SWSIReportJune2004

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

YAMPAIWHITE BASIN

Basinwide CondItions Assessment
The SWSI value of -32 Indicates that for May the
basin water supplies were below normal. Flow at the gaging
station Yampa River at Steamboat was 1,185 cfs, as
compared to the long-term average of 1.604 cfs
May brought a mixture of hot dry weather and cold.
wet periods_ The snow pack continued to decline. even
given the storms that brought new snow 10 the high country
Precipitation for May was about 53% of average Snowpacks
declined to 40% on the North Platte River Basin and 36% on
the WMefYampa River Basins at the end of the month
Stream flows peaked in mid-month following a period of hot
dry weather This was fOllOwed by a cold spell that caused
flows 10 drop dramatically. VV'hen the warm weather
returned, there was nol enough high snow left to produce
higher peaks_ Many of the area gaging stations saw daily
hIstoric low flows dUring May.

Outlook
River flows will begin 10 drop steadily as the last of
the high snow melts Absent normal levels of precipitation,
flows will decline to base levels rapidly_ Runoff forecast call
for well below average volumes The June 111 runoff
forecasts. prepared by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service. were essentially the same as Ihe previous month
The percent of average runoff under the most probable
forecast is 33% for the North Platte River near Northgate.
53% for the Yampa River near Maybell, and 55% for the
While River near Meeker.

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Jun-04

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Administratlve/Manaaemenl Concerns
Many streams and rivers in the Division went under
admmistratlon in May With stream flows well below average,
administratIon began much sooner then normal. By the end
of May, many irrigation reservOirs had already begun
releasing water to their users_

Public Use Imoacts
The river flows will Quickly dissipate as the last of the
high snow melts. Activities WIll soon switch from high-flow 10
low-flow recreational Opportunities

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