Summary of Select Water Storage Information and Flow Conditions

• File Number: 8461.450
• Description: EAC/RCC
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 4/9/2003
• Author: Rick Brown, Randy Seaholm
• Title: Summary of Select Water Storage Information and Flow Conditions
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Correspondence

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sheratan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
w-ww.cwcb.state.co.us
Bill Owens
To: Reservoir Coordinating Committee Members Governor
? Greg E. Walcher
From: Rick Brown, Platte River Coordinato
Colorado Water Conservation Boar?rn ?-S Executive Director
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Randy Seaholm, Chief, Interstate Streams Section, CWCB Director
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director
Date: April 9, 2003
Subject: Summary of Select Water Storage Information and Flow Conditions
for the South Platte River Basin
1. INTRODUCTION
Colorado is pleased to provide the following information in support of the Reservoir Coordinating
Committee (RCC) for the three state Platte River Cooperative Agreement. In preparing the
information we focused our efforts on the South Platte River and select data, which we believe is the
most relevant for the RCC. We have also included a number of Internet Sites, which people can
access for additional information and up-to-date information over the next several months.
II. WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK
Stream Flow
Attached are several graphs of historic and current (March 2003) flow information for the South
Platte River at Julesburg. The mean daily flow for the South Platte at Julesburg for March 2003 and
for the period of record (1902-2001) was 63 cubic feet per second (cfs) and 559cfs, respectively (see
Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 2 shows South Platte mean monthly flows at Julesburg. A composite of the minimum and
mean monthly flows for the period of record 1902-2001 is also included to provide the reader with a
sense of the wide range of flows which can be expected. The effect of one of the worst droughts in
recent history is reflected in water year 2002 and 2003 flow rates, which are much below average
and in some cases are the minimum flow of record.
Figure 5 shows predicted stream flow in Colorado as of April 1. The recent heavy snows in
Colorado and the South Platte basin has dramatically improved predicted stream flow! The northern
part of the basin is at 90-109 percent of average and the southern portion is at 70-89 percent of
average.
Flood Protection • Water Supply Plaruung and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection • Conservation and Drought Planning