SWSIReportMarch2005

• Title: Colorado Water Supply Conditions Update
• Date: 3/18/2005
• Description: Presentation
• Basin: Statewide
• Drought Mitigation - Doc Type: Presentation

SOUTH PLATTE BASIN

Mar-05

Basinwide Conditions Assessment
The SWSI value of -0.4 indicates that for February
the basin water supplies were near normal. Reservoir
storage, the major eomponent in this basin in eomputing the
SWSI value, was 105% of normal as of the end of February.
Cumulative storage in the major plains reservoirs: Julesberg,
North Sterling, and Prewitt, is at 88% of eapaeity.
Cumulative storage in the major upper-basin reservoirs:
Cheesman, Eleven Mile, Spinney, and Antero is at 77% of
eapaeity. The Natural Resourees Conservation Serviee
reports that Mareh 1 snowpaek is 80% of normal. Flow at the
gaging station South Platte River near Kersey was 647 efs,
as eompared to the long-term average of 674 efs. Flow at
the Colorado/Nebraska state line averaged 39 efs.
Storage eontinued as the main use in the month of
February, with the remaining diversions to direet flow
munieipal and industrial uses. Though the month was
extremely dry on the plains, river eonditions held up fairly
well and signifieant storage oeeurred.

Outlook
Based on present eonditions, it appears that all the
main plains reservoirs will fill again this year in eontrast to
last year when they did not. Of some eoneern, a very early
direet eall for irrigation is possible if eonditions remain dry
whieh will curtail storage prior to all of these reservoirs filling.
As in all years, spring preeipitation is important to irrigate up
crops allowing users to keep reservoir supplies rather than
having to release them for irrigation purposes.
Though eonditions were dry, overall pereentage of
average snowpaek did not fall too dramatieally during
February and remained ahead of last year. Additional snow
in Mareh and April would significantly help the overall supply
eonditions. With the deeent snowpaek most munieipal
providers are in a fairly good position for this year for water
supply though dry spring eonditions eould affeet the safety
faetor available for their supplies.

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