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M <br />UPPER RIO GRANDE RIVER BASIN <br />as of March 1, 2005 <br />Mountain Snowpack* (inches) <br />—X Current --ice Average <br />--0-- Maximum --0 Minimum <br />25 <br />20 <br />c <br />15 <br />•3 <br />a <br />w <br />10 <br />a <br />5 <br />0 <br />Jan Feb Mar Apr May <br />*Based on selected stations <br />While not as significant as the increase seen in January, the Upper Rio Grande Basin snowpack <br />continued to improve during February. As of March 1, the snowpack in the basin was 147% of <br />average. In terms of percent of average, this ties with 1997 for the best March 1 snowpack <br />since 1993 when the snowpack measured in at 156% of average. 1979 and 1980 are the only <br />other years going back to 1968 that had higher percent of average conditions on March 1. <br />SNOTEL data indicates that the basin snow water content exceeded the average peak snow <br />water content early in February. Precipitation during February was measured at 108% of <br />average. The slightly higher than normal monthly precipitation helped to boost water year -to- <br />date precipitation totals to 138% of average. Reservoir storage, which was 54% of average at <br />the end of February, should benefit from the above average conditions present in the basin. <br />Spring and summer streamflows throughout the basin are forecast to be above average to well <br />above average. The lowest volume, in terms of percent of average, is expected at Saguache <br />Creek near Saguache at 121% of average; the highest volumes, forecast at 148% of average, are <br />expected for the Rio Grand Reservoir Inflow and the South Fork Rio Grand at South Fork. <br />