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<br />2. After a mixed spring (dry March, wet April, dry May), June continued our roller- <br />coaster ride by dropping prodigious amounts of moisture from southeastern Colorado <br />into parts of the Front Range, while leaving the western third of the state drier than <br />normal. July appears to repeat June' rainfall patterns over Colorado, with above-normal <br />rainfall along and east of the divide, and below-normal moisture over Western Colorado. <br />Compared to the last six summers, this one has been cooler so far as well, consistent <br />with its wetness. <br />3. In my experimental forecasts for July through September 2004, favored regions <br />remain to our south, both in Arizona as well as especially over eastern New Mexico. A <br />first look at the fall season (October-December) continues a comparatively wet trend for <br />Arizona, while leaving both southern Utah and northeastern Colorado with a higher than <br />average chance of dry conditions. <br />4. Bottomline: Recent warming in the central equatorial Pacific may allow for the return <br />of EI Nino later this year. Meanwhile, tilts in the precipitation odds remain weak over <br />much of the Colorado for the foreseeable future. If EI Nino were to gain sufficient <br />srtength this fall, most of Colorado would improve its odds for above-normal moisture <br />for the remainder of 2004. <br /> <br />Impact Task Force Reports <br /> <br />Barry Cress, Department of Local Affairs <br />Mr. Cress said there was nothing related to water shortage problems that they were working on <br />now, and the projects they were still dealing with pertain more to water quality. He mentioned <br />most of their current projects deal with improving systems. Mr. Cress stated there were eight to <br />ten water projects involving people trying to obtain additional water supplies, and they were <br />more for development of communities and tightening up systems. He added they are working <br />mostly with smaller towns rather than the larger municipalities. <br /> <br />Robin Knox, Wildlife <br />Mr. Knox commented that Bonnie Reservoir was a good example of the statement that rain <br />doesn't fill reservoirs. He said the low water continues to be a concern to fishing; however, they <br />just had their meeting last week and very little was reported as fish problems. <br /> <br />Mary Halstead, Wildlife <br />Ms. Halstead reported that the Wildlife Impact Task Force had continued to meet and they are <br />monitoring wildlife conditions but that there was nothing significant to report at this time. Ms. <br />Halstead passed out the July-August "Colorado Outdoors" magazine and pointed out it contained <br />a good article featuring wildfires and drought. <br />