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<br />Gunnison (GU). Also, in the San Juan, Animas and Dolores (SA) the recent wet period after <br /> <br />1980 has not been as wet as the 1906-1930 period. <br /> <br />The Rio Grande (RG) has a history quite different from the previous ones. Most of the <br /> <br /> <br />area at the lower elevations have a precipitation maximum in July and August. The 3 month SPI <br /> <br /> <br />shows several droughts in recent years including 1995-1996, 1980-1981, 1974, and 1972. At 12 <br /> <br /> <br />month the 1995-1996 drought was the most significant since 1950-1952. Years in the late 1970s <br /> <br /> <br />and the 1930s were not really dry. At longer time scales the most significant droughts were in the <br /> <br /> <br />1940s and 1950s as well as near the turn of the century. The recent wet period has not been as <br /> <br /> <br />wet as the 1905-1925 period. <br /> <br />The South Platte drainage (Upper and Lower) is characterized with drought in the 1890s, <br /> <br />1930s, 1950s and 1970s. Since the 1970s, the Upper South Platte (USP) has had no significant <br /> <br /> <br />drought and the Lower South Platte (LSP) has had only short term drought at 3 month and 6 <br /> <br /> <br />month SPI in 1994 and 1989. Longer time scales have not shown drought. While the recent <br /> <br /> <br />history has been wet at longer time scales, it has not been as wet as the 1905-1930 period. The <br /> <br /> <br />droughts in the 1970s were stronger in the Lower South Platte (LSP) and there were several short <br />episodes in 1974, 1976 and 1978. <br /> <br />The Arkansas drainage (Upper and Lower) have good long term data sites prior to 1900 <br /> <br /> <br />but does not have the strong drought conditions prior to 1905 in the longer time scales. They do <br /> <br /> <br />show significant drought up to the 12 month time scale. The short time scales do show recent <br /> <br /> <br />drought in 1996, 1991, 1982 and 1981. At the 12 month time scale, the last serious drought was <br /> <br />in the 1960s. The 1930s were the worst decade for the Lower Arkansas (LAR) but not the Upper <br /> <br /> <br />Arkansas (UAR). The Upper Arkansas (UAR) had more drought problems in the 1950s and <br /> <br />20 <br />