SWSIReportJune2004

• Title: Colorado Water Supply Conditions Report
• Date: 6/15/2004
• Description: Presentation
• Basin: Statewide
• Drought Mitigation - Doc Type: Presentation

RIO GRANDE BASIN

Basinwide Conditions Assessment
The SWSI value of 08 indicates that for May the
basin water supplies were about normal. Flow at the gaging
station Rio Grande near Del Norte averaged 2.862 cfs (114%
of normal) The Conejos River near Mogote had a mean flow
of 1026 cfs (93% of nOrmal). Storage in Platoro. Rio Grande.
and Santa Maria reservOirs totaled 43% of normal as of the
end of May
PrecipitatIOn in Alamosa dunng May was only 001
inches. 0.69 inches below normal Temperatures ranged from
1 g degrees to 81 degrees In Alamosa where the average
monthly temperature was 52.5 degrees. 21 degrees above
normal.
Stream flow rn the basin was generally near
average Most streams in the dIvision have already peaked
Flooding will not be a concern this season unless a major
rainstorm occurs The entire basin experienced a very dry
month. Dry and dusty condItions already exist outside of
irrigated areas

Outlook
NRCS stream flow forecasts are predictIng runoff in
area streams at the 80 to 9QO/o of normal level Although below
normal, these forecasts are much better than the last two years
and this basm is likely to be the best in Colorado. If
precipitatIon remains low, stream flow will drop radically as the
summer progresses.

Jun-Q4

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AdministratJVe/ManaQement Concerns
The unusual weather patterns dunng May and early
June caused many area streams to experience a "roller-
coaster' hydrograph. Every time things would start to warm up
and the creeks would rise, a cold front dropped temperatures
and stream flow This effectively Chopped off the normal peak
flows and has mcx:lerated the runoff Perhaps the end result will
be a more sustained runoff benefltmg those with moderately
senior water rights, but leaving outlhe most junior water rights
ReservOir storage throughout the RIO Grande basin is
in poor condItion. Storage releases are expected to begin early
to offset the dry conditions. but the run won't last long as
storage in those reservoirs is already low.

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