Snowpack Low, but Reservoirs Full: Pueblo Chieftain

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Current Temp 91 Extended Forecast Today's Date May 05, 2000 Click Here to search The Pueblo Chieftain DEPARTMENTS: News Sports Business Lifestyle Editorial Classified Daily Crossword Comics TV Listings Weather RECENT ISSUES: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Frida Saturday Sunday ABOUT PUEBLO: Business Directory City Guide Chamber of Commerce Riverwalk Pueblo Convention Center *New *Virtual Tours ADVERTISEMENT Snowpack low, but reservoirs full By MARY JEAN PORTER The Pueblo Chieftain There's good news and not -so -good news this month from the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The service reports that a dry, windy and warm April caused the state's mountain snowpack to begin melting, which caused a 21 percent reduction between April 1 and May 1. The April statewide reading was 90 percent of average, and the May statewide reading was 69 percent of average. The decrease was not as extreme in the Arkansas River basin, where the April 1 snowpack reading was 81 percent of average and the most recent reading was 72 percent of average. In the Rio Grande basin, however, the snowpack dropped to 35 percent of average on May 1 from the April 1 reading of 61 percent of average. "With the state relying on the water from the melting snowpack for nearly 80 percent of its surface water supplies," said state conservationist Steve Black of the service, "it's imperative that we closely monitor the snowpack's water content, and be able to predict how much water will be available this summer." 4 If IA o� 1 of 2 515100 4:06 PM Much of the state can expect a below- average or SERVICES: near - average spring and summer runoff, Black said, but Contact Us southwestern and Southern Colorado can expect runoff Subscribe well below- average. The Rio Grande and San Juan River Advertising& basins are where the lowest runoff is anticipated because Web Development of dry winter conditions. Coupons Active Channel All of the forecasts assume average weather patterns for About this site spring and summer. The service will continue to monitor Career mountain temperatures and snowfall throughout the melt Opportunities season, and will issue the last streamflow forecasts June 1 EVENTS & Reservoir storage, another part of the water supply picture, ACTIVITIES: is more promising across most of the state. More than 70 State Fair of the state's largest reservoirs show above - average An+i V-�r .,a_ -. -._ c_- al-_ -I_ 4 If IA o� 1 of 2 515100 4:06 PM