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<br />go; the South Platte has improved a lot; the Arkansas has flattened out, and overall statewide, the <br />best improvement since last summer. He also mentioned the Gunnison will store above average <br />volumes even though runoff has been below average. <br /> <br />Mr. Gillespie said we have about average SWSI conditions across the eastern plains. The South <br />Platte, Arkansas, Yampa White and North Platte basins are at the lowest values. The Colorado is <br />about average, and we have excellent values in the Rio Grande and the southwest. <br /> <br />Mr. Gillespie explained that the streamflow percentage figures for March 1 statewide is at 130% <br />of average. He said we have excellent conditions in the southern part of the state; however it <br />diminishes as it goes toward the north. Mr. Gillespie reported flows are below average across the <br />Colorado, South Platte, Yampa White and North Platte basins. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Supply Report <br /> <br />Keith Vander Horst, Division of Water Resources, Water Supplv Conditions Update <br />Mr. Vander Horst explained that Mr. Gillespie had gone over the SWSI numbers and as we could <br />see the SWSI numbers just followed the snowpack percentages with positive numbers in the south <br />and southwest corner and then dropped going negative toward the north where there is less <br />snowpack. He also said he expects Blue Mesa to fill this year. <br /> <br />---The following is a brief water supply conditions update. (A complete supply update was <br />distributed at the meeting and appears on the CWCB webpage at www.cwcb.state.co.us) <br /> <br />South Platte Basin <br />SWSI value (-0.4) indicates that for February the basin water supplies were near nonnal. <br />Reservoir storage was 105% of normal at of the end of February. Storage levels in the major <br />plains reservoirs: Julesburg, North Sterling, and Prewitt are at 88% of capacity. Cumulative <br />storage in the major upper-basin reservoirs of Cheesman, Eleven Mile, Spinney, and Antero is at <br />77% of capacity. The March 1 snowpack is 80% of nonnal. <br /> <br />Arkansas Basin <br />SWSI value (-0.3) indicates that basin water supplies were near normal for February. The March <br />1 snowpack was 115% of normal. Streamflows at the gaging station near Portland were 325 cfs, <br />as compared to the long-tenn average of 357 cfs. Storage in Turquoise, Twin Lakes, Pueblo, and <br />John Martin reservoirs totaled 68% of nonnal at the end of February. <br /> <br />Rio Grande Basin <br />SWSI value 3.1 indicates that basin water supplies were above nonnal for February. The March 1 <br />snowpack is 147% of normal. At the end of February storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa <br />Maria reservoirs totaled 75% of nonnal. Flow to the state line was 118% of normal. Precipitation <br />in Alamosa was above normal and the average temperature was nearly five degrees above normal. <br />Streamflow forecasts are calling for significantly above average runoff this year. <br />