WSP14062B

• File Number: 4000.350
• Description: Flood Protection Section - Flood Activities - 1985
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 5/1/1985
• Author: USDA - Soil Conservation
• Title: Colorado and New Mexico Water Supply Outlook - As of 05-01-85
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Map

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Water Supply Outlook for Colorado and New Mexico - Page 2 a
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_ GUNNISON RIVER WATERSHED IN COLORADO
COLORADO SUMMARY of SNOW MEASUREMENTS
(COMPARISON WITrr PKeVIOUS YEARS) _
P I T K I N RIVER BASIN - THIS YEAR'S SNOW
Nwnber o/ WATER AS PERCENT OF
and or Courses
e SUB-WATERSHED Averaged Loa Year 1961-60 Average
i
O TRICKLE +} I ••: •' -
M E S A DIVIDE �j >:` Gunnison 2 64 105
- -
MESA LAKE 9 i C t \ - ;.:
1
Surface Creek 3 87 120
3e 39°
r ,�: �. 11tt yls - _ �
i ) Uncompahgre 4 55
101
I
'` 1 I i `•. C H A F F E E
� ,. SNOW COURSE MEASUREMENTS
CURRENT INFORMATION '" PAST RECORD
r - WATER CONTENT
ONARCHPASs CRIES)
DATE SNOW WATER (IN
SNMICOURSE OF DEPTH CONTENT
€ t° _ SURVEY pNCHES) (INCHES) YEAR 61V SO
M O N
, H 1 ,.
1. a
°E GUNNISON BASIN
LEGEND
q ♦ Forecast Po1M Gunnison River
Snow Course
S A N - '' .cDCHETorAPAs3 1 SNOTEL Site Alexander Lake 4/29 66 28.2 30.9 23.7
r. 1 STREAMFLOW FORECASTS Blue Mesa DISCONTINUID
s�TELLURIDEe' ' 1 I {rt ,^ `' -3e° Percent of 1961-80A � Butte 4/30 43 16.8 24.2 13.9
RA
yt1- 'SLUMGU(LION Over 1"
oNTAvi Cochetopa Pass (B) 4/29 9 3.-2 9.9 4.3
M I G U E L MINERAL C L.I' M IN E R A L 11D-130%
,� Ivertawr i Crested Butte 4/30 1.8 8.3 18.0 9.0
- SAN JUAN�, Q 90-110% Keystone 4/30 18 8.1 31.4 18.9
0
70- 90% Lake City 5/01 12 3.7 11.0 4.7
I O`- 0 IO 20 30 40141LES .® LWIsr70% Mesa Lakes (B) 4/29 48. 20.3 28.6 17.01
SCALE 1:1,620,000 McClure Pass 4/29 . 32 13.6 19.9 10.7`'-
Park Cone 4/29 18 6.3 11.9 7.6
YOUR WATER SUPPLY Park Reservoir 4/30 72 31.5 32.6 25.7
Porphyry Creek 4/29 54 19.7 30.4 17.2
Slumgullion 5/01 43 14. 1 22.0 13.2
APRIL BROUGHT A DECREASE IN SNOWPACK AVERAGES THROUGHOUT THE GUNNISON BASIN. Tomichi DISC NTINU D
ALL OF THE SUBWATERSHEDS DECREASED FROM 4% TO 77 DURING THE MONTH. CURRENTLY,
Surface Creek
THE SNOWPACK IS AT 104% OF AVERAGE, OR 62% OF LAST YEAR. THE GUNNISON RIVER Alexander Lake 4/29 66 28.2 30.9 23.7
` NEAR GRAND JUNCTION IS FORECAST AT 51% ABOVE AVERAGE, THE HIGHEST FORECAST IN Mesa Lakes 4/29 48 20.3 28.6 17.0
THE BASIN. THE UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER AT COLONA IS FORECAST AT 27% ABOVE AVERAGE. Park Reservoir 4/30 72 31.5 32.6 25.7 THE MAJOR RESERVOIRS IN THE BASIN ARE CURRENTLY STORING 13% ABOVE AVERAGE CONTENTS Uncompahgre River
NEARLY ONE-THIRD MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S STORAGE LEVELS. THIS YEAR'S WATER SUPPLY Idarado 4/29 27 10.6 22.2 11.8
OUTLOOK IS EXPECTED TO BE ADEQUATE THROUGH MOST OF THE REGION DURING THE SPRING, Ironton Park 4/29 25 9.2 28.1 8.9
HOWEVER MINOR SHORTAGES COULD OCCUR DURING THE LATE SEASON. Red Mountain Pass 4/30 94 37.5 44.2 33.6
Telluride (B) 4/30 0. 0.0 9.8. 2.6
NS-'Jo survey.
