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<br />COLORADO <br />WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE <br /> <br />January 2004 <br /> <br />FROM THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER: COLORADO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES <br />ROOM 818, 1313 SHERMAN ST., DENVER, CO 80203 <br />303-866-3581; www.water.state.co.us <br /> <br />There are no extreme SWSI values at this time, refiecting a snowpack that is near normal. Statewide the <br />snowpack averaged 95% of normal on January 1 ,with variations refiected by the Gunnison basin averaging 105% of <br />normal and the South Platte basin averaging 67% of normal. Both stream fiow and reservoir storage are below normal <br />throughout the state, which is a cumulative result of several years of dry conditions. Cumulative storage for all reservoirs <br />graphed in this report is 76% of normal, which is an improvement on the 58% of normal value stored last year at this time. <br />Above normal winter snowpack and/or spring and summer rain will be required to boost stream fiows and replenish <br />surface and ground water storage to more normal levels. <br /> <br />The Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) developed by this office and the U.S.DA Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service is used as an indicator of mountain-based water supply conditions in the major river basins of the <br />state. It is based on snowpack, reservoir storage, and precipitation for the winter period (November through April). <br />During the winter period, snowpack is the primary component in all basins except the South Platte basin where reservoir <br />storage is given the most weight. The following SWSI values were computed for each of the seven major basins for <br />January 1, 2004, and refiect the conditions during the month of December. <br /> <br />Basin <br />South Platte <br />Arkansas <br />Rio Grande <br />Gunnison <br />Colorado <br />Yampa/White <br />San Juan/Dolores <br /> <br />January 1, 2004 <br />SWSI Value <br />-0.8 <br />-1.8 <br />+0.4 <br />-0.2 <br />-1.1 <br />+0.9 <br />+0.6 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Month <br />+1.4 <br />+0.2 <br />-0.4 <br />+1.0 <br />0.0 <br />-1.6 <br />+0.1 <br /> <br />-4 <br />Severe <br />Drought <br /> <br />-2 <br />Moderate <br />Drought <br /> <br />Scale <br />o <br />Near Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />-3 <br /> <br />-1 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Year <br />+1.9 <br />-1.1 <br />+1.2 <br />-0.2 <br />-1.0 <br />+1.7 <br />+1.3 <br /> <br />2 <br />Above Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />4 <br />Abundant <br />Supply <br /> <br />" <br />'" <br />" <br />