Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> Sep - 08 <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br /> The SWSI value for the month was + 1.6 . Flow at <br />GUNNISON BASIN SWSI HISTORY <br />the gaging station Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was <br />4 <br />131 cfs, as compared to t he long - term average of 165 cfs. <br />Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs <br />3 <br />tot aled 96 % of normal as of the end of August . <br /> <br />2 <br />DRY INDEX VALUE WET <br />Outlook <br />1 <br />In terms of rainfall, August was not much better than <br />July, with most areas of the basin receiving less than half the <br />0 <br />normal rainfall amounts. For example, Grand Junction <br />received only 0.44 inches of rai nfall in August compared to <br />-1 <br />their average of 1.0 inches. Montrose received only 0.25 <br />inches of their normally 1,25 inches of rainfall in August. <br />-2 <br />However, due to the above average snowpack this <br />-3 <br />winter and the slow runoff, the major reservoirs in the basin <br />have continued to hold fairly steady and it appears there will <br />-4 <br />be ample storage going into the fall. We continue to look <br />Jan-99 Jan-00 Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-05 Jan-06 Jan-07 Jan-08 <br />MONTH / YEAR <br />forward to the expected monsoonal moisture, which typically <br />occurs by this time of the year, to help replenish reservoir <br />levels and d ecrease the demand for irrigation water. <br /> <br />UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. RIDGWAY, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br />Administrative/Management Concerns <br />No river calls occurred on the Gunnison, <br />250,000 <br />Uncompahgre, or San Miguel Rivers yet this season. Most <br />stream systems have continued to flow enough to keep the <br />CUMULATIVE FLOW, Acre-Feet 200,000 <br />water rights whole but d ecreasing flows in the Uncompahgre <br />and San Miguel River systems will result in call scenarios if <br />monsoonal moisture does not arrive during September. <br />150,000 <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />100,000 <br /> For farmers and ranchers that have put up hay in the <br />Gunnison Basin, this has been a great summer. Most had <br />enough water to fully irrigate their crops, and the dry weather <br />50,000 <br />in August resulted in conditions to bail hay without it getting <br />rained on. A very good growing season, despite the lack of <br />0 <br />rainfall. <br />Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept <br /> <br />WET (1984) DRY (1977) AVG 2008 <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br />90,000 <br />80,000 <br />70,000 <br />Usable Storage, acre-feet <br />60,000 <br />50,000 <br />40,000 <br />30,000 <br />20,000 <br />10,000 <br />0 <br />Taylor Park Crawford Fruitland <br />Avg. 8/31 Contents 8/31/08 Contents <br />6 <br />