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<br />SOUTH PLATTE BASIN <br /> <br />May-05 <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value of -0.2 indicates that for April the <br />basin water supplies were near normal. Reservoir storage, <br />the major component in this basin in computing the SWSI <br />value, was 105% of normal as of the end of April. <br />Cumulative storage in the major plains reservoirs: JUlesberg, <br />North Sterling, and Prewitt, is at 97% of capacity. <br />Cumulative storage in the major upper-basin reservoirs: <br />Cheesman, Eleven Mile, Spinney, and Antero is at 82% of <br />capacity. The Natural Resources Conservation Service <br />reports that May 1 snowpack is 77% of normal. Flow at the <br />gaging station South Platte River near Kersey was 854 cfs, <br />as compared to the long-term average of 853 cfs. Flow at <br />the Colorado/Nebraska state line averaged 125 cfs. <br />April saw a variety of water uses as recharge, <br />storage, municipal and some irrigation all took their turns or <br />occurred simultaneously on different sections of the river. <br />Initially, April started out a little warm and dry, but quickly <br />turned cool and wet along the Front Range with these <br />conditions eventually extending out into the plains the last <br />week of the month. These conditions contributed to a stable <br />to slightly increased snowpack and the ability to allow <br />extended periods of diversion by fairly junior recharge rights <br />on the plains. The wet conditions also allowed most of the <br />major plains reservoirs to remain full and refill any water lost <br />to seepage and evaporation, in contrast to April 2004 when <br />users were forced to withdraw water from these reservoirs for <br />irrigation. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />In May, the irrigation users hope for conditions wet <br />enough to keep the junior recharge rights diverting as that <br />will provide a larger augmentation supply for wells, but not so <br />wet as to adversely impact planting and other necessary <br />activities. Moderately wet conditions in May would also <br />significantly help irrigators dependent on reservoirs, as they <br />would not have to use reservoir supplies to '"irrigate up" their <br />crops. These conditions would also serve municipalities by <br />allowing additional storage and reducing lawn and landscape <br />irrigation demand. <br /> <br />....H""" <br /> <br />~ , <br />~ <br />~ <br />~ . <br />, <br /> <br /> <br />~ -, <br />o <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br />.IInQ5 Jm.91 Jln.Il8 Ja<I.99 Ja1.OO Jer1.C1 .-..m ..IInm ..Iln04 ..rm.a; <br />.,,"',,- <br /> <br />SCUTH A.ATTE RI\ffi fIR ~. R.ON BY MTER 'VEAA <br /> <br />3,(0),0Xl <br /> <br /> ---- <br /> / <br /> / <br /> I <br /> / <br /> /"" <br />--' --- <br /> <br />Qi 2,500,OXl <br />. <br />~ <br />.; <br />~ 2,(0),00) <br />~ <br />~ <br />u. 1,5OO,0Xl <br />w <br />> <br />3 <br />::l 1,00),00) <br />" <br />::> <br />" <br /> <br />5OO.CXXl <br /> <br />o <br />(lj"'"l>lcJa1Rb"""'......"""........"""""'" <br /> <br />-a-\'\ET(1re3) <br /> <br />->-AI,G <br /> <br />-+-[R((1004) <br /> <br />"*-= <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVORS <br /> <br />""-"" <br /> <br />""'''" <br /> <br /> <br />1i <br />11so,coo <br />. <br />i <br />4l1OO,cm <br />~ <br /> <br />00."" <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />0IIC1l 1-bset00h EkM;n Mia Cheesrmn Jackscn Barr Lat;e <br /> <br />.A"9-~Ca1ents <br /> <br />"04I:l005"""'" <br /> <br />3 <br />