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<br />Janet Rogers. OSPB. Economics <br />Ms. Rogers took over for Julie Hart who did a report memo for the Water Availability <br />Task Force last year. Ms. Rogers said she had updated Ms. Hart's memo oflast year, and <br />explained that they were trying to quantify statistically what was going on with the <br />economic impacts of the state. She explained that there was a tendency for recessionary <br />conditions of the state to be tacked in with the problems of the drought, and that it was <br />difficult to distinguish one from the other. <br /> <br />Ms. Rogers reported there was a defmite economic impact on the State. Agriculture had <br />been hit with an exceedingly $500 million loss; tourism exceeding $250 million; and, <br />wildfires at over $11 million loss. She explained that cost is very real and that they are <br />still trying to collect data for 2002. Ms. Rogers indicated that more information would be <br />coming later. <br /> <br />Current Water A vailabilitv Status <br /> <br />Mike Gillespie. Natural Resource Conservation Service INRCS) <br />Mr. Gillespie reported that prior to the big snowstorm, March 1, snowpack levels were at <br />83% of average. He explained we started off good in November; December and January <br />were dry; February had the best improvement with March improving further to 94% of <br />average. This is the sixth year we have been below average; 1999 was above average but <br />only after May 1. Mr. Gillespie stated the North Platte was the best basin to improve; <br />however, everything is going down now as of April 1. We are down to 84% of average <br />on April 16, but we are still at 264% oflast year. <br /> <br />The snotel precipitation rate for April is pretty dry. <br /> <br />Statewide reservoir storage is at 52% of average, with the best reservoir storage being <br />Gunnison at 81 %. We have a huge amount of reservoir storage to make up. <br /> <br />The SWSI shows everything negative with the Rio Grande and San Juan being the <br />lowest. It appears we are in bad shape for runoffs. <br /> <br />We expect the southwest comer streamflows to be at 52% from April to July. Colorado <br />looks the best, but statewide overall we are in bad shape. <br /> <br />Keith VanderHorst. Division of Water Resources. Water Supplv Conditions Update <br />Mr. VanderHorst reported that Colorado's water supply improved over much of the state <br />during March due to the big snowstorm. The South Platte basin benefited the most from <br />the storm and the Arkansas and Colorado basins improved also. However, the <br />southwestern part of the state missed out on the record snowfall. <br /> <br />Mr. VanderHorst continued to explain that the statewide snow pack improved. The <br />South Platte, Arkansas and Colorado basins had the best snow pack levels while the San <br />Juan and Rio Grande remain low. The SWSI index numbers correspond to the basin <br />