SWSIReportMay2005

• Title: Colorado Water Supply Conditions Update
• Date: 5/12/2005
• Description: Presentation
• Basin: Statewide
• Drought Mitigation - Doc Type: Presentation

YAMPAlWHITE BASIN

Basinwide Conditions Assessment
The SWSI value of -2.3 indicates that for April the
basin water supplies were below normal. The Natural
Resources Conservation Service reports that May 1
snowpack is 79% of normal. Flow at the gaging station
Yampa River at Steamboat was estimated at 476 cfs, as
compared to the long-term average of 589 cfs.
Precipitation for April was approximately 94% of
average for the basin, with much of this coming in the later
part of the month. Year-to-date precipitation for the water
year is about 88% of average. The basin-wide snowpack
was 79% of average, down from 89 % of average at the end
of March. The highest snowpack readings were recorded on
the Little Snake and Elk River drainages, which were 89%
and 84% of average, respectively. The snowpack for the
North Platte River Basin was 79 %, the Yampa River Basin
. 72 % and the White River Basin 73 % of average. In the first
half of the month the warm, dry weather resulted in an early
snowmelt that increased stream flows above seasonal
norms. In the second half of the month, cool wet weather
slowed the rate of snowmelt and stream flows decreased to
below-average levels.

Outlook
The May 1 runoff forecast released by the Natural
Resources Conservation Service for the most probable runoff
condition is for 68% of average for the North Platte River
near Northgate; 75% of average for the Yampa River near
Maybell; 86 % of average for the Little Snake River near
Dixon; and 68% of average for the White River near Meeker.
These percentages are essentially the same as the previous
month, with slight increases in the forecast for the North
Platte and White River basins.
Storms in the second half of April brought additional
snows to the basins and slowed the rate of meiling at the
higher elevations. If this change in the weather pattern holds,
the runoff may follow a more normal pattern with respect to
the timing of the peak flows and the anticipated duration.
Given the lower than normal snowpack, peak flows are
expected to be lower than normal.

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AdministrativelManaoement Concerns
Piceance Creek, a tributary to the White River went under administration on April 15th While this drainage has
had more precipitation this winter than in the last several years, there is still insufficient flow to satisfy the demand, It is
anticipated that administration will also occur in the North Platte Basin and on some tributaries of the Yampa River.

Public Use Imoacts
Flows in the rivers and streams at lower elevations are beginning to increase as the snowpack begins to melt out.
Extreme caution should be exercised when recreating on or near the watercourses. Most high elevation reservoirs are still
ice covered.

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