Summary of Select Storage and Flow Conditions

• File Number: 8461.450
• Description: EAC/RCC
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 11/8/2000
• Author: Rick Brown, Randy Seaholm
• Title: Summary of Select Storage and Flow Conditions
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Correspondence

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www. cwcb. state. co. us
Q
Bill Owens
Govemor
To: Reservoir Coordinating Committee Members Greg E. Walcher
? Execurive Director
From: Rick Brovht!Platte River Coordinator, Dan McAuiiffe
lo Water Conservation Board Acring Direcror
an y Seaholm, Chief, Interstate Streams Section,
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Date: November 8, 2000
Subject: Summary of Select Water Storage Information and Flow Conditions
for the South Platte River Basin
L 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 (October 2000) flow information for the South Platte River at
Julesburg. The mean daily flow for the South Platte at Julesburg for October 2000 and for the period of record
(1902-present) is 84 cubic feet per second (cfs) and 314 cfs, respectively (see Figure 1). For comparison the
October 1999 mean daily flow at Julesburg was 974 cfs.
Figures 2 and 3 show South Platte mean monthly flows at Julesburg. A composite of the minimum and
maximum mean monthly flows for the period of record 1902-1999 is also included to provide the reader with a
sense of the wide range of flows which can be expected. It is interesting to note that the spring snow melt came
earlier than is typical and yielded less water than is typical. Flows at the Julesburg gauge from April until
present have been well below average with flows during July and August approaching the historic minimum
flow.
Estimated stream flow for the South Platte basin will be available in January 2001 and will be provided at our
next meeting.