented an <br />administrative challenge because of the substantial <br />fluctuations in stream flows. All this is good news for <br />irrigators as the full reservoirs basinwide will make for a good <br />irrigation season this year. <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The big water year has affected recreational activities <br />this spring, especially over Memorial Day weekend. <br />Dangerously high flows at times made it difficult or impossible <br />for fishing and rafting as well. At the same time, the water <br />levels in the major reservoirs in the basin (Blue Mesa, Taylor <br />Park, and Ridgway Reservoirs) were substantially lowered to <br />accommodate the forecasted runoff. Conditions should be <br />closer to normal for the Fourth of July holiday crowds. <br />6 <br />Jun-08 <br />C~JNNISONB4SINSU151 HSTORY <br />4 <br /> <br />3 <br />~ 2 <br />W <br />W~ <br />J <br />Q <br />~ <br />X <br />W <br />0 <br />z <br />-1 <br />} <br />0 <br />-2 <br />-3 <br /> <br /> <br />Jan-99 Jan-00 Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-05 Jan-06 Jan-07 Jan-08 <br />~u~o~m-Irv~a~ <br />UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR RIDGWAY, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br />250,000 <br />200,000 <br />U <br />Q <br />~ 100,000 <br />0 <br />~ 1 ~'~ <br />J <br />U ~~~ <br />0 <br />OU Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept <br />~ V~Ef (1984) ~ DRY (197 ~ AVG ~ 2008 <br />