(B)-fin adjacent drainage.
STREAMFLOW FORECASTS 0000 Ae. Ft.) April -Septevlber
FORECAST POINT Forecast %of Average 1961-80
Average
:. . .0 _ WATERSHED SNOWPACK .
East River At Almont 240 119 202.,4 Based on 5 Selected Snow Courses*
Gunnison River inflow to blue Mesa Reservoir (1) 1025 151 1803:2 � .
_ (;irnn;enn River near Grand Jlulction '(2) :# I', `:< 1265.0, 3
k #UXlltlilAt=Or atato
North Fbrk of Gunnison (3) 400 140 285.9 ! _ z „j `y
Surface Creek near Cedaredge 22 127 17.3 W so
145 126 -J A*:a
Taylor River Inf law to Taylor Park Reservoir 114.7
Uncampahgre River at Colona 170 127 133.8 > '¢ �; • "�_ ''
� 2S
r
(1)Observed floe plus change in storage in Taylor Reservoir.. (2) Observed floe plus change in storage in Blue Mesa, Morrow Point and Taylor Reservoirs. W .
(3) Observed flow plus change in storage in Paonia Reservoir.
Expressed as'Poor,Fair.Average,Ex- - 3; 15
WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK cellent'With Respect to Usual Supply. RESERVOIR STORAGE (Thousand Ae. Ft.) END OF MONTH z �g6�;g:-• • '' °
Flow Period
Basin or Steam Usable Usable Storage - }
STREAM or AREA Spring Late an
ei°r Capacity This Last 1961-60 x
Season Sesser RESERVOIR Year Year Averse IL -
O
Blue Mesa 830 -355 230 301 W ; • :>
Ohio Creek Avg. Fair
Crawford 14 14 14 12x
IIA
Slate River Avg. Fair ;. _ a ,:'
Tomichi Creek Avg. Fair Fruitgrowers 4 4 4 4
e
FEB. Ist MAR. Ist APR.Ist MAY Ist
Fruitland
Morrow Point 121 115 115 107 i *Crested Butte, Iront-on Park, Park Cone, Park
Taylor 106 48 36 57 Reservoir, Porphvry Creek.
Ieeued bV Report prepared by
Released by SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
PETER C. MYERS SHELDON G. BOONE RAY T. MARGO, JR. " GARRY L. SCHAEFER Snow Survey Supervisor - SNOW SURVEY UNIT
CHIEF MICHAEL A.GILLESPIE ,Assistant Snow Survey Supervisor
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE STATE CONSERVATIONIST STATE CONSERVATIONIST 2490 WEST 26TH AVE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE DAMES H. BESWICK Hydrologic Technician DENVER, COLORADO 8021 I
DENVER, COLORADO ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MExICO. MARY M. VIGIL Statistical Assistant
LIST OF COOPERATORS
The SCS administers the Cooperative Snow Survey Program in cooperation with
other federal, state, and local agencies as well as private organizations
_. and individuals. The following oranizations cooperate in Colorado and New
Mexico Snow Surveys.
STATE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITIES CORPORATIONS
Colorado State Engineer Colorado Public Service Company Aspen Skiing Corp.
Colorado State Soil Conservation Board Public Service Company of New Mexico Colorado Fuel and Iron Corp.
New Mexico State Engineer
Climax Molybdenum Corp.
Colorado State University Experiment Station MUNICIPALITIES Copper Mounttin Ski Area
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station Lake Eldora Corp.
New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish City of Denver City of Greeley Vail Associates, Incorporated
University of Colorado, INSTAAR City of Boulder City of Fort Collins Taylor Lumber and Land Company
Idarado Mining Corp.
FEDERAL PRIVATE CITIZENS
WATER USERS ORGANIZATIONS
Department of Agriculture Otto Goemmer, Colorado
Forest Service Arkansas Valley Ditch Association Moreno Ranch, New Mexico
Soil Conservation Service Colorado River Water Conservation District
Department of Interior
Bureau of Reclamation, IRRIGATION PROJECTS
Geological Survey
National Park Service Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company
Department of Commerce San Luis Valley Irriation District
NOAA, National Weather Service Santa Maria Reservoir Company
Montilla Land Company
NOAA, National Environmental Satellite Servie
Defense Department Montezuma Irrigation Co.Army Engineer Corps Uncompahgre Valley Water Users'
Association Many other organizations and individuals furnish valuable information for
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Company the snow survey and water supply forecast reports. Their assistance is
Goddard Space Flight Center Trinchera Irrigation Co. gratefully acknowledged.
USDA KS-PORnMUD.oR)"I -