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<br />YamoalWhite Basin <br />The SWSI value (0.9) indicates that water supplies were near normal for the end of December. <br />Precipitation for the entire Basin was only 80% of average for the month. The water year total is <br />100%. Snowpack for the Yampa River drainage was 110% of average on December 31 st. <br />NRCS is predicting a near-normal spring runoff for much of the drainage. <br /> <br />San JuanlDolores Basin <br />The SWSI value (0.6) indicates that December water basin supplies were near normal. The <br />NRCS reported that January 1 snowpack is 99% of normal. Stream flows remained at lower than <br />average base flows with the Animas River at Durango at less than 80% of normal. Reservoirs <br />showed little change. Most were well below average but contained significant carryover <br />quantities into the new year. Storage in McPhee, Vallecito, and Lemon reservoir totaled 66% of <br />normal the end of December. <br /> <br />Jack Bvers. Deputv Director. Division of Water Resources <br />Mr. Byers mentioned that there was a little better reservoir storage in the South Platte than last <br />year. He said that next month and the 30 days after that are critical and will show what we have <br />to do this year for water. Mr. Byers said we get 80% of our water from the snowmelt. Mr. Byers <br />said the compacts in general are looking pretty good. <br /> <br />Bob Stee:er. Denver Water <br />Mr. Steger stated that they were concerned and monitoring conditions. Denver's reservoir <br />storage is low, and they are tracking low stream flows for this time of the year. Mr. Steger said <br />they would wait to see what happens and that conservation habits were carrying over through <br />winter. He said they would discuss restrictions in April and are hoping for the best and preparing <br />for the worse. <br /> <br />Roe:er Pielke. Sr.. State Climatolol!:ist. Colorado State University <br />Mr. Pielke reported that we are in a dry period, but this has occurred in the past. He stated that <br />not all of Colorado is dry, but that Pueblo is drier than 2002. The temperatures in December <br />were well above average statewide. Mr. Pielke mentioned that the December snowpack in the <br />southwest was good, but the eastern part of the state's was lower than average. He said there was <br />good snow in the San Juans, but it was not reflected down stream. Mr. Pielke also said the <br />Snotel data cannot always tell what is happening at lower elevations. <br /> <br />Mr. Pielke stated that the SPI showed that the eastern plains were particularly dry and had not <br />recovered from the drought of 2002. He also predicted that over the next 12 months Colorado <br />could be very vulnerable to go into another serious drought. Mr. Pielke said the 48-month SPI <br />predicted that for one year in the future Colorado would be dryer than average, and we still <br />wouldn't recover wet conditions. He said we are still on the road to recovery. <br /> <br />Bob Glancv. National Weather Service. Short Term Weather Forecast <br />Mr. Glancy reported that last year Colorado's precipitation was slightly below normal to below <br />everywhere in the state, and that everyone benefited from the March blizzard. He said the three <br />2003 storms benefited the mountains more than the plains. Mr. Glancy said our precipitation is <br />50% or more below normal on the eastern plains, but better in the mountains. His prediction for <br />the next two weeks in the future is for a better chance of precipitation in the mountains and <br />