PRRIP North Platte 04/20/2010

• Description: Related to the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
• State: NE
• State: WY
• State: CO
• Basin: North Platte
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 4/20/2010
• Author: Various
• Title: PRRIP EAC/RCC April 20 2010 Meeting
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Meeting

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
MEMORANDUM
TO: Reservoir Coordinating Committee ( "RCC ") and
Environmental Account Committee ( "EAC ") Members
FROM: Ted Kowalski, Program Manager
DATE: April 16, 2010
SUBJECT: Summary of Select Water Storage Information and
Flow Condition for the South Platte River Basin
L INTRODUCTION
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
James B. Martin
DNR Executive Director
Jennifer L. Gimbel
CWCB Director
Last year's runoff was the first above average runoff in years; however, this year's snowpack for
the South Platte River is slightly below average. Nevertheless, because of the high soil moisture
profile and the relatively high reservoir levels in the entire basin, Nebraska could see higher than
average South Platte River flows.
Please see the following information in support of the RCC /EAC meeting. I have attached
selected data, which is the most relevant for the RCC. As always, I 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. I will be attending this meeting by phone conference.
II. WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK
Stream Flow
I have attached several graphs of historic and current (March 20 10) flow information for the
South Platte River at Kersey and Julesburg. Of note, on the first table, the streamflows at
Julesburg and Kersey are well above average for March, and well above what the flows were in
March 2009. This could be in part due to March precipitation events and warmer March
conditions. (See pages 3 -6). In addition, I have included the South Platte River monthly mean
flows for the last 4 months, compared with the historic mean and maximums for those months,
and compared to the mean monthly flows for 2009 -2010. (See pages 7 -8). These charts and
graphs indicate that: 1) the flows have been higher than average; 2) the flows have been much
higher than the flows were last winter; and, 3) the trend of higher flows could continue into the
summer.
Reservoir Storage
A summary of reservoir storage and reservoir capacity of select reservoirs is provided in the
attachments, pages 9 -12, and the fact that the reservoirs are full below Kersey suggests why the
flows may have been higher at the Julesburg gage this past March. It is noteworthy, that
reservoirs above Kersey and below Kersey are all significantly above where they were last year
